What to clean old Cosmoline off stuff?

[darkzero]

Have you tried WD-40?

Same here, that's what I use to clean cosmoline off, I don't use solvents because of the bad smell. Cleaning is just about all I use WD40. I know lots of people use it for machining aluminum but I don't even use it for that either.

 

[umahunter]

I use wd40 and haven't had any problems so far I also use the fine grit scotchbrite

 

[tkingmo]

A hot water shower. cosmoline is a wax.

 

[hman]

Or extend the above idea and immerse the parts in boiling water for a while (?)

 

[Laytonnz]

Turpintine, petrol, diesel works well .. i actually clean my lathes with a rag soaked in turps

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[george wilson]

Whatever that stuff the Chinese put on machinery is miserable stuff,too! I cleaned off my new Asian lathes with ODORLESS paint thinner.

 

[kvt]

My problem is I do not want to destroy the paint below the stuff, I was afraid somethings would. Like paint thinner, acetone etc. found that Purple power cleaner and a lot of elbow grease does work. but take a while. Soaking internal part with no paint in parts cleaner. Then I will pressure wash and work off the fine rust that forms on things as they dry.

 

[RandyM]

My problem is I do not want to destroy the paint below the stuff, I was afraid somethings would. Like paint thinner, acetone etc. found that Purple power cleaner and a lot of elbow grease does work. but take a while. Soaking internal part with no paint in parts cleaner. Then I will pressure wash and work off the fine rust that forms on things as they dry.

I have cleaned a LOT of parts in parts cleaner and have never had it remove the paint. In fact, I clean a lot of things with paint thinner and have never had it remove the paint either. Acetone, Yes, that is some really nasty stuff. Now, if you are soaking parts in some of these cleaners (say over night and longer), that is another thing. I will use parts cleaner and scrub brushes, scrub pads and small wire brushes if necessary. I find that most of the paints used when these machines were manufactured (not the new ones) used some really tough and durable paints.

 

[Silverbullet]

If you had a hot pressure washer , steam Jenny they use to call them. I used one years ago not much pressure but the heat blew everything off but the paint. Even used it to clean a boat covered in barnacles never had to scrape one off. Much better then any other way I found.