Cleaning up a filthy machine

[DMS]

I managed to pick up a used knee mill today, and it is resting soundly in my garage. It is a bit grungy (the previous owner brushed off the chips, but that's about it). My VFD won't be here until Tuesday, so I figured I would spend some time cleaning up and getting familiar with my new baby. My question for the group is, does anybody have a favorite cleaning fluid for removing old grime from a machine, and what should I treat unpainted surfaces with after I clean them?

DMS

 

[12bolts]

Trusty old elbow grease is the best cleaner.
If the manufacturers' finish is in reasonable condition underneath all the grime then just go gently with turps or kero and a brush to get the dirt off trying not to do damage to the coating.
What you find underneath the grime may dictate how heavy handed you need to be. When I refurbished my 2nd hand mill I found it was fairly good generally, but some areas went back to bare metal. So I ended up leaving the original finish as much as possible, cleaned, sanded, primed and then repainting the entire machine one colour.
If your machine only needs a few touch ups maybe try a good epoxy enamel, tinted to suit. Or you may end up going the whole deal. Flap wheels, scrapers, pickers. Really depends on what you find. Keep working up in grades of solvents and abrasives.
As far as the bare metal goes, is this working surfaces, or just damaged coating areas?

cheers Phil

 

[DMS]

The original paint seems pretty good in most spots, with some chipping near the base, and on the ram. The dovetails of the ram show a little surface rust on the rear (don't think they ever moved the ram). The table seems in decent shape, only a few small pock marks from drills driven too deep, not bad IMO. Everything is just covered in a thing layer of oil and dust, I want to get under that so that I can really see what I got

I guess tomorrow I will go at it with a rag and some mineral spirits. For the working surface, brush with a thing layer of oil?

 

[GK1918]

My old standard is good old gas and a paint brush, garden hose and a good blast of air. Die grinder with a small wire
wheel. All my machines are older than me, and Im no spring chiken. like this machine i did last month.
gas-water-air-paint-new oiling done.

 

[brucer]

simple green, wipe dry then pledge furniture polish..

 

[Kennyd]

I always use Mineral Spirits. The odor is not bad and what's left behind will evaporate. Use with a ScotchBrite pad on the unpainted parts and they will look like new.

 

[Nelson]

:+1: on mineral spirits- cuts grease and gunk very nicely. Use it to flush gearboxes. You can get a gallon can at Home Depot.

Then I use a grafitti remover, Schmeckenbecker's or something like that- it removes dirt, grime, grease, and paint. It comes in a spray bottle like 409.
(Also sold at Home Depot.) Water soluable, no smell.

Then I use Citrustrip to clean off paint. Again water soluable, no smell, sold at Home Depot.
I like one-stop shopping! :thumbzup:


Nelson

 

[gaston]

I use "purple power' from lowes. spray it on full strength, get a cup of coffee, respray, hit it with my favorite brush, then hose or wipe off and rinse. No oil film left and it don't hurt the paint.

 

[Tony Wells]

I blow off anything loose, then use a siphon gun with a solvent, like mineral spirits or Stoddard's, and then again with the air compressor. After dry, oil grease as appropriate. If there is stubborn, caked on crud, I use a brush, either nylon or steel, or even brass on sensitive metal.

Of course, all siphon gun work should be done outside where possible, away from any source pf ignition. And with proper PPE.

 

[randyjaco]

+1 on the siphon gun and mineral spirits. With the current price of paint thinner , mineral spirits, etc. the siphon gun will get the solvents to the right places and not use much in the process. It has become my go to cleaner. My method starts with the pressure washer to remove the heavy grease and debris. then the siphon with mineral spirits and blow dry.

Randy