On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 12:48:33 PM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, September 2, 2019 at 12:38:12 PM UTC-7, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Mon, 2 Sep 2019 11:51:18 -0700 (PDT), AK
wrote:
I use paint thinner and an old tooth brush to clean my bike chain.
Is there anything I can spray on the chain to dissolve the thinner
or do I have to manually rub it off with a rag?
I am open to recommendations to anyone who actually uses one of
those chain cleaners.
Paint thinner is a solvent (mineral spirits) and is rather slow
to evaporate.
Solvent Evaporation Rate Strength
(Minutes) (KB Value)
Denatured 91% Alcohol 3 Limited Solvency
VM & P Naphtha 4 38
Lacquer Thinner 2 100
Paint Thinner
or Mineral Spirits 60 35
Toluene 3.5 105
Xylene 12 98
Acetone 1 Infinite
MEK 2 Infinite
Turpentine 40 55
Kerosene 325 30
Some of the above are banned in the People's Republic of California by
the VoC Ban. If you want a fast clean, with low residue, methinks
acetone would be the best bet. Mixing it with paint thinner isn't
going to do anything useful. When the acetone evaporates, what's left
is the paint thinner, which will then slowly evaporate.
You might also want to try lacquer thinner. However, the modern stuff
is a mix of other solvents, which can vary:
https://ecolink.com/info/differences-between-lacquer-thinner-11-lacquer-thinner-48-and-lacquer-thinner-51/
Both acetone and lacquer thinner will attack plastics, rubber, and
some paints. If the area where you're working has any of these, don't
use these solvents. 91% IPA alcohol is evaporates quickly and is
probably good enough.
While you're at it:
1. Use gloves
2. Read the safety warnings
3. Use a respirator or do your cleaning outdoors.
4. Think about buying a parts washer:
https://www.harborfreight.com/20-gal-parts-washer-with-pump-60769.html
https://blastercorp.com/product/parts-washer-solvent/
Solvents to remove solvents? Is that a thing? If he chooses to use alcohol, what should he use to remove that? Is it solvent infinite regress?
And then there is Plan B: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM6mzE5lQ0w He has an accent. Believe him.
-- Jay Beattie.
I often remove alcohol - from the bottle and into a nice glass. Cabernet is good Bordeaux as well.
But I think that he has the idea that when he cuts the grease he needs to wash the solvent off in some manner with all of that sludge.
And the answer is a very strong soap and hot water. Use rubber gloves since most dishwashing detergent is designed to cut all oil and will take all of the oils out of your skin and fingernails. In automotive supply stores they have an extremely strong detergent that is in a blue bottle. Rather than using paint thinner on a chain, you put about a cup full of that stuff in a 4 sup measuring cup and put your dirty chain in there and let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash it off with a hose into the gutter. DO NOT let that stuff touch your hands since it makes dishwashing detergent look like spring water.