Can you still get a real parts washer?

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Joined
Dec 27, 2007
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Location
Southport, NC
Do they still sell those old-school parts washers with real solvent in the tank? I've been using Purple Power in my parts washer but it doesn't even come close to good old fashioned solvent. They use to sell it in like a 30 gal drum and the parts washer just sat on top - I miss those things.
 
Saftey Kleen has a truck that comes around and changes solvent when you need it but I believe it is pricey. I just bought a 20 gal from Tractor Supply and was thinking of using kerosene or Charlies Soap. Ive seen where some use mineral spirts or Simple Green or Mean Green (not sure).The old ones had varsol that worked great but it is probably outlawed now.
 
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i use kero in mine, its ok, gona try diesel next time, oh get a filter when it gets dark, mine needs a new pump already, its one of those 20gal from northerntool deals
 
Varsol is what we used to use.

But as someone mentioned before it has been banned for awhile now. I actually just got some parts cleaner from Tractor Supply and it actually works fairly good.
 
Was this what you got at Tractor Supply?

Crown Parts Washer Cleaner 5 gallon - 3893915 | Tractor Supply Company

I have to drain my tank this w/e and would love to put something in there that actually removes grease. The Purple Power (biodegradeable) product is good but takes some elbow grease - I'd rather use a real solvent even if I have to take it to some facility to get rid of it eventually.
 
Northern Tool still sells a solvent based cleaner (last time I checked). It comes in black metal 5 gallon containers. Label reads "Parts Cleaner Solvent", it's made with petroleum distillates.

I have 10 gallons of Monster brand parts cleaner that is biodegradable, FREE, if someone wants it.
 
I tried that Monster stuff first - it didn't work too well for me so I tried a small amount of the purple power stuff from Advance Auto Parts and it was quite a bit better - but still no where near what solvent could cut.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Mike
 
I tried that Monster stuff first - it didn't work too well for me so I tried a small amount of the purple power stuff from Advance Auto Parts and it was quite a bit better - but still no where near what solvent could cut.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Mike

Yeah, that's why I'm trying to give it away.
 
hehe - I'm sure it's good for some things - maybe cleaning windows. I tried to clean out some hubs when doing wheel bearings (heavy grease) on my truck and I might as well have been using dish water - even with a brush that monster degreaser would just move the grease around. I got so fed up with it I went in and grabbed a knife out of the dishwasher that had butter on it and it wouldn't even take the butter off! I wrote to Northern Tools and the manufacturer. The manufacturer wrote back and said that the their packaging clearly stated that the product didn't work very well (I'm paraphrasing, but not much) and that it performs this way because it's biodegradable. At least it was really expensive.
 
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