While watching new episodes of Wheeler Dealers I saw Ed China use I high pressure parts washing cabinet like this one

http://www.cleanproducts.com/HighPressure.htm

Looked to work much better than a normal parts washer. All the ones I can find are very expensive, US$5000+.

What I want to know is can you build your own? I thought maybe use a sandblasting cabinet and a pump with solvent resistant seals. Maybe an old water pressure washer. Not sure if they will last pumping degreaser, or if they can be modified to pump degreaser.

Sure I'm not the only person who has thought about this.

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Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

What about just a tank (60ltr) of carbisol, $25 for tank (old laundry tub) $200ish for solution. Leave in o/n and wash off in morn, like new.

I have wondered about the vapour blasting that is advertised, prob something similar to this

bottle of kero and old tooth brush $ 3.40

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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "Damn...that was fun!"

Norton, I think vapour blasting would be more expensive to set up yourself at home, but maybe an option if I can't get this to work.

Peter, what is carbisol? Is it a solvent blend? I try to stay away from solvent baths as they are dangerous for a variety of reasons, mostly health and fire risk. Also the pressure cabinet looked very quick, I understand it looks much quicker on TV, but from what they showed still very quick.

I've read of some people using old dishwashers, but I think this would have limitations.

What I was thinking is using an old pressure washer, if there is no fire risk if the pump leaks (pump and motor are not one piece) with the pump gravity feed from the tank. I guess if people are using old dishwashers the risk can't be too great.

The tank could have two feeds to the pump if you used the degreaser which has an water layer at the bottom and an organic/solvent layer at the top. So you could use the feed from the solvent layer to do your cleaning then switch to the water layer and rinse the item before taking it from the cabinet.

_________________
Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

My Karcher pressure washer has a tank to put chemical cleaners in - I used a potent cleaner (Amway's LOC ) also stuck the parts in the dishwasher to give it a hot wash first then finished off the stubborn bits with the pressure cleaner.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

David, what degreaser do you use in your dishwasher? Do you recycle the fluid?

_________________
Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Just used ordinary dish washer tablets - they are highly alkaline and cut through most grease. Put it on the hottest pots and pans cycle. Aluminium tends to come out dull from the alkaline attack but didn't seem to effect polished surfaces.

I've done a gear box case and a couple of heads plus lots of bits and pieces like gears and rockers. In some places the really hard grease gets caught in the fins and tight angles - that's where the pressure cleaners comes to the fore.

I must point out it was my wife's idea to put it in the dishwasher so I had full permission


PS don't mix car parts with the best crockery

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Thanks David. Might look into a cheap used dishwasher.

_________________
Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto