RWA3006
Cave Dweller 
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,640 
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 20, 2020 21:29:59 GMT -5
My professional mechanic pals use this. Careful, it'll etch polished aluminum. Wickedly effective against grease and oil.  |
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Nov 20, 2020 21:39:47 GMT -5
Acetone, outside. Soak a couple days. No soaking with 24 inches of snow on the ground, unfortunately. Will try to come up with a solution though, because I want to use the darn thing. Solution: Use it. Clean it later. |
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Post by woodman on Nov 20, 2020 21:41:15 GMT -5
No soaking with 24 inches of snow on the ground, unfortunately. Will try to come up with a solution though, because I want to use the darn thing. Solution: Use it. Clean it later. I would get some used ATF and do some cutting. |
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Post by Mel on Nov 21, 2020 1:16:10 GMT -5
You guys are so helpful. Thank you. I’m going to compromise and clean anything I have to touch immediately, and just do a full clean out in the spring. Thanks for all the input & tips.
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Post by woodman on Nov 21, 2020 10:43:43 GMT -5
You guys are so helpful. Thank you. I’m going to compromise and clean anything I have to touch immediately, and just do a full clean out in the spring. Thanks for all the input & tips. I have heavy rubber gloves that I wear wear mounting and dismounting rocks in the saw. |
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Post by Mel on Nov 21, 2020 11:26:17 GMT -5
Invested in a pair of fishermans gloves (The kind that go almost to the shoulder) for this job. If all goes well, I'll post a "makeover" shot. If it goes poorly....well, I'm sure it'll make the local news (small town life, ha.)
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 21, 2020 11:48:00 GMT -5
Years ago when the company I worked for had a fire and had a bunch of rubber molds damaged by fire, melted roofing, and water, the cleaning solution the restoration company used was WD-40 mixed with straight undiluted isopropyl alcohol. It softened even the roof tar.
Must be straight alcohol, not rubbing alcohol with water and stuff added.
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Nov 21, 2020 11:57:15 GMT -5
Years ago when the company I worked for had a fire and had a bunch of rubber molds damaged by fire, melted roofing, and water, the cleaning solution the restoration company used was WD-40 mixed with straight undiluted isopropyl alcohol. It softened even the roof tar. Must be straight alcohol, not rubbing alcohol with water and stuff added. Aka Everclear   |
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Post by Peruano on Nov 21, 2020 13:48:34 GMT -5
All of the advice offered so far has been right on, but varies in addressing different levels of cleaning the saw and different degrees of solidification of the gunk and its importance to the saw's performance and your feeling of satisfaction. I'd clean it the best you can reasonably and then add enough mineral oil to cut rocks. As you cut you are working toward your second cleanout with the benefit of having a mineral oil soak softening everything (above and below the oil line). Your investment in mineral oil is recoverable with the standard filtering procedure and the saving of your time. Just dive in and do it. BTW except for covid you would be welcome to come to New Mexico to cut rocks in the winter (the snow is no existent so far).
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 21, 2020 15:09:17 GMT -5
Years ago when the company I worked for had a fire and had a bunch of rubber molds damaged by fire, melted roofing, and water, the cleaning solution the restoration company used was WD-40 mixed with straight undiluted isopropyl alcohol. It softened even the roof tar. Must be straight alcohol, not rubbing alcohol with water and stuff added. Aka Everclear Not grain alcohol, isopropyl alcohol. Covid has probably driven the price up, though. I think that since it's an emulsifier it creates a solvent that will act on oil or water soluble crud. |
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Nov 21, 2020 18:25:23 GMT -5
Aka Everclear  Not grain alcohol, isopropyl alcohol. Covid has probably driven the price up, though. I think that since it's an emulsifier it creates a solvent that will act on oil or water soluble crud. Aww you're no fun, you can't drink much isopropyl alcohol while saw cleaning!
Grain alcohol works just as well on tar and other sticky things imo. It'll dissolve tar roofing shingles and torch-down! A lot of home/office cleaners use it because it's basically a one-pass cleaner that leaves no residue. Think mirrors, windows, countertops, etc.
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Post by greig on Nov 24, 2020 11:06:56 GMT -5
Acetone, outside. Soak a couple days. No soaking with 24 inches of snow on the ground, unfortunately. Will try to come up with a solution though, because I want to use the darn thing. 2' of snow? And I was feeling sorry for myself, under less than a foot. LOL |
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Post by manofglass on Nov 24, 2020 11:40:34 GMT -5
No snow here yet I like it that way but it will come eventually
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Post by Mel on Nov 24, 2020 17:24:06 GMT -5
Not grain alcohol, isopropyl alcohol. Covid has probably driven the price up, though. I think that since it's an emulsifier it creates a solvent that will act on oil or water soluble crud. Aww you're no fun, you can't drink much isopropyl alcohol while saw cleaning! Well not with THAT attitude you can't! greig - Yeah, the snow has been awful. I'm used to it, but I didn't want to do much cutting last year so I wasn't so bothered Progress:   Current state:  Gave it another coat of WD40 Industrial Degreaser, and I'll take it for a quick power wash. Once that's done, I just have to continue my wait for new oil and then I can get some serious cutting in! I've never been so excited to clean....maybe I better cut back on the WD40.... |
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Post by oregon on Nov 24, 2020 17:59:57 GMT -5
Gave it another coat of WD40 Industrial Degreaser, and I'll take it for a quick power wash. Once that's done, I just have to continue my wait for new oil and then I can get some serious cutting in! I've never been so excited to clean....maybe I better cut back on the WD40....
If it were me I'd skip the "water power" wash. Pressure washers can do damage to bearings, paint etc. and water & oil don't mix. Organic chemistry days remember "like likes like" so just put oil in and use it, it'll be much easier to clean out with recent oil in it having dissolved/loosened the old stuff after using it for a while. And yeah, I agree, that looked pretty clean to begin with!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Nov 24, 2020 18:17:34 GMT -5
Mel that looks cleaner than ours ever gets.
Just use it when your oil comes. It's only gonna get all dirty as soon as you start cutting anyway.
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Nov 24, 2020 19:52:44 GMT -5
"It's only gonna get dirty again"......lol......Then why brush your teeth or wash your clothes....?
Nice job Mel..........whatcha finally use besides WD40......?
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Post by Mel on Nov 24, 2020 20:28:50 GMT -5
"It's only gonna get dirty again"......lol......Then why brush your teeth or wash your clothes....? Nice job Mel..........whatcha finally use besides WD40......?
Straight up WD40 Industrial Strength Degreaser, a 9-in-1 Painters Tool and a flathead screwdriver. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be once I let it sit for a day. Gave it another coat of WD40 Industrial Degreaser, and I'll take it for a quick power wash. Once that's done, I just have to continue my wait for new oil and then I can get some serious cutting in! I've never been so excited to clean....maybe I better cut back on the WD40.... If it were me I'd skip the "water power" wash. Pressure washers can do damage to bearings, paint etc. and water & oil don't mix. Organic chemistry days remember "like likes like" so just put oil in and use it, it'll be much easier to clean out with recent oil in it having dissolved/loosened the old stuff after using it for a while. And yeah, I agree, that looked pretty clean to begin with!
Good point. It wasn't so much the filth, but the stickiness. But now, it's got a nice, slightly gritty surface, and I can live with that. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 26, 2020 9:47:45 GMT -5
Mel the 9 in one tool is the best for cleaning. I also have a couple widths of drywall taping knives and 4 inch wide scrapers that are about 14 inches long, I believe they were originally intended for scraping hot grills, but the long handle is nice with saws.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Nov 26, 2020 9:54:32 GMT -5
"It's only gonna get dirty again"......lol......Then why brush your teeth or wash your clothes....?
Nice job Mel..........whatcha finally use besides WD40......?
Unfair comparison, pizzano. Personal hygiene vs. inanimate oily rock saw.  |
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
