So, as i'm finishing up the garage and dreaming of maybe actually getting to start on my long waiting triumph project rebuild. i was thinking about everything that would ave been nice to have when i built my panhead.... first thing is a parts washer...i was thinking, is it worth building one or just buying a small one..... i was going to build one maybe out of a small rubbermade tote and a pump....but not sure where to get the pump or what kind, etc. etc. anyone ever build one?? will the rubbermaid be eaten through by whatever chem' i use to wash parts?? i only need something small, maybe the biggest thing to fit would be big twin motor cases. any ideas? or should i suck it up and deal and get one from northern tool or the like.
I'd say pick up a small one from your local Northern Tools or Agri Supply or similar store. Not sure about the palstic doing well with solvents....and they're cheap if you catch them on sale...I got mine out of an old shop that closed...
I got a small Harbor Freight model, under $30. The instructions said you can only use water based parts cleaner, jeez. It uses a little plastic pump like a decorative fountain would use. I went ahead and filled 'er up with 3 gallons of min spirits. Been working fine like that.
Got mine on sale at the local Annapolis Auto Parts, with 10 gallons of cleaner it was under $150.00....well worth it, I use it all the time.
You could build a hot tank too. A transmission guy I knew in Mtn. Home Idaho had a 55 gallon drum about 2/3 full of some kind of solvent (don't know what, probably mineral spirits?) with a heavy duty block heater as the heat source. There was a 3/4" nipple welded about an inch up from the bottom of the drum and another about middle ways up. The heater was attached on a hose between the two. He'd lower a trans case in and plug it up over night. Solvent circulated by convection. He used a pressure washer to get most of the crap off first. Parts washers can be found cheap -- not worth the trouble to build one unless you have a pump you can use lying around. One of those will cost $20-$30 alone.
My Grandpa built one by cutting a tractor fuel tank in half for a sink, then he got a skinny metal drum to house the solvent, added a stocking he pilfered from Grandma for a filter. The only thing that really cost anything was his time, and the pump/hoses/and the brush. After almost 20 years the thing still works great. A friend remodeled his house and I got a stainless steel sink. Had some friends in a vo tech class weld up a stand for it, since materials are free for them. I just need a few more things to make it complete.
I got mine from these guys..... they travel around the eastern half of the country and have portable tool sales at fairgrounds and expo centers, but they will ship from their headquarters too. http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?dpt=&cat=&sku=03021 DO NOT EXPECT SNAP-ON QUALITY, BUT WORTH EVERY PENNY TO ME!
Hey! Same as mine. Just sold under a different name. Mine has 40 gallon capacity and sold for about $99. It would be hard to duplicate for the price.
I made one out of a stainless sink (cut out of some junkyard soda truck) I also scavenged a carbonator pump and use it to circulate the liquid and a remote oil filter getup to keep it relatively clean. It works great and was absolutely free - minus a little time. AS cheap as they are I suppose it's easy to argue that building one is a waste of time, but at the time I didn't have two nickels to rub together so building one was the only way. That was at least 15 years ago - it's still working perfect.
I bought a tiny $30 one from HF, but It seems to me that a double stainless steel sink (I see one about once a week in people's trash), would be good 'cuz you could have a soaking side and a rinse side, just position the drains over a 55 gallon drum (or a $15 steel trash can), and use a bilge pump from a boat.
not a bad idea,,, shit matter of fact mama fiddy wants a new sink in the kitchen before the holidays so i'll have a double stainless sink to work with
Yeah... I always thought that making a workbench covered with a sheet of stainless with a sink cut into it for a parts washer would be cool as hell. If somebody builds one and takes pics we will definitely be jealous!
As for an inexpensive pump obtain a fuel injection pump out of a junkyard fuel tank- should provide enough pressure to dislodge stubborn dirt.
you could fab one out of half of an oil drum, be it a 1/4 drum or a full 55. section it down the middle or cut out a lid... use your imagination.
The Jalopy Journal
