Degreasing metal components

[miniman]

I have a big box of metal parts in mild steel which are coated in I guess light oil to stop them rustling. Any thoughts on what to clean them with prior to painting? I'm thinking Gunk or similar?

[HustleRussell]

Aerosol brake/clutch cleaner. Smells better than Gunk and doesn't leave a residue.

[kambites]

I'd imagine petrol would do the job, and leaves no residue.

Obviously be careful of heat sources/naked flames, though.

[mat777]

Petrol if you are going to use them immediately.

WD40 if you arent so they will still have a protective anti-rust film on them

[miniman]

Lovely, thanks chaps.

Next question: red oxide primer then hammerite?

[steveo3002]

petrol is oily and not suitable to use prior to painting

carb cleaner em and then panel wipe or thinners on a clean cloth

[The Black Flash]

white spirit, shirley?

Depends on use - lots of metal paints are straight to metal these days.

[kambites]

steveo3002 said:

petrol is oily and not suitable to use prior to painting

Possibly true actually - I missed the painting bit. I'd probably soak the parts in petrol to get the worst of it off then spray it with something like brake cleaner/white spirit and wipe it down.

[mat777]

Red (or grey) oxide by all means - make youre you key the metal properly first if its smooth and shiny. Stay away from Hammerite though, awful stuff. I much prefer Rustoleum, though if youve anti-rust primed them correctly then any normal paint or coach enamel will do just as well.

[kambites]

What's best to put on components for rust protection is a huge can of worms.

[GAjon]

I've always favoured Jizer for degreasing, it evaporates better than Gunk which I always found left an oily residue.

[4key]

kambites said:

What's best to put on components for rust protection is a huge can of worms.

do you have to rub the worms into the metal? Do they come in some sort of paste form or are they still live?

[HustleRussell]

4key said:

kambites said:

What's best to put on components for rust protection is a huge can of worms.

do you have to rub the worms into the metal? Do they come in some sort of paste form or are they still live?

perhaps they eat all the caked on dirt and earth

[NateWM]

The Black Flash said:

white spirit, shirley?

Depends on use - lots of metal paints are straight to metal these days.

White spirit would work, or kerosene - And don't call me shirley!

[MJG280]

Soak in vinegar for an hour. Wash off and dry or try more expensive acetone from a UPVC site.

White spirits leaves a residue which you can clean off with meths.

I painted a panel with an etch primer and the hammerite was very thin as it is designed to stick to metal.

[CraigyMc]

No votes for panel wipe?

[Condi]

Get a proper degreaser, much better - and cheaper - than vinegar or brake cleaner.

[sjj84]

mat777 said:

Red (or grey) oxide by all means - make youre you key the metal properly first if its smooth and shiny. Stay away from Hammerite though, awful stuff. I much prefer Rustoleum, though if youve anti-rust primed them correctly then any normal paint or coach enamel will do just as well.

I'd pick Rustoleum over hammerite too. We use it at work quite often, they do a colour range which doesn't require the red oxide primer.

[paintman]

Get yourself a can of 'standard paint thinners' - local motor factor will have it - and use that for degreasing. Comes in 5 or 25 litre containers, the 25 litre one isn't usually much more than around twice the cost of the 5 litre.

[richb77]

CraigyMc said:

No votes for panel wipe?

What i was about to say. Obvious really.