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Lost the hydro in the 1872 a few weeks ago. Got a replacement from Ray Weaver and it is crazy filthy from running with a leaking release valve. I made the command decision that I am done with working over a roasting pan with brake cleaner in the driveway. So, enter parts washer research and decision time...

Looked at what was available on CL. Had some good used industrial models, but they were all too big and not mobile. I decided that the ubiquitous 20 gallon China built ones were what I needed. Right size, but i needed to be mobile. TSC had a similar one on wheels, but twice as much money and the tub was much shallower.

So, Harbor Freight parts washer was the best deal, $80 with the normal 20% off coupon. Started by putting together and placing on a HF dolley I had:

Next, pump and solvent talk...

The HF and all the other low dollar Chinese washers are all listed as "aqueous solution only". I briefly considered a water solution approach, but after some research I found what I expected, many negatives to water based cleaning: Less effective, especially if not heated; rusting issues of parts and the washer itself; more expensive and gets used up quickly. Conversely, real petroleum based solvent is very effective on grease, even cold; easy on metal and the correct solvent pumps; cheaper and lasts longer.

So, real solvent for me. The for-real parts washer solvent is a type of deodorized naptha, similar to kerosene or mineral spirits, but with almost no odor and a higher flash point. So now to see about real solvent in the "water based solution only" parts washer.

Strangely enough though, all the cheap water-only washers include the "fusible link" lid support. The fusible link melts at a real low temp (like 160*F) in case of fire. Funny, because your not going to have a fire with a water based solution. Must be a lawyer driven thing in case one of us uses real solvent by "accident".

Good to go on the fusible link, but searching the old interweb, there are lots of people before me that have used these with real solvent. The consensus is that the pumps that are supplied just don't hold up to real solvent. The HF pump is from a generic Chinese pump company and is marked "fountain pump". Since most of my research showed it might only last a week with solvent, I just ordered a proper pump and didn't even try to use it with the supplied pump.

After more research I decided on one of the Little Giant brand parts washer pumps. The model I chose is not on their website, so it might now be discontinued, but they are all over the internet for sale. Another company named Beckett Pumps has what looks to be an identical model as well. The pump I bought is the Little Giant PE-2YSA, $64 on Zoro Tools. There are models similar to this with about half as much flow, so pay attention to specs if choosing a different model.

Factory HF pump installation; flexible wand is supposed to attach to plastic outlet that penetrates the pump box:
New pump was a bit too big; I belt sanded about 1/8" off the front and back to make it fit. It is about four times as heavy as the HF pump. The Little Giant pump comes with a 1/2" pipe thread connection for liquid-tight electrical connections. You can see the bright conduit coupling and strain relief for the cord I installed. I decided that the new pump can just sit in the box without a bolted connection. It is such a tight fit, it isn't going anywhere.

So, with a new pump, I had to re-plumb anyway, so this was my opportunity put a filter in the system. With parts like hydros that need extreme clean, I wanted to be sure I'm not pumping dirt back onto the item I'm trying to clean. Pics that follow show output from pump through tub to remote filter mount and return to bulkhead fitting at the tub. I chose the bulkhead fitting because I needed a new place to mount the wand. By mounting on the tub sidewall I will be flexing the wand less and hopefully it will last longer. Fortunately the wand is threaded 1/4" pipe, so a bulkhead fitting in female 1/4" npt made life easy. Hose connections are just barbed fittings, low pressure so no clamps required.
And yes, that is a Cub hydro filter! That is my last new Cub filter, I am switching to all Wix on the tractors anyway (these new Cub white filters sometimes have rough threads, I don't trust them anymore). In the future, I will save my used Cub hydro filters for the parts washer. The hydro filters don't have a bypass, so no worries about dirt getting through. Eventually they will just plug. So a filter that is questionable on a tractor could last for years here.

I kept finding things I wanted to improve. I felt that the wash tub tray was just a little light for heavy parts. I decided to add some 3/4" aluminum angle as strongbacks. I used 3/16" pop rivets from the top so I would still have a fairly smooth work surface. The tray just lifts out so you can still work on parts submerged rather than above the liquid line on the tray itself.

Here is a close up of the switch. This switch box mounts on the pump box and protrudes through a large window in the tub. If you look close you can see that the edge of the switch box is used to catch the edge of the tub and is used to hang the entire pump box from.
I also added a lower shelf on top the dolley. I should have done this first, but initially I was only thinking about getting to the hydro cleaning. I made myself do this now, or it might have gone for years without getting done...

And the final mod I did was a drain valve. From HF they just have a drain plug, which would be a real hassle when it came time for tub cleaning.

As with normal HF/Chinese tool oddities, both this drain and the wand were the same thread diameter and pitch as 1/4" pipe, but not tapered. They were originally relying on an o-ring to seal both the drain plug and the wand, rather than the traditional tapered pipe thread sealing. Fortunately, the taper in the female bulkhead fitting was enough to seal the wand connection with just some Permatex #2 without the goofy o-ring. In a similar way, my right angle street elbow shown, was just getting tight enough as the fitting bottomed out. I used a good amount of Permatex #2 on these threads as well. I let all fittings cure for 24 hours before filling with solvent.

I also put a plug at the end of the valve in case some dummy (me...) accidentally opened the valve whilst fishing around on the shelf or something:

I decided to go with the parts washer solvent sold by TSC (which can't be used in their parts washers either...). It got good reviews for being low odor, and after filling I agree. I probably spent double what kerosene would have cost, but having a higher flash point and low odor are worth it to me.
Keep in mind that the "20 gallon" capacity of the parts washer just indicates total tub size. Ten gallons was enough to fill to the maximum fill line in the tank. I also added a quart of ATF. I figured a slightly oily mixture might be easier on the hands when I forget to use gloves, and some parts could use some lubricant residue. ATF is a good cleaning oil to begin with, so it shouldn't hamper any cleaning efforts.

So, there it is. The crazy thing is that this $80 parts washer ended up at over $300 once you add up all the pieces. Brass fittings are crazy expensive now and all the little pieces add up. That being said, I think I will like being able to clean things at bench height, and I will be using a friendlier solvent than brake cleaner from a spray can. Over time I will recoup a little money from not using up expensive spray cans, but this was mostly about convenience.

This HF parts washer is pretty sturdy in my opinion. The flimsiest part is the legs, which is why they "give" you a shelf. The shelf is more of a necessary intermediate leg support. Bolting this to a dolley tightened the whole thing up very well. The dolley also brings the working height up to a more comfortable level.

Haven't used it yet. That is on the schedule for tomorrow!

Tom
I have the same washer. I've had it for I'm guessing over 15 years. Pump in my washer looks exactly like the one you removed. I'm using the same TSC fluid and the pump is still working just fine. Maybe they changed the pump material, I don't know. Maybe you can test it to see if it will work in the solvent. Or you can ship it to me and I'll see if I can kill it. LOL. I also ended up putting a brace under the little deck that sit's inside the tub like you did.

Edit: found the manual for it. It says to use water based cleaners, same as yours. It has never had water based cleaners in it for whatever that is worth.

Nice write up Tom! Where did you get the fiter mount. TSC?

Cool project Tom! Its the craziest thing....on philly CL there is a guy selling what looks to b a similar parts washer by Eastwood. I considered going to look at it but just not sure if i need a whole big set up. Good job on the pump and filtration system! I do like how the eastwood has a solid blue color.. is it my computer or r the colors kinda funny....your red and blue is not doing it for me! Maybe if u paint the shelf yellow and the base green...then it might look a little more.....MANLY! Im glad i wont b standing in front of that thing

As is the norm great write up!

Mine too appears to be the same as yours from HF mine came from one of those tool trucks that sets up in a tent in the grocery store parking lot for a weekend. That was about 10 years ago! I used the same TSC solvent in the factory pump. I have yet to have a problem with the pump going bad. Although I fairly seldom use it, is become more of a workbench it is a great piece to have in the shop. One of these days I will have a shop separate from the house and with that I can work on anything Without fear of smelling up the house!

Sam - I wanted to find an excuse to just try the solvent like you did and save a bunch of time and money. I did a whole bunch of Googling, and it seems that many people like yourself that bought them years ago have done fine with the supplied pump and real solvent. But... I found dozens of posts that verify that the currently supplied pump generally lasts a week to several months with real solvent. Rather than just surely destroy the pump it came with, I just figured I would modify it right away and save myself the hardship of working on it after it is full of solvent.

My plan was to sell the supplied, unused pump, but I wouldn't advise it for you to use. Based on what I have read, it will not last in the solvent.

Paul - Thanks. That's just your basic remote filter mount that hot-rodders have used for decades. Commonly available from Jeg's, Summit Racing, or my choice, Amazon. Mine was made by Derale, and is a made in USA item. They are made to accept a wide variety of different filters. Link to Derale: http://derale.com/products/filtration/u ... ter-mounts

Dag - Yeah, I told you offline that my wife hit it on the head; it is pre-school colors! Shame is, TSC sells the same one in all red, but it is $20 more. I chose Romper-Room colors for $20 in savings. I would have taken little-girl pink for another $20 off!

Joe - Thanks. Used it today. It will be a work in progress, but I like it. It made the hydro much easier to clean.
Seems I have already nearly clogged the spin on filter. It is pretty obvious that the HF "scotch-brite" pre-filter isn't keeping much out. I will consider a filter that is less restrictive, but then I will be allowing some of the fine particles through. That is ok for just about everything that is not a hyro trans. I still like my idea of using old Cub filters as I change them; it will give me an idea if they were anywhere near clogged when I removed them!

Well...this thread inspired me to build a parts washer of my own! Like other of my projects i found most stuff layin on the shelf in the shop. I still have some fine tuning with the switch and all but so far so good. I hope to fill it with fluid tomorrow. I will let the pics speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Oh....as u can see... Still need a fireproof lid hinge. I don't want the stick to burn threw if it catches fire. The real ones have that feature also.

Dave, that is surely some of your best work!

Dave, the stick is perfect; the "real ones" have a "fusible link" that melts to close the lid. Your stick will burn through, and the lid will close, perfect!

I'm still amazed at how quick you built that, I mean you really just "threw that together". Great work!

Thanks for your guidance Tom. I will get a fuse lid prop tommow. Oh...look how long my filter is! I bet u wish u had one that long.

Ok..just for the record... My parts washer did not work too good, so I decided to dismantle it and go back to a Rubbermaid tub in the driveway.

Excellent work guys! The creativity here is exciting, and I love how each of you took your own approach. If you don't mind, I would like to take the liberty to compare and contrast them a little:

Tom

Pros:

• Rollers: makes it easily portable
  Solid Construction: will last for years
  Filter: the use of the Cub Cadet filter=major bonus points
  Operations: washes parts

Cons:

• Colors: gives the initial impression that it was built by Playskool

Dave

Pros:

• Lightweight: the plastic construction looks like it will be good for mobility
  Filter: bigger is better. If you can have a King Size candy bar or a "fun" size, which one are you taking?
  Colors: reminds me of Cub Cadet colors,although it would be better if the bin was cream
  Hardware: beautiful stainless fixtures used

Cons:

• Support structure: Although it appears to be collapsible, the fact that the supports stick out so much from the bin may make it hard to lean in and work in the bin. Also, it may be conducive to splintering.
  Operations: Doesn't wash parts

Overall, keep up the great work. Tom, I hope your parts washer works well for the years to come!

"Oh Tom..I hope your PW works... Bla bla bla!"

You have sickened the whole Gibson name!

Daniel...... "NO (more) SOUP FOR YOU"

Daniel....if u want to rebuild your reputation.....Milkyway king size will b a start. I like "care packages" too ya know

Dave - You deserve nothing good; you trashed a serious "Tools and How To" thread with a spoofed parts washer!

Daniel - Thanks for the entertaining comparison between Dave's pretend one and my dressed up Chinese junk! But at least mine really works!

On a more serious note than slamming dag for ruining a real build thread, I have made some additional refinements to the washer.

Clogged up the Cub filter pretty quick, so got a large truck filter and added a ball valve so the tank doesn't siphon as I change the filter:
And the HF wand was so stiff it was flexing the tank side-wall. I did a little digging and found that the coolant line used on mills and such is easily available on Amazon. Brand name is Loc-Line:

The Loc-Line is essential ball and socket Lego. It is very hard to assemble and take apart without the special pliers, so I had to pony up and buy those too. It was worth it. With the pliers, you can add and subtract pieces very quickly. They have a bunch of different fittings, T's, special nozzles, manifolds, etc. You could go crazy with this stuff.

Loc-Line website: http://loc-line.com/

Close up of Loc-Line ball valve I added for flow control and the attachment to bulkhead fitting (Loc-Line has pipe thread adapters):
Some extra pieces with special pliers:
And finally, a real flow thru brush that just slips over the end of the Loc-Line nozzle when needed. Works good:
So, I think that is the end of the parts washer build discussion. Unless dag ever builds a real one..

Ok..I'm being completely serious from now on...It looks great!

Nice modification Tom. We use those Loc-Line hoses at the factory that I work at over the summer. We pump air through them to check for breaks in the seals of plastic sleeves. They must have a lot of applications!

Fantastic thread! Thanks to all contributors!

I'm building a real one

Well.... maybe not building one like Tom did. I picked up a nice unit on CL for cheap.....with solvent. I'm just not sure what kind of solvent. The washer is similar to the Harbor freight and others but totally different. The pump is mounted in the center of the floor. I plumbed in a drain valve today. I may add a filter but not sure about that. I think I have an old heating oil filter somewhere. I want to add a dolly under it for both reasons.....hight and mobility. Those flow through brushes sure r expensive....

Dave - Great find on the PW! It actually does look just like the HF and other clones, just sounds like they mounted the pump different. Perhaps you got a good one with a pump that will handle real solvent.

Hopefully what you are calling solvent really is petroleum based solvent. If is the water based cleaner it will probably be pretty obvious. Just the fact that your paint is in good shape seems to indicate it is real petroleum solvent. All the light petroleum stuff is very similar to mineral spirits, but the main difference is that the solvent sold for PW duty has a higher flashpoint (making it safer) and has less odor. If it seems similar to mineral spirits but has less odor, that's probably what you have.

I would expect that yours also has the lid "prop" with the fusible link, that is important with real solvent.

I would remove the extension from your drain valve until you need it so it doesn't get knocked. Also, I put a pipe plug in the outlet of my valve until I need it. You really don't need a leaking or accidentally opened valve to make a mess.

Anyway, glad to see you got one, you really won't regret it!

Yea pretty excited to have this when I need it. This parts washer like I said at a glance looks like the rest of them.....but it's not like the HF. The HF has strength bends or ribs on the legs and tub. This doesn't have any ribs and I think it does not need them as it might b slightly thicker gauge. Idk. The inside tray has different holes from the Harbor freight also. That pic was taken before finished. Absolutely I agree with the plug....but in my case it's a cap. I was trying to b cautious about lenth of pipe but I also want it to drop into the can.....so I was thinking I will need a funnel anyway so I may take a couple inches off that horizontal pipe and that would make it inside the switch box on the side....so that should b good to still hit the funnel.
As for the fluid...it doesn't feel like water based but I have not tested it yet. I will mix a sample with some water to see if it mixes.
I'm kinda leaning to no filter on the pump....what if I install the filter on the drain line...then each time I drain it will filter..idk...my pump doesn't look easy to plumb to....i will look closer but did not see any threads anywhere.