Oven cleaner

[Jasonrkba]

Im cleaning up a saw I picked up yesterday that is covered in about thirty years of gunk. Has anyone used oven cleaner before? I think it would work good but im afraid it will damage the paint. I've been using purple power but this stuff is solidified and has to be scraped.

Thanks. Jason.

 

[Matt_Ellerbee]

It may eat the magnesium too. That stuff is potent!

 

[Jasonrkba]

Thats a good point. After my recent debacle with electrolysis im a little gun shy now.

 

[farmer steve]

Starting fluid works great for cutting oily grime. use outside and no flames close by. i use this too.

cheap at dollar store. stihl may have to scrape. i use a plastic putty knife for that. won't scrape paint like a metal one.

 

[beavis331]

Im cleaning up a saw I picked up yesterday that is covered in about thirty years of gunk. Has anyone used oven cleaner before? I think it would work good but im afraid it will damage the paint. I've been using purple power but this stuff is solidified and has to be scraped.

Thanks. Jason.

I use oven cleaner a lot. It works great. But often takes paint off or discolors it. Never use it if your concerned about the paint! “Easy Off” original is the best. The other brands and the low fume stuff are like mothers milk compared to the original Easy Off.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Oven cleaner = lye = sodium hydroxide
sodium hydroxide + aluminum => a bunch of stuff + hydrogen + HEAT



The reaction with magnesium is even more violent:

 

[Jasonrkba]

Wow. Pretty volatile stuff. Think ill stick to the purple stuff and maybe straight gas. It would be nice to have a list of do's and don'ts on here somewhere for mag cleaning.

 

[Marley5]

Starting fluid works great for cutting oily grime. use outside and no flames close by. i use this too.

cheap at dollar store. stihl may have to scrape. i use a plastic putty knife for that. won't scrape paint like a metal one.

Totally awesome is.....totally awesome.

I use that stuff for everything from cleaning wheels to cleaning smoke stain on the outside of my wood boiler.

 

[Jasonrkba]

Well that's two votes for totally awsome so ill stop at the dollar store and grab some.

Thanks guys.

 

[ThackMan]

Try 2+2 carb cleaner.


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[Little Al]

If you can obtain it the Road film mix used by auto detailers mixed at 2 times the recommended brew should do the trick or a bit stronger if stubbon "goo", won't attack the paint/finish.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Some cleaners (including Simple Green) contain either sodium hydroxide or another strong base which will eat aluminum. Check the labels.

 

[Brent Adams]

Plus one on the totally awesome! Good stuff, amd cheap.

 

[ThackMan]

Some cleaners (including Simple Green) contain either sodium hydroxide or another strong base which will eat aluminum. Check the labels.

Simple green will not eat aluminum. I have soaked aluminum engine parts in it for days with no problems.


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[Philbert]

You have to read the labels on all of this stuff.

I use 'Super Clean': a water based, purple degreaser that contains sodium hydroxide on chains, and other steel stuff. OK on aluminum if used for short exposure and rinsed off right away. Most oven cleaners are also sodium hydroxide (lye) based. LA Totally Awesome has some in it too:
http://sds.chemtel.net/webclients/s...nerandDegreasersandSpotRemover_01-10-2011.pdf

Simple Green (there are actually a few different kinds) cautions about aluminum:
https://simplegreen.com/faqs/

I think that the key thing is to consider different solutions for different parts of the saw. Letting stuff soak for a few days, and cleaning incrementally, might do less damage than some of the harsher methods. E.g., consider dish soap for the plastics, and let them soak for a few days. Heat also helps (e.g. hot water versus cold water - I used to use an old crock pot for soaking greasy bicycle parts.

Philbert

 

[Dave Mccarthy]

Vim works really well too.

 

[1Alpha1]

Some elbow grease and WD-40 works wonders.

If it's as bad as you say, good ole gasoline and some good parts brushes, work great to cut the grease and crud. Just use it outdoors. No way I'd use oven cleaner.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Simple green will not eat aluminum. I have soaked aluminum engine parts in it for days with no problems.

Just because you've soaked aluminum in it, doesn't mean it doesn't eat aluminum. It doesn't eat MUCH is more accurate. X pounds of hydroxide ions eat Y pounds of aluminum, and no more.

According the manufacturer of Simple Green, "contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes."

 

[wkeev]

Spray nine grez off is the best I have found . I tried about all of the others . It doesn't hurt paint or magnesium.

 

[Ax-man]

One thing I like to use in addition to the purple cleaner is one of those siphon sprayers that runs off an air compressor . After spraying down the saw with the degreaser and maybe a little parts brush work I'll rinse the saw with clean water in a gallon jug for the sprayer. It is like having a mini pressure washer only you don't have as much to set up . Makes quick and easy work to clean a dirty saw.