Cleaning metal for paint

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What would you suggest on how to clean the dirt and grime off of the metal before the painting process?
Reply:Sand blasting.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:After blasting,Acetone or wax & grease remover, paint thinner.Any of these will work fine.
Reply:Depends on what you are painting and what your painting it with. Also what type of finish you are looking.I'm a commercial painter by trade and we paint alot of industrial apps where we do nothing more than degrease machines with carb cleaner and rags. The paint we spray in those apps though is a low prep industrail enamel.Sand Blasting is certainly the best and quickest methode of prep. Especial on freshly welded items. If you don't have access to a sand blaster. Wire wheel, flap disk and a solvent of some type will do. Grease is the most important thing to remove.For my powder coating I use a product from Eastwood called Metal Wash. Its water based and works wonders on dirt and grease. Takes out stuff that solvents leave behind and is absolutly oil free.Patriot Performance AutoLincoln Power Mig 255CLincoln AC-225 StickVictor Journeyman O/AQuincy QT-5 Compressor
Reply:It really depends on the condition of the metal, too.  If it is new metal, then oil and mill scale are your worst obstacles.  A degreaser or caustic cleaner (lye) work. Acid dip and rinse next.  I regularly use this method to clean thousand of balusters prior to welding.  All parts fit and are cleaned in a barrel.  Lye will etch the metal as acid and is just as nasty.   I also use  a product called Metal Prep. for washing weldments.  I does a great job etching metal. Getting the grease off is my biggest concern, acid doesn't cut grease.
Reply:Use mineral spirits to remove the mill oil.I would degrease before you blast if you are going that route, otherwise you will impinge grease into the metal.  Wiping a sandblasted surface is nearly impossible without making it look like a wool sweater.  Wipe it first.I simply wipe it off when it's pulled from the rack, cut and weld then wipe one or two more times and paint.ScottHaul a bike without straps - visit  www.mxtras.com  to see how!
Reply:Thanks guys! I am not looking for a professional paint job as i am just one of those weekend guys.So just wanted to know what to use to get the grease and grime off the metal. Thanks again!
Reply:Brake or Carb cleaner.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Just for the record - most Carb cleaners could leave a light oily film behind - it's not a requirement by task for them to be oil free.  Brake cleaners will not.But Carb cleaners work better than Brake cleaners for stopping wasps mid-flight...ScottHaul a bike without straps - visit  www.mxtras.com  to see how!
Reply:On industrial type parts, I blast the area with a torch; flame turned way up. A light wire brushing and a second blast with the torch burns up loose paint, oil, crud, etc. This leaves a clean warm surface, ready to bind and bake the fresh paint.