cleaning steel ( again)

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Before I get to grinding,  I have to remove a heavy black oily goo that my steel is coming covered with.  To remove  it I have used:Mineral spirits, Lacquer thinner, Acetone, Naphtha, steel wool & water &  Bon-Ami type household cleanser,  Brake Cleaner, and 409.Nothing seems to be a magic bullet.  I scrub and scrub and scrub.  It just takes me literally half a dozen iterations of scrubbing the steel  down before it's got the oily goo off and  I can  handle it without the oily black goo coming off on my hands and then spreading every where. This isn't the protective stuff that machinery is shipped with, it's some sprayed on crap at Online metals and Speedy Metals   is shipping everything with.  Any one know what strips this goo off quickly?  I'd really like a once and done.Hey~!! It's a hobby. It's not supposed to make sense~!!
Reply:Probably best to ask them what it is and what they recommend to remove it.  If it's kind of tar-like, WD-40 or similar might help (followed up by acetone or alcohol to remove the WD-40).  Be sure to stay away from chlorinated solvents - making phosgene can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience...
Reply:Bring it outside and hit it with the torch. DON'T breath the smoke. Soon enough it will be gone.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Or I would try dawn dishwashing soapMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:The best method I have found is allowing a commercial cleaner to  dry on the metal, I apply the cleaner with a pump sprayer.  Then, wash and scrub with an industrial scotch bright.  I use zep purple, I think others will work as well.  Allowing it to dry seems to kill the oil.  Soot is another issue.  I have tried many methods in 15 yrs,  I just discovered the power of letting it dry. Sorry, not sure you referring to typical oil on new metal or some other coating.Last edited by tapwelder; 11-13-2015 at 04:58 PM.
Reply:have you tried engine cleaner in the spray can?Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Or something like Oops or Goo Gone?Adhesive removers?Millermatic 180Hypertherm PM65 083300CandCNC Dragon Cut Linux 620-4 Bundle with Linux Computer Precision Plasma Magnum HD 5x5 Gantry kit
Reply:Some of the "purple" degreasers are pretty potent. ZEP Industrial Purple cleaner & degreaser contains sodium hydroxide (Lye or "caustic soda") and 2-butoxyethanol, among other things. Lye cuts grease and is used in such things as heavy duty oven cleaner (Easy-Off yellow can).  It will blind you, so wear eye protection.  2-Butoxy is a good solvent, used in a lot of cleaning and degreasing products, like Simple Green and Gunk engine cleaner.  I get a quart of it from one of the dollar stores for a buck - "LA's Totally Awesome" cleaner.  http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov...s=TblChemicals"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Naphtha or mineral spirits work fine for me. Also d-limonene (orange solvent) or Simple Green. It's just machine oil; the black comes from the mill scale.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:change suppliers. a rag soaking with all the cleaners you mentioned should cut it no problem. dont buy that steel anymore. that is not normal.