wd-40

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I sprayed my welding table frame with wd40 after sanding it down to keep it from rusting, because it was going to be a few days before I could paint it. What is the best way to remove the residue from it. Thanks
Reply:acetone or even some alcohol should workBuy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:brake cleaner
Reply:Contact cleaner or electric motor cleaner, evaporates quickly and cuts right through grease or simple green
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macbrake cleaner
Reply:Good luck with wd 40... you'll need to either burn it off or use a some good lacquer thinner... esp if it got into any crevices anywhere...Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:Alcohol will work, and it's cheap. Acetone, and brake cleaner will work also. And just in case you've never read about it, NEVER use chlorinated brake cleaner on something you're going to weld. Once again, I don't care if it has been posted a gazillion times. If you've never heard about this, PLEASE ask."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Lacquer thinner is a step UP the effectiveness ladder over acetone.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macbrake cleaner
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleNote to self: Don't take advice from this guy.Take advice from this guy I use acetone and ONLY acetone. My life isn't worth the risk. And if I don't have any, i go out and buy some.
Reply:Mineral spirits (same stuff you'll use to clean your paintbrush)
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macbrake cleaner
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manNEVER use chlorinated brake cleaner on something you're going to weld.
Reply:I vote for a ban of ed mac for putting someone's life in danger. Plus someone should edit his post in case new comers are looking for a quick search and don't or won't read the whole thread. Originally Posted by G-sonAre chlorinated solvents actually still legal in the US? Here in Sweden they've been banned from most uses for over a decade.
Reply:Here's postings on the killer brake cleaner usage.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...=brake+cleanerhttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=32501
Reply:Not to worry if old, soon to be history ed mac practices what he preaches, follows his own advice he won't be around for long.Keep your advice ed mac.
Reply:PRESOLVE Orange Degreaser or acetone__________________Miller MM252Lincoln AC Buzz BoxCentury 155Victor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott0303PRESOLVE Orange Degreaser or acetone
Reply:Well, maybe the good thing out of this is someone new to welding hasn't heard of that hazzard and are now aware.
Reply:What ever you use, remember that acetone is flamable, so doors open and lots of ventilation. (read the wikipedia if your not shure).Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:I fully understand the danger of welding something cleaned with chlorinate brake cleaner and certainly that danger shouldn't be taken likely. However I think yall are beating up on ed mac a bit too much. HOLD ON let me explain. The original poster said he coated his welding table with WD40 to prevent rust till he painted it. De-greasing before paint isn't the same as degreasing before welding. Also the odds of the original poster having a can of Chlorinated brake cleaner laying around are slim. Even then he's not welding on the table before painting it. With all the said, I agree that in a welding shop environment it wouldn't make a lick of sense to keep cans of brake cleaner or other potentially chlorinated products around. I just don't think you need to be talking about banning a poster for making a single comment that under the strict conditions laid out highly likely would have caused no harm.
Reply:Originally Posted by KavallI fully understand the danger of welding something cleaned with chlorinate brake cleaner and certainly that danger shouldn't be taken likely. However I think yall are beating up on ed mac a bit too much. HOLD ON let me explain. The original poster said he coated his welding table with WD40 to prevent rust till he painted it. De-greasing before paint isn't the same as degreasing before welding. Also the odds of the original poster having a can of Chlorinated brake cleaner laying around are slim. Even then he's not welding on the table before painting it. With all the said, I agree that in a welding shop environment it wouldn't make a lick of sense to keep cans of brake cleaner or other potentially chlorinated products around. I just don't think you need to be talking about banning a poster for making a single comment that under the strict conditions laid out highly likely would have caused no harm.
Reply:If you would ALL read the first post..It's the FRAME of the table..NOT the surface.Brake cleaner will work just fine in this application (Myself..I would use Acetone) but there should not be any problem using brake cleaner.Unless you are bringing the table to be judged somewhere I would just use Rustoleum in whatever color you want applied with a brush....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:i didnt spray mine with wd-40. i did use b.c. and a rag to clean then DA with40 & 60 paper. blow of with air, clean again with acetone and tac cloth.for paint 1 qt rust-oleum oil based using a 3" roller and brush Attached Images
Reply:WD40 is a cleaner and corrosion breaker as well. Does grease cleaner work?PlasmaCam CNC cutterLathe and Band SawClampsThanks for the replies everyone. I had just bought some acetone for a large vise I sand blasted . So I will wipe it down with that. I did not know about the brake cleaner though, appreciate the heads up. Thank goodness I don't own any. This is my first big welding project, has been a learning experiance for me. Table is 30" by 60" with a 1/2 inch top. Will post a pic when I get finished. Once again thanks I have learned a lot on here. (Metal building will be here on Friday, will finally have a dedicated welding place behind my wood shop.both are just hobbies, but I have a farm and the welding is needed here quiete  often)
Reply:Just use a scoop full of Tide powdered laundry detergent in a bucket full of water. Cheap, very effective and a lot 'greener' than acetone, or other solvents. As far as the brake cleaner thing goes, I have not seen a can of Chlorinated cleaner in a long time, so  the problem should be solved right there. If there is still some issue with phosgene gas due to welding heat it is mostly BS, and I will tell you why. Brake cleaner is designed to evaporate quickly and at low temperatures. Once it has evaporated it is gone, so no longer a problem. I suppose you could be spraying a stream of it into the hollow leg of a pipe that you are about to weld, but that would be stupid. No matter what you are told, if your are going to be stupid, then there is no fixing it.   So can brake cleaner be used on a welding table top? Sure, just don't strike an arc while there is a puddle on the table. So long as it has dried there is no more brake cleaner, and no issues. Same goes for acetone, it won't produce phosgene gas, but you certainly wouldn't enjoy the time spent in a burn unit after you struck an arc in a puddle of it. Do I use brake cleaner? from time to time, mostly on brake parts. I generally use Tide, as it is cheap. If I need a solvent I use lacquer thinner, as I can buy that for $5 a gallon (have to buy 5 gallons though), and brake cleaner is about $24 a gallon.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerAs far as the brake cleaner thing goes, I have not seen a can of Chlorinated cleaner in a long time, so  the problem should be solved right there.
Reply:My issue with this subject is the reaction to it. Many times you see 'ahh, you had a can of brake cleaner within 300' feet of a welding shop', or other such panic attack type post because the posters are uneducated about the subject. Number one it has to be chlorinated. Number two it has to be present, chlorinated brake cleaner that has evaporated cannot turn to phosgene gas. Number three, you have to use your brain. In the linked article the poster said they sprayed it directly before welding, that is just stupid. Lastly on this topic is the 'original' posts about brake clean and welding. The subject is usally a 'friend of my sisters best friends brother in law' type of thing. The story is usually a mirror of similar stories, and the 'facts' are usually taken verbatim for Wiki.  Welding on Chlorinated Brake Cleaner CAN be dangerous. Welding on a lot of stuff CAN be dangerous. Use your brain, use good ventilation, use respiratory protection when needed.    It is the same type of panic that ensues when members post question about welding on diesel fuel tanks, or cutting open drums or tanks. Some people kill themselves because they don't educate themselves as to what they are doing.
Reply:I would only add that everyone here seems to like Acetone a lot for cleaning. I can tell you that Acetone, belonging to the ketone family of chemical compounds, will really mess up your liver if you handle it enough. It absorbs through the skin and attacks the liver. Handle a bunch then go get tested and see what they say about your liver enzyme count. It will come back down if you stay away for awhile, but repeated, prolonged exposure through inhalation or absorption is not a good thing. Won't kill you dead as quick as phosgene, but your liver may quit on you down the road a bit.Just a thought,PapaLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Seems like the Pile On Nancys lost their taste for it once a few grown ups weighed in on  the subject. I keep a can of brake cleaner in my shop. I've never been overcome by an irrational fear to throw it away.Any solvent will cut the WD40 but if you have a large area to clean I'd avoid any organic or aquious solvent.  Your brain stem and sinuses will thank you.  I'dtake Walker's advise. Soap and water is your best bet.  And next time I would rather scuff off some flash rust rather than having to wash away a temporary protectant.  Enjoy the project.  Post pics when your done.Syncrowave 300Maxtron 450, S-52E, 30A
Reply:Originally Posted by dumb as a stumpWhat ever you use, remember that acetone is flamable, so doors open and lots of ventilation. (read the wikipedia if your not shure).
Reply:First off, I don't think anybody here should be "banned" as a result of comments made on this thread.  Some comments are made innocently without knowing some specific hazards of certain chemicals.   But.....Zap, as others have already stated, brake cleaner should NEVER be used on or around a welding table wether welding or not.  It shouldn't be used before painting parts of the table either.  Although the risks are very low, even after painting a welding table, there could be remnants of the hazardous fluorocarbons lingering in cracks, joints and crevaces on that table.  Again, it's possible but not probable so why take the chance to begin with, when there are far safer alternatives (acetone, denatured alcohol) to that nasty chemical compound?Would anyone recommend  "black powder" in lieu of silica-sand in a sand-blasting cabinet???   So why would anyone even condone or suggest using brake cleaner on any part of a welding table?  "Hey I didn't come to look and learn, I came to turn and burn.... If I can't light up, I'm gonna light out!"-JodyIdealarc 250 "Fatman"MM 252MM 211 "Little boy" Victor Torches
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterIf you would ALL read the first post..It's the FRAME of the table..NOT the surface.Brake cleaner will work just fine in this application (Myself..I would use Acetone) but there should not be any problem using brake cleaner.Unless you are bringing the table to be judged somewhere I would just use Rustoleum in whatever color you want applied with a brush....zap!
Reply:And if you really want to go OSHA on the subject, you shouldn't paint your frame either. Sparks will burn the paint releasing all sorts of nasty fumes. The shop rats may also nibble on it and you don't want PITA up your a$$. I think you should play it safe and go with a gentle coat of beeswax, from bees that have been organically and ethically raised and infuse it with a touch of lavender oil to keep you Chi alined......200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Originally Posted by bert the welderFINALLY!!!! Someone that can read....... And of all those that are quick to go with acetone over brake cleaner, how many do you think are wearing gloves and a respirator???
Reply:Originally Posted by bert the welderAnd if you really want to go OSHA on the subject, you shouldn't paint your frame either. Sparks will burn the paint releasing all sorts of nasty fumes. The shop rats may also nibble on it and you don't want PITA up your a$$. I think you should play it safe and go with a gentle coat of beeswax, from bees that have been organically and ethically raised and infuse it with a touch of lavender oil to keep you Chi alined......
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterIf you would ALL read the first post..It's the FRAME of the table..NOT the surface.Brake cleaner will work just fine in this application (Myself..I would use Acetone) but there should not be any problem using brake cleaner.Unless you are bringing the table to be judged somewhere I would just use Rustoleum in whatever color you want applied with a brush....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by FODFAYeah but how many times have you made something, almost ready to paint and think I should weld an extra doohickey on there to hang a couple of widgets on? So after cleaning the frame with brake cleaner you do a last minute alteration before paint and it turns out to be the last thing you ever do!Sorry but it's just dumb advise when there are so many other options mentioned in this thread.Cheers Andrew
Reply:Originally Posted by ANVILRead my post above.  Fluorocarbon carriers can and will linger.  Besides, acetone has been used for probably a 100 years with millions of people that haven't died from it.  So has gasoline as an (unwise) solvent.   Brake cleaner has been used much less in numbers, but more have been seriously hurt or even died as a result of using that stuff with a welding arc.   Sorry, but i believe you made a weak argument in defense of the use of brake cleaner.  Don't hate, just adding to the debate and keeping it friendly.
Reply:Originally Posted by ANVILUnfortunately, you're putting humor vs reality vs practicality.  That only makes for conversation and doesn't address the OP's original quest.  Paint by the way that burns generally never has had a reputation of killing someone instantly, unlike fluorocarbons and the P-gas issue.   Last time I checked, burnt pain fumes usually doesn't carry nearly the amount of toxic phosgene gas as brake cleaner does when burned by a UV arc.   Apples vs oranges.....
Reply:I think it would also cut to the chase to point out that the OP likely didn't need to go so far as do the coating of WD 40. If there was a bit of lite rust, giver a quick spot sanding, prime and hit it with your favourite flavour of Rusto, like Zap said.  Or, if you had time to spray WD, you could have shot it with primer. Hind sight, of course.Keep in mind it was Ed that mentioned B.C.'er and now see where we've ended up, as usual. Sorry to the OP. You just can't ask a simple question here...... :P200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleIt's a PUBLIC forum, meaning anyone can see this, anyone on this site or even on google. It's the information age where people want answers and they want it FAST. Most people don't have time to or don't take time to read the whole thread. And I can bet half the people here know someone with an older can of brake clean sitting some place. All those old people bought it all up before the price went up.What are the odds someone dies from it? Who knows, but would you want that on your conscious? I wouldn't.Ed Mac could have CLEARLY taken more than 1/2 a second to post and maybe even put it into a sentence perhaps. He couldn't even find the shift key or the period key for that matter.It's not like this isn't a serious subject here. If it was something that isn't or couldn't be life threatening then should/would be taken lightly or even ignored, but the fact is he was ignorant to post that and not even be clear about what type to use or not to use. How do we know the original poster or whoever is searching and comes across this thread isn't some young 12+ year old kid that wants to get started welding in his dads garage and happens to find a can of something he shouldn't be using.....and well it's ok, the first couple posters on this forum said it was ok..**** that is life threatening to anyone shouldn't be taken lightly. How would you feel if you saw someone you know welding and spraying with brake cleaner and they said some clown on the internet said it was ok?
Reply:wd40 is a solvent not a lubricant.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadwd40 is a solvent not a lubricant.
Reply:Quote:Originally Posted by papaharley03  I would only add that everyone here seems to like Acetone a lot for cleaning. I can tell you that Acetone, belonging to the ketone family of chemical compounds, will really mess up your liver if you handle it enough. It absorbs through the skin and attacks the liver. Handle a bunch then go get tested and see what they say about your liver enzyme count. It will come back down if you stay away for awhile, but repeated, prolonged exposure through inhalation or absorption is not a good thing. Won't kill you dead as quick as phosgene, but your liver may quit on you down the road a bit.Just a thought,PapaThis should be stessed much more than the rare and difficult reduction reaction it takes to make phosgene._______Quote:Now you've got my attention, here is why. Mig welding I clean metal with lacquer thinner from a store like Napa, not the home depot stuff. When I got my new welder a tig machine everything I have read says to use Acetone for the metal prep. Not to highjack this thread but what cleaner can be used to prep the welding surface if tig welding?  Tig welding as most here know is finicky regarding the surface preparation.Please advise, thanks in advanceGreg
Reply:Lacquer thinner is a proprietary mixture of solvents. It has in general no well defined chemical composition. Acetone is, well, acetone, pure and simple.I don't TIG but if I did, I'd use acetone. I use it for just about everything else so I've got plenty around.HTHXMT304 (school)SP125+ (home)HF 4x6 BandsawGood judgement comes from experience and much of that comes from bad judgement.
Reply:Originally Posted by bert the welderSorry, incorrect.
Reply:Originally Posted by smilexelectricWhy all these crazy suggestions just use like acetone.
Reply:I think you will find its both a lubricant and a solvent. Cheers Andrew