How to Clean a Cold Saw?

[projectnut]

I recently acquired a used Baileigh cs-350-EU cold saw from a used equipment dealer. The saw needs a little work, but by in large is in good shape. before putting it permanently in the shop I'll do all the required maintenance including changing lubricants and replacing the coolant. In addition to the maintenance I would like to give it a good cleaning.

It's spent the last 11 years in a factory that fabricated industrial shelving, pallet racks, and other industrial storage systems. While it's in reasonable mechanical shape cosmetically it's filthy. I was thinking of sealing the control station and motor switch in plastic bags and taping the door on the electrical cabinet to prevent water intrusion, then pressure washing the rest of the machine. I'm thinking that since the motor is TEFC, and all other components are regularly exposed to coolant there shouldn't be a problem. However, before I move forward I thought that I'd ask if anyone else has done something similar, and if so would you recommend it, or recommend a different course of action.

 

[Pete Deal]

Pressure washing is not a good idea. You’ll have water in many places it doesn’t belong. Experiment with some detergents and solvents and see what works.

 

[boslab]

Mineral spirit, elbow grease, simple green,more elbow grease, however the little steam squirter things look good
Mark

 

[kustomizer]

I just got something I saw somewhere on PM called Krud Kutter, that shit is amazing, and I think you can drink it. I got mine at ACE hardware

 

[Bondo]

Power washing will cause a lot more issues further down the road, not including what happens right away.

I use TEFC motors all the time, they are washdown rated, which is city water pressure, NOT 5k psi power washer like a couple of my customers think. They still have seals that fail. The TENV is better for washdown.

 

[projectnut]

I contacted the "technical support" people at Baileigh yesterday. They advised me to remove the motor (4 blots & 2 wires), remove the control station (Amphenol plug) and tape the electrical cabinet before attempting to wash the machine. They also advised the use of a "low pressure" wash similar to a car wash @ 900 psi. If disassembly is as easy as they make it sound, I'll do a washdown before permanently moving the machine into the shop. If it turns out to be more complicated it sounds like solvent and elbow grease are the best option.

 

[Ries]

About every five years or so, we take mine completely apart. Takes two guys just to lift the pivoting saw body off the base.
Then, toothbrush sized wire brushes, scotchbrite on the 4 1/2" grinder, and lots of simple green.
Takes a day or two. Clean all the threads and bolts, lots of elbow grease, 5 pounds of metal shaving crud stuck to everything.

if it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

 

[DDoug]

I contacted the "technical support" people at Baileigh yesterday. They advised me to remove the motor (4 blots & 2 wires), remove the control station (Amphenol plug) and tape the electrical cabinet before attempting to wash the machine. They also advised the use of a "low pressure" wash similar to a car wash @ 900 psi. If disassembly is as easy as they make it sound, I'll do a washdown before permanently moving the machine into the shop. If it turns out to be more complicated it sounds like solvent and elbow grease are the best option.

Your supposed to swing by the car wash when it's on the trailer coming home....try the selection "Engine brite"....

 

[projectnut]

Your supposed to swing by the car wash when it's on the trailer coming home....try the selection "Engine brite"....

The saw will be setting in a garage for the next month or so before I can get back to pick it up. I did a few test cuts to be sure everything worked then rolled it back inside to keep it out of the weather. If it's as easy to disassemble as I'm being told I'll take it apart and load it in the trailer. I'll leave the parts that aren't supposed to get wet at the shop and continue on to a local DIY car wash. The saw looks like a fairly simple assembly, but I'll make a closer assessment when the time comes.

 

[52 Ford]

I just got something I saw somewhere on PM called Krud Kutter, that shit is amazing, and I think you can drink it. I got mine at ACE hardware

No... YOU can drink it. I'll stick with beer.

 

[Milland]

If you do any manual cleaning, wear heavy rubber gloves (like dishwashing gloves), and over those leather gloves. You need to protect your hands from sharp slivers that have gosh-knows-what bacteria coating them.

 

[52 Ford]

I would use engine degreaser, Brakleen, and maybe some Dawn soap and water.

Steel wool and Scotchbrite to clean up scales and stuff like that.

This might sound dumb, but I like to Armor-All any rubber components. Keeps them from getting brittle. I say "Armor-All", but usually buy Meguires Ultimate Protectant (think that's the name).

 

[kb0thn]

I'll leave the parts that aren't supposed to get wet at the shop and continue on to a local DIY car wash. The saw looks like a fairly simple assembly, but I'll make a closer assessment when the time comes.

They *really* don't like it when you do that. Be prepared to get chased off.

 

[cyanidekid]

yea, pressure washer not good.

I use Zep industrial purple degreaser, as do many here and elswhere, to great effect. surprised no one else suggested it yet.

take off the electrics, spray a 50/50 dilution of it on, and repeat 5-7 times at intervals, the idea being to just keep it wet with it. stay away from bearings, mask them off beforehand.

rinse down with a hose directing water away from those bearings as much as possible. now you can see what needs more attention. the purple stuff is lye and isobutyl alcohol and will do a lot of work on its own, so let it do its thing for an hour, wetting as above, and there will be a lot less for you to do.

on really crusty dried varnish like stuff the purple doesn't even cut, spray on some oven cleaner. rinse, and repeat. use appropriate protection, and good luck!

p.s. the qt. spray bottles of industrial purple are a different formula, and don't work NEARLY as well as 1+5 gallon sizes, and the traditional lye based oven cleaner is the one im talking about, NOT the newer "no glove" stuff...

 

[projectnut]

They *really* don't like it when you do that. Be prepared to get chased off.

Over the years I've washed down a couple machines there and didn't get any flack. I regularly see construction equipment, ATv's and ;landscaping equipment going through, and to my knowledge no ones ever been chased off.

So far the worst one I've done was a 1950's era Racine power hacksaw. It had about a 2" layer of crud in the bottom of the tank. It was on so tight I could hardly remove it with a hammer and chisel. The hot soapy water at the car wash did the trick in no time flat. With that machine I used gloves and protective arm sleeves. The swarf was like 40 grit sandpaper.

 

[DDoug]

How about that engine cleaner pre-soak liquid ?
GUNK(R) Engine Cleaners and Degreasers

Then take it to the carwash.

 

[atex57]

How about that engine cleaner pre-soak liquid ?
GUNK(R) Engine Cleaners and Degreasers

Then take it to the carwash.

I like the foamy stuff myself, sticks and stays.

Ed.

 

[mnl]

Over the years I've washed down a couple machines there and didn't get any flack. I regularly see construction equipment, ATv's and ;landscaping equipment going through, and to my knowledge no ones ever been chased off.

Went out with someone in the oil patch one night to log a well. It had rained for three days straight before that. By the time we got out he had two inches of mud on the roof of his truck from spinning his wheels and more everywhere else. He also had two rolls of quarters in the glove box. Stopped by the local car wash at three in the morning. By noon that day there was a big sign saying no oil field trucks.

 

[DDoug]

Went out with someone in the oil patch one night to log a well. It had rained for three days straight before that. By the time we got out he had two inches of mud on the roof of his truck from spinning his wheels and more everywhere else. He also had two rolls of quarters in the glove box. Stopped by the local car wash at three in the morning. By noon that day there was a big sign saying no oil field trucks.

2" of mud made a huge mess, and plugging the drain grates is one thing....washing off a 2' square saw base with chips and grease that wouldn't fill a 5 gallon bucket is clearly another.

 

[projectnut]

How about that engine cleaner pre-soak liquid ?
GUNK(R) Engine Cleaners and Degreasers

Then take it to the carwash.

I still have a couple cans of that stuff around from cleaning the power hacksaw. It certainly wouldn't hurt to give it a try. It's not like I need to save it for anything else.