Suggestions for stripping off 30 years of machine oil varnish - Hardinge DV59

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spooky

Aluminum

Joined

Nov 4, 2010

Location

West Virginia, USA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #1

Hey All,

Recently picked up a Hardinge DV59 fitted with Omniturn control. I am "going through" it and fixing/cleaning, etc. This thing has 25-30 yrs of dried on machine oil varnish which is incredible sticky and hard to get off. I have tried WD-40, Denatured alcohol and mineral spirits. They don't touch this stuff. I have also tried Goof Off, Brake Clean and Acetone. They remove the varnish but also the paint underneath. There are parts of the machine that will get painted (no big deal there) but also parts I do not wish to repaint.

Do any of you all have a magical liquid that has worked for you in this situation?

Thanks much

CE

 

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Danny VanVoorn

Titanium

Joined

Nov 3, 2002

Location

St.Louis, Missouri, USA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #2

Bite wax remover from the automotive paint store works for me. Removed 10 years of dried coolant and oil from the paint and left the original finish, it didn't however replace the paint that had worn/dissolved down to the bare iron originally caused be the coolant.
Dan

 

ironsmith89

Aluminum

Joined

Aug 29, 2014

Location

lennox, sd, USA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #3

Hard to beat oven cleaner, it will remove your paint but also the other stuff. I buy the cheap stuff from the dollar store. O and wear gloves.

 

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Chazsani

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 22, 2007

Location

Virtual, SF Bay Area, Tampa Area

• Sep 19, 2018

• #4

Try Oemeta coolant. The coolant removed 15 years of varnish from an Okuma lathe...


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Mud

Diamond

Joined

May 20, 2002

Location

South Central PA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #5

1. Awesome cleaner from Dollar Tree stores. Really.

2. Fresh coolant.

 

sfriedberg

Diamond

Joined

Oct 14, 2010

Location

Oregon, USA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #6

I cleaned up a DV-59 with varnished-on oil with embedded brass whiskers. Soaking with mineral spirits, scrubbing with non-abrasive non-woven pads, worked for the bed base. Eventually. Was not a single pass operation.

The ram turret got disassembled and stuck in a heated ultrasonic cleaner with a strong solution of Simple Green.

 

C

Chazsani

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 22, 2007

Location

Virtual, SF Bay Area, Tampa Area

• Sep 19, 2018

• #7

In re: Oemeta coolant. You may be able to get a “free” 5 gallon pail for the “new” machine.


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Pete Deal

Titanium

Joined

Apr 10, 2007

Location

Morgantown, WV

• Sep 19, 2018

• #8

Something I have found that works in many cases like this is household ammonia. It really works well with water based coolant.

 

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spooky

Aluminum

Joined

Nov 4, 2010

Location

West Virginia, USA

• Sep 19, 2018

• #9

Danny VanVoorn said:

Bite wax remover from the automotive paint store works for me. Removed 10 years of dried coolant and oil from the paint and left the original finish, it didn't however replace the paint that had worn/dissolved down to the bare iron originally caused be the coolant.
Dan

Click to expand...

Bite Wax? Just googled it and didn't find anything that seemed to fit the description.

Thx

 

JST

Diamond

Joined

Jun 16, 2001

Location

St Louis

• Sep 19, 2018

• #10

I generally use one of the "Purple Cleaners". It's lye based, but it usually does not remove old paint types very fast, and it has to get through the oil to reach the paint.

I often spray or paint-on the stuff, if I do not want to dunk the part.

You can get the oil off and leave the paint if you do not dunk and soak the part. Diluted about 2:1 with water works pretty well, but stronger works faster.

 

cash

Titanium

Joined

Aug 8, 2007

Location

Greendale,WI

• Sep 20, 2018

• #11

Charge with fresh coolant and let it run, then wipe down. This should help.

 

Peter from Holland

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2005

Location

The Netherlands

• Sep 20, 2018

• #12

Lye Nothing beats lye

Peter

 

thermite

Diamond

Joined

Sep 21, 2011

Location

Sterling, Virginia, USA, Terra, Sol, Sagittarius

• Sep 29, 2018

• #13

spooky said:

Bite Wax? Just googled it and didn't find anything that seemed to fit the description.

Thx

Click to expand...

"Bite wax" is what Dentists use to get an impression as to how teeth or dentures fit.

The remover for it isn't gargled or anything. Human mouth doesn't need that much help to shed it.

The remover is to get the wax off plates or bridges being fitted without damage to their "usually" plastic, and long-ago "hard rubber" materials.
Far more gently than the lye based products, IOW. Dental Supply house is your source.

I just use far more readily available cheap tubs of "Goop" waterless hand cleaner. The one WITHOUT any pumice or other abrasive in it.

That takes off dirt, oils, greases, their various varnishes even if it needs time to "soak in" at inside corners and turn deposits into a sort of "mud". But one easily removed.

Goop also near-as-dammit "never" bothers any even HALF-decent paint, nor degrades rubber shock mounts, wiring, seals, nor electrical terminations.

Taking paint off or planning a re-wire should both be deliberate choices. Or not.

Not an accidental byproduct of overly harsh chemicals such as Ammonia, Washing Soda, or Lye.

 

ballen

Diamond

Joined

Sep 25, 2011

Location

Garbsen, Germany

• Sep 30, 2018

• #14

spooky said:

This thing has 25-30 yrs of dried on machine oil varnish which is incredible sticky and hard to get off.
<SNIP>
Do any of you all have a magical liquid that has worked for you in this situation?

Click to expand...

I had a surface grinder glazed with a layer of 30-year-old dried synthetic coolant. What worked well was a gentle abrasive. I used #600 wet-or-dry paper lubricated with WD40 or lubricated with water plus a drop of dish-soap. Automotive rubbing compound also worked very well. Yes, this removes a small amount of the paint layer but there is no danger of cutting through it if you pay attention while you work.