Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cleaning Simplex Black Wrinkle Finishes

This is topic Cleaning Simplex Black Wrinkle Finishes in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 06-18-2009, 06:50 PM:

I discussed in a previous thread my dilema in cleaning my Simplex E7 black wrinkle finish. Many suggestions were given and I ran an experiment using different cleaners.

Liquid dishwashing detergent helped remove the caked on oil and grease, but failed to attack the built-in dirt.

Carburetor cleaner and Gunk Engine Degreaser did nothing...and they did not attack the finish.

Simple Green did nothing.

I avoided oven cleaner, as warnings were given that it would attack the finish.

By chance I had a bottle of Clorox Bathroom Cleaner in a hand-squeeze bottle on hand and decided to give it a try! EUREKA!! It dissolved the dirt on contact and was easily rinsed off with hot water. An old toothbrush was used to scrub as needed. A few applications may be necessary depending on the severity of dirt infestation, but the results were amazing!

The Clorox Bathroom Cleaner (4-in-1) was ineffective.

The use of hot water during rinse heated the castings, allowing the water to evoraporate immediately, thereby minimizing immediate corrosion on bare machined surfaces. These surfaces were then wiped with a thin coat of oil. Tapped holes and a few other mated machined surfaces were protected with anti-sieze compound.

Cheers

Kutler

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-18-2009, 07:05 PM:

Yes Will, but when will you post your 'before' and 'after' pictures?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-18-2009, 10:22 PM:

Holy cows... I forgot to call you..... [uhoh]

I Will tommrrow night... pun intended...

Mark

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 06-19-2009, 06:09 AM:

Scrubbing Bubbles applied when surface is dry does a great job of getting grime and other stubborn stuff off. I've used it on projectors, and various electronic equipment over the years witgh good results.

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 06-22-2009, 08:24 AM:

I'm surprised that Simple Green didn't work. I use it here to clean our demo equipment when it comes back from the field. I also use it to clean customer's equipment that comes in for repair with years of caked on dirt and grime. Welding smoke and spatter can wreak havoc on this equipment. Welders also sometimes use a spray called anti-spatter that they spray on things that surround the arc so the spatter doesn't stick. Only problem is that it is like sticky sugar or glue and it builds up badly. I have seen equipment that has a 1/4" thick build up of this black dirty goo all over it. Simple Green is the only thing I have ever found that dissolved all of these things.

Our parts washer is a waste of time. Parts washing fluid is weak because of all the environmental regulations in effect now. I remember other machine shops I worked for when I was younger had some good parts washing fluid. You could drop a part in the liquid and return the next day and just rinse it off. I think that water has a stronger cleaning effect than most parts washing fluids that are on the market today. [Roll Eyes]

Then you have to pay high dollar to dispose of it too.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-22-2009, 06:28 PM:

Baking soda will clean a lot of rough surfaces...I used it to get fingerprints and crud off our refrigerator handle at home when every other cleaner we tried had failed completely (including Simple Green).