Parts Washer Replacement

Automotive
#1

@TLAR On this agenda item;

What is being used to wash the parts? How often is it disposed of and who takes care of that responsibility?

Replacement Automotive Parts Washer (TLAR)
Problem: The old parts washer is a lease item costing us $350/mo or $10,850 since we started using it in Feb 2015.

Solution: Purchase a better parts washer and service it ourselves. O’Reilly’s sells a 50 gallon aqueous commercial parts washer for $3445.99.

Other comparable parts washers are from Northern Tool #SM9600 $9399.99, KleenTech #SM9600SS $11,531.25 and Cuda Parts #2530 $10,880.00

Allocate $3,500 to Automotive to purchase the O’Reilly parts washer. Purchasing this parts washer will pay for itself in 10 months of reduced lease payments.

Relevance: This parts washer will allow automotive maintenance classes to be held in reasonable time frames, as well as further the ability of members to use DMS to complete projects. It will also help to keep the timeframe on member projects short, allowing more members to tackle their own projects. And it will allow non automotive related projects to be completed with a minimum of mess.

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#2

I know Machine shop has used the existing parts washer many times. It’s handy as hell.

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#3

I can tell you guys I need someone to take ownership of whatever happens either a new one comes or the old one stays I need someone to manage the waste material.

#4

Tom has been in contact with the current vendor. He has this well in hand.

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#5

No love for a solvent based parts washer due to legal reasons I take it? There are some good solvent-recycling parts washers that claim to generate zero solvent waste, which makes cleanup a bit easier.

I know I’m not the first one to think of this, but I am just speculating as to why we got the pressure washer instead.

#7

I remember looking up the company that makes ours. I believe their main office is in Oklahoma and the one we have is ~$4,800.

#8

It is a water based “aqueous” cleaner similar to the current washer. heated.

The new washer has a filter/skimmer built in that collects material in a container that is removed and properly disposed of.

I will tackle the disposal - as I have an agreement with a semi local company that will handle what the new machine produces at zero additional cost.

I spoke to the folks that the DMS currently rent the parts washer from:

The membership has been paying $325 a month for it and it is supposedly serviced every month - but they do not cover the fluid disposal ? Really?
I also asked if the gloves were covered in the service - he said yes, so I asked why they have holes in them (crickets).

I for one would like to know who thought a $325 per month (indefinite) rental without the disposal being included thought this was a “bargain” for the membership.

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#9

I prefer solvent - I have a large solvent cleaner at my house - way better than water based - rarely needs servicing. Air agitation if I so chose to not get my hands wet. Built in drain board to eliminate drips/loss. Auto closing lid in the ultra rare flash fire (in my decades of experience I have yet to see that actually happen in a properly equipped service facility in either wheeled vehicles or aircraft repair centers) i.e. never going to happen.

The DMS presents a different set of problems tho - too many folks either don’t care or pretend to not know that cleaning up a mess is their responsibility - no one else’s.

For the DMS an closed washer is the better choice. it reduces drips/spills,

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#10

That’s a fair point about people being careless. I know in some areas if your business uses a solvent based washer, you have to do this and that legalese to track the input and output and disposal and so forth, which can be a mad hassle.

I totally prefer solvent cleaning myself. Water struggles to pick apart what solvent eats up chemically in seconds, and the pressures involved can be a real pain.

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#11

The Torrent we have is serviced and made by a company located in Irving TX called NCH. Used to work there… i think it might be outsourced to a manufacturer in OK not sure. If we have a contract with them through one of their entities… Certified, Chemsearch or Mantek they’re on the hook to clean it and make sure it stays up.

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#12

Ya I tried they were not willing to take the waste it generated or the old fluid.

#13

With regards to solvents one would typically use in a parts washer, would it be kind to plastics for pinball & arcade parts? I like parts washing those types of things in there because it saves a lot of time and usually does a better job going through dirty buttons, solenoid stops, and other such parts than with paper towels & Q-tips.

#14

I personally use mineral spirits for solvent parts cleaning, but there are a number of organic solvents that can be used in parts washers. Mineral spirits are generally plastic-safe, but some solvents like toluene and acetone can dissolve certain plastics.

In any case, for reasons mentioned by TLAR, the proposal is for a heated pressurized-water parts washer and not a solvent washer. It’s not kind to anything fiddly, but for automotive and machine use, it should be generally appropriate.

#15

I’m not opposed to having a parts washer like the one we have - but I am not going to “rent the damned thing for eternity” and still have to service the fluid myself.

I spoke to the sales/service guy - he said he changed the light bulb in it for “free” yet the gloves have had holes in them for months.

Pissing (yours & mine) membership money away is NOT what I favor - it would be nice if more folks at the Space did the same.

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#16

I’ll go on record as saying I LOVE that parts washer. I wish we could keep it. But $300+/month and we have to dispose of the fluid? I don’t get that… What does the monthly fee pay for? Vapor, it appears, from my perspective.
It’s a shame, too, because that machine, in my estimation, EXACTLY fits our use-scenario. The ‘dishwasher’ style does not so much, because:

  • most of those need 220 outlets, whereas this one 115
  • we “need” to wash “weird stuff” (e.g. pinball parts) that don’t do all that well, even in small-parts baskets in the ‘dishwashers’
  • this one is easily moved, when needed, whereas most of the ‘dishwasher’ style are much more “industrial” in nature, and thus harder to move around
  • other reasons I’m sure I’m forgetting or glossing over

To be fair, I don’t know which unit Tom is specifying, so maybe none of that applies…

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#17

Jast,
I like it too - but not for $3900 a year of YOUR money and no fluid service? Really?

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#18

I’ll join the party, I like the washer we have, but it is not a good deal given the operating cost. There are better options to be sure.

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#19

I’ve been on the phone this morning and have a local firm that will come to the DMS (for a fee)
and pick up :
the machine shop oily water cutting coolant
parts washer fluid
and many other “taboo” fluids that may be generated by automotive /machine/ metal shops.
I will have and update and hope to have answers for the board meeting tonight

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#20

That’s awesome!

Literally my only concern is that we still don’t want people to use us to get rid of used motor oil and the like… so the idea is that you still take home your old oil and coolant and whatnot, but the service takes care of the hazmat we generate on site?

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#21

simple answer - just re-read my post above

Nothing changes in the current “do it yourself” automotive service area regarding oils etc (that is not what is being discussed).

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