Gas as cleaning fluid?

catzz66 said:

Gasoline (and some other solvent) soaked rags can catch fire by
spontaneous combustion. I would stay away from these materials if

there

Quoted message said:

was something else that worked and was more friendly to the

environment.

Quoted message said:

http://www.tvfr.com/Dept/fm/brochures/flammable_liquids.htm

Actually no, and stated in the article:

"However, if it is determined that the oil is of petroleum origin. then
spontaneous heating will not occur."

Pete Cresswell said:

Quoted message said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and misc
bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?

Quoted message said:

I'd also think "user-friendly".

Quoted message said:

Gas is nasty stuff safety-wise.

It also contains lighter fractions that penetrate human skin easily
and are retained by the body. It is bad stuff all around for use
other than automotive fuel. If you want to use a petroleum
derivative, paint thinner is the least expensive and does at least as
good a job as other such liquids.

[email hidden]

Peter Cole said:

catzz66 said:

Gasoline (and some other solvent) soaked rags can catch fire by
spontaneous combustion. I would stay away from these materials if

there

Quoted message said:

was something else that worked and was more friendly to the

environment.

Quoted message said:

http://www.tvfr.com/Dept/fm/brochures/flammable_liquids.htm

Actually no, and stated in the article:

"However, if it is determined that the oil is of petroleum origin. then
spontaneous heating will not occur."

Correct. I was lumping spontaneous ignition with spontaneous heating.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 22:47:06 GMT, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Pete Cresswell said:

Quoted message said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and misc
bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?

Quoted message said:

I'd also think "user-friendly".

Quoted message said:

Gas is nasty stuff safety-wise.

It also contains lighter fractions that penetrate human skin easily
and are retained by the body. It is bad stuff all around for use
other than automotive fuel.

It's quite bad stuff even as an automotive fuel. Diesel and alcohol
are safer to handle from the fire hazard aspect. Both are hard to
ignite, and alcohol fires can be safely put out with plain water. LPG,
CNG or Hydrogen are less toxic to users and innocent bystanders. With
the right production methods, Hydrogen, alcohol, CNG (as biologically
produced methane) and bio-diesel can all be used without any net
addition of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

Les said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?
I was thinking of alcohol or one of the new natural cleaners.

thanks,
les

I couldn't find a link, but I use a 'green' cycling degreaser available
at Mountain Equipment Coop (a MEC brand product). It's actually green,
costs about $12CDN for 4L, available in smaller sizes, and when you're
done with it you leave it out and it dries to a biodegradable solid that
goes in the trash.

It works well compared to other cleaners I have used at the shop. I use
it for soaking, wiping down, etc.

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:424bd1bc.0@entanet...

Quoted message said:

Les said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?
I was thinking of alcohol or one of the new natural cleaners.

Diesel fuel is much safer!

I find that penetrating fluids like liquid wrench seem to work pretty good
on chains, I remove the chain put it in a container, spray the heck out of
it, let it sit for like 15 or 20 minutes, turn chain over and repeat this
proccess several times. When the fluid at the bottom gets really nasty
looking I stop, hang chain up over the container, let drip then rinse in hot
water, reinstall on bike, and relubricate. This seems to work well for me.

Ken

Leo Lichtman said:

From the article: "However, if it is determined that the oil is of
petroleum origin. then spontaneous heating will not occur."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Although the article has an aire of authority, I am dubious about

that

Quoted message said:

statement. We know that hydrocarbons oxidize. We know that the

oxidation

Quoted message said:

reaction produces heat. We know that if the heat produced by the

oxidation

Quoted message said:

reaction cannot dissipate, the temperature will rise, resulting in an

Quoted message said:

increased reaction rate, which, in turn, results in more rapic

temperature

Quoted message said:

rise.

I know of no reason why petroleum products cannot enter this cycle of

Quoted message said:

positive feedback. If I am wrong, I will waste a tiny amount of

effort

Quoted message said:

preventing a non-fire.

The reason is that petroleum products don't oxidize at room
temperature.

Some vegetable oils do, linseed oil is well known (or should be) for
this behavior. Solvent/oil soaked rags should alway be treated with
regard for fire hazard, but linseed oil represents a more specific
threat.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pete Cresswell said:

Quoted message said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and misc
bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?

Quoted message said:

I'd also think "user-friendly".

Quoted message said:

Gas is nasty stuff safety-wise.

It also contains lighter fractions that penetrate human skin easily
and are retained by the body. It is bad stuff all around for use
other than automotive fuel. If you want to use a petroleum
derivative, paint thinner is the least expensive and does at least as
good a job as other such liquids.

[email hidden]

Agree with using paint thinner as a cleaning fluid, but doesn't paint
thinner penetrate the skin easily?
I always wear surgical gloves when using paint thinner.
-tom

Tom Nakashima said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his derailleur and chains
> and misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-friendly?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'd also think "user-friendly".

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gas is nasty stuff safety-wise.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It also contains lighter fractions that penetrate human skin easily
and are retained by the body. It is bad stuff all around for use
other than automotive fuel. If you want to use a petroleum
derivative, paint thinner is the least expensive and does at least
as good a job as other such liquids.

Quoted message said:

Agree with using paint thinner as a cleaning fluid, but doesn't
paint thinner penetrate the skin easily? I always wear surgical
gloves when using paint thinner.

It doesn't contain the higher volatility fractions and does not
penetrate skin nearly as gasoline or some of the more dangerous
solvents like lacquer thinner or benzene/benzol. Use it with care.
I use an stiff bristled paintbrush to clean parts and avoid longer
contact with the solvent.

[email hidden]

Greg Estep said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I couldn't find a link, but I use a 'green' cycling degreaser
available at Mountain Equipment Coop (a MEC brand product). It's
actually green, costs about $12CDN for 4L, available in smaller
sizes, and when you're done with it you leave it out and it dries to
a biodegradable solid that goes in the trash.

It works well compared to other cleaners I have used at the shop. I
use it for soaking, wiping down, etc.

Here's the one I've been using. USD$7.58 a gallon at ye olde Home
Depot. Seems pretty green, though it's actually orange.

Plus, you can add it--directly from the web page--to your bridal
registry :-)

http://snipurl.com/drm4

The URL didn't yield anything in my browser that appeared relevant to
the discussion. Given your description of the product however, I am
assuming that you are referring to Zep Citrus Cleaner.

The label on the gallon jug of Zep Citrus Cleaner I have in my garage
states that it should not be used on aluminum surfaces. That is
something one might want to take note of when working around bike
components. However, I am unable to find such a warning on Zep's
website. The information on their website does list some surface
incompatibilities, but AL is not among them. Does anybody know if the
formulation of this product has changed (my jug is a couple of years
old)? Maybe the formula is the same, but the concern related to contact
with AL has since been determined to be unfounded?

--
Greg Estep

FWIW I have a citrus degreaser from home depot, quite possibly the one
in question, that warns not to use it on aluminum.

I can't recommend the MEC stuff highly enough to anyone who can get to a
store. It's a cycling specific product, and MEC is leading the field in
economically priced, ethically sourced, environmentally sound products.
They also have great prices on a lot of brand name bike stuff.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Les said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
misc bike parts.

KA-PLAH!

____
____ , -- - --- -.
((( (( /// // ' \\-\ \ )) ))
/// /// (( _ _ -- \\-- \\\ \)
((( == (( -- (( )) )- ) __ )) )))
(( (( -= (( --- ( _ ) --- )) ))
(( __ (( ()((( \\ / /// )) __ )))
\\_ (( __ | | __ ) _ ))
,| | |
`-._____,-'
`--.___,--'
| |
| ||
| || |
, _, | | |
( (( (((( /,| __| | )))) ))) ) ))
(())) __/ ||( ,, ((//\ ) ))))
---((( ///_.___ _/ ||,,_____,_,,, (|\ \___.....__.. ))--ool
____/ |/______________| \/_/\__
/ \/_/|
/ |___|___|__ || ___
\ |___|___|_ |/\ /__/|
/ | | \/ |__|/

/s

Thank you, blubberpuss! Thiis has turned a very rainy day into all
smiles.

The OP did say his dad "used to use".

HAND

Ken said:

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:424bd1bc.0@entanet...

Quoted message said:

Les said:

My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?
I was thinking of alcohol or one of the new natural cleaners.

Diesel fuel is much safer!

I find that penetrating fluids like liquid wrench seem to work pretty good
on chains, I remove the chain put it in a container, spray the heck out of
it, let it sit for like 15 or 20 minutes, turn chain over and repeat this
proccess several times. When the fluid at the bottom gets really nasty
looking I stop, hang chain up over the container, let drip then rinse in hot
water, reinstall on bike, and relubricate. This seems to work well for me.

Ken

Liquid wrench is designed as an anti-sieze for undoing stuck threads,
similar to WD-40 if I remember right. It does contain some petrolium
solvents, but it's not designed to be used as a solvent and it is
incredibly wasteful to use it this way. Especially out of a spray can.
There are cycling specific, environmentally friendly solvents on the
market that would probably be more effective, easier to use, and
cheaper. (see my posts near the bottom of the thread)

Jacobe Hazzard said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
> misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?
> I was thinking of alcohol or one of the new natural cleaners.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Diesel fuel is much safer!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I find that penetrating fluids like liquid wrench seem to work
pretty good on chains, I remove the chain put it in a container,
spray the heck out of it, let it sit for like 15 or 20 minutes,
turn chain over and repeat this process several times. When the
fluid at the bottom gets really nasty looking I stop, hang chain up
over the container, let drip then rinse in hot water, reinstall on
bike, and re-lubricate. This seems to work well for me.

Quoted message said:

Liquid wrench is designed as an anti-seize for undoing stuck
threads, similar to WD-40 if I remember right. It does contain some
petroleum solvents, but it's not designed to be used as a solvent
and it is incredibly wasteful to use it this way. Especially out of
a spray can. There are cycling specific, environmentally friendly
solvents on the market that would probably be more effective, easier
to use, and cheaper. (see my posts near the bottom of the thread)

Liquid wrench and WD-40 are not anti seize in any form and are merely
oily solvents. Anti seize compounds contain flaked soft metals or
graphite that prevent galling and welding through metal to metal
contact of screws. With a soft metal between pressure faces of
threads, a lesser shear force is required to induce motion (loosening)
once the screw has settled and been put under tensile load.

[email hidden]

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jacobe Hazzard said:

Quoted message said:

>> My dad used to use Gasoline to soak his der. and chains and
>> misc bike parts. Is there anything more enviro-freindly?
>> I was thinking of alcohol or one of the new natural cleaners.

Well the op was asking about alternatives to gasoline for solvent purposes,
and I find the liquid wrench to be effective for this.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Liquid wrench is designed as an anti-seize for undoing stuck
threads, similar to WD-40 if I remember right. It does contain some
petroleum solvents, but it's not designed to be used as a solvent
and it is incredibly wasteful to use it this way. Especially out of
a spray can. There are cycling specific, environmentally friendly
solvents on the market that would probably be more effective, easier
to use, and cheaper. (see my posts near the bottom of the thread)

Liquid wrench and WD-40 are not anti seize in any form and are merely
oily solvents. Anti seize compounds contain flaked soft metals or
graphite that prevent galling and welding through metal to metal
contact of screws. With a soft metal between pressure faces of
threads, a lesser shear force is required to induce motion (loosening)
once the screw has settled and been put under tensile load.

[email hidden]

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:05:57 -0600, Jim Smith <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Didn't Richard Pryor get in trouble using a torch around
some Bacardi 151?

No, he got his face flamed when he lit up a spoonful of snort to
freebase it.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Werehatrack said:

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:05:57 -0600, Jim Smith <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Didn't Richard Pryor get in trouble using a torch around
some Bacardi 151?

No, he got his face flamed when he lit up a spoonful of snort to
freebase it.

I think you're both right:

http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,923501,00.html

or http://snipurl.com/du73

Ahhh, those were the days....

Amoco used to sell unleaded ``white gas'' when everybody else was
leaded, and housewives used the stuff on laundry, though this was
discouraged in public by safety-minded handwringers.

Aviation gasoline, available from a handy spigot at the low point
of the fuel system on every airplane, was used for cleaning oil
screens, leaded or not, by pretty much everybody.
--
Ron Hardin
[email hidden]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 10:29:57 +0100, Kinky Cowboy <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Yes, it's much easier to light alcohols than diesel, but still much
harder than lighting gasoline. An open flame is a very big source of
ignition which you can use to light almost anything vaguely flammable.
Ethanol just isn't volatile enough to produce ignitable mixtures over
an open container at room temperature, unlike gasoline. You can try
this test at home with a metal tray, a spark plug, coil and battery
and a selection of your favourite fuels. Place fuel in tray, mount
spark plug on bracket a few inches above it, make sparks (stand well
back if using gasoline)

Which alcohol are you speaking of? Ispropanol is hard to light, but
both methanol and ethanol are fairly easily ignited by a spark in the
right place (closer than you describe, but not far enough for safety)
as long as there's not a breeze to disperse the gas. The difference
is that their fumes are not as subject to pooling, so they don't have
the same degree of hazard from ignition by distant sources; the spark
needs to be in the area of the interface. It's also harder to reach
an ignitable concentration in an enclosed area unless it has no
ventilation at all; both methanol and ethanol disperse fast. Flip
side: Both are rotten degreasers, both leave water behind when they
evaporate, both are skin-absorbable (and methanol metabolizes to a
nasty toxin), so they're essentially worthless for cleaning greasy
parts.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 15:00:34 GMT, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Tom Nakashima said:

Agree with using paint thinner as a cleaning fluid, but doesn't
paint thinner penetrate the skin easily? I always wear surgical
gloves when using paint thinner.

It doesn't contain the higher volatility fractions and does not
penetrate skin nearly as gasoline or some of the more dangerous
solvents like lacquer thinner or benzene/benzol. Use it with care.
I use an stiff bristled paintbrush to clean parts and avoid longer
contact with the solvent.

The older formulations of Goop hand cleaner used some of the same
fractions as are found in mineral spirits, emulsified with some water
and other ingredients.

Although infrequent low-duration exposure to mineral spirits poses
little hazard, gloves are still a good idea when using it as a parts
cleaning solvent. Since it's usually neither difficult nor expensive
to reduce the skin exposure to zero that way, it's worthwhile taking
the extra step in my opinion.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

"Ron Hardin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Amoco used to sell unleaded ``white gas'' when everybody else was
leaded, and housewives used the stuff on laundry, though this was
discouraged in public by safety-minded handwringers.

Aviation gasoline, available from a handy spigot at the low point
of the fuel system on every airplane, was used for cleaning oil
screens, leaded or not, by pretty much everybody.

Too bad it all directly increases the greenhouse effect, hence the rubber
shields on pump nozzles.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training