A dumb question

[AMALGAM]

I know there is not stupid questions, but this one could be dumb.
I just picked up the materials to finally build my welding table (tubing, angles, sheets) and just from unloading my truck, my gloves were left like if I worked for an oil plant in Iraq. My wife told me that I could store some material as long as she does not see the smallest of the spots (she is abusing me in my own territory THE GARAGE!!!) So, please, What product(s) and procedure should I use to clean the materials?
Thank you guys
Alfredo

[cope]

I usually wipe the material down with paint thinner and let it dry well before welding or cutting. The oily surface protects the metal from rusting. You also ought to sand the areas you are planning to weld in order to get rid of any mill scale left.

[boilerman]

wow that sounds like alot of oil on it .......what i usually do in an oilly place is grind where i'm going to weld to get it shiny clean and then i hit it with a squeeze bottle with acetone in it

[CPB]

AMALGAM, I use a degreaser called Purple Power and it does work really good while being relatively inexpensive. I get it at Advanced Auto Parts.
CPB

[Sberry]

Home Depot has great stuff for that too. Zep products. The best.
But,,, the stuff I get isnt that bad.

[Trevor]

doller general thunder blast it cost like $2.00great stuff my 75 year old grandpa swears by it he degreases motors with it

[morpheus]

Originally posted by boilerman
then i hit it with a squeeze bottle with acetone in it

what kind of squeeze bottle do you use ? ... I really like to
prep with acetone before welding or painting.

- jack

[skinner]

squeeze bottle

Originally posted by morpheus


what kind of squeeze bottle do you use ? ... I really like to
prep with acetone before welding or painting.

- jack

I am not the one that you asked the quetion of. But I use alot of acetone and I used to buy bottles that had a biult in siphon tube down the side and 90 degree goose neck out the top but the acetone will biuld up pressure and squirt your acetone out while setting on the shelf and it will be empty when you need it, so I have gone to using dish soap and shampoo bottles the ones with smaller holes work best. It is also best to only put what you need in the bottle because it seems to evaporate faster than if left in the can.

[morpheus]

thanks for the info skinner. I've always bought the little cans of acetone for the reason that I could pour out a little at a time without wastage. I'll get a small dish washing soap bottle and see how it works. thanks for the tips.

- jack

[Guest]

Lots of good tips, here...I have found that a lot of water-based cleaners do a fair job. But acetone is the best. That black stuff sure stains!

[boilerman]

i use the goose neck bottle with acetone ......yeah you will loose some if you leave it in the bottle but i use so much of it welding on tractors and farm equipment that i always have it empty....if by chance there is some left in the bottle i pull the tube out till it is out of the acetone and put duct tape over end to seal it ....my bottles that i use hold a pint