Turnbuckle Cleaning

[Ron Wanttaja]

I've got a bunch of old turnbuckles that were apparently removed from planes
eons ago. They're covered with black, cruddy, dirt and grease. What's the best
way to clean these up?

Ron Wanttaja

[Paulus]

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
> I've got a bunch of old turnbuckles that were apparently removed from planes
> eons ago. They're covered with black, cruddy, dirt and grease. What's the best
> way to clean these up?
>
> Ron Wanttaja

Ron;

Try soaking them in mineral spirits (varsol) for a few hours if you
need to use them, otherwise leave them as they are. They are probably
still coated with the original wax corrosion protective coating.

Paulus

[RST Engineering]

I tend to use small or large rotary devices that I can let run for hours or
days if needs be. If the turnbuckles are small, the little "rock polishers"
from Harbor Freight are good with whatever abrasive/solventive media you
wish in with the parts.

If the turnbuckles are large, a **clean** cement mixer withOUT the internal
stirring paddles and the holes blocked with botch buttons along with the
media work just fine.

The abrasive media of choice here for that sort of crap is "playground sand"
from Home Depot. It is very fine and clean, but you may wish to research
other less invasive media. Pistons and valves come out sparkling clean with
this media but you've got to figure out how to get ALL the remaining sand
off of the part ... generally a solvent soak followed by an air blast
followed by another solvent soak.


Jim

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a bunch of old turnbuckles that were apparently removed from
> planes
> eons ago. They're covered with black, cruddy, dirt and grease. What's
> the best
> way to clean these up?
>
> Ron Wanttaja

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a bunch of old turnbuckles that were apparently removed from planes
> eons ago. They're covered with black, cruddy, dirt and grease. What's the
> best
> way to clean these up?

How about taking them to a garage that has a parts cleaner, one that has a
vibrating action, with a pump circulating a solvent across the parts. A small
bribe ought to do it!
--
Jim in NC

[ChuckSlusarczyk]

In article >, Ron Wanttaja says...
>
>I've got a bunch of old turnbuckles that were apparently removed from planes
>eons ago. They're covered with black, cruddy, dirt and grease. What's the best
>way to clean these up?
>
>Ron Wanttaja
Hi Ron
For my early hang gliders I used to get surplus turnbuckles that used to be
available from outfits on the West Coast. They'd be pretty grubby with paint
,oil and cosmoline all over them. I soaked them in MEK or acetone to clean off
the paint etc then I used a wire wheel with a soft bristle wheel to finish the
clean up. Sometimes I had to chase the threads to clean them up but to do that I
had to buy a left hand tap and die for the one side. I wouldn't cut any new
thread just cleaned them out.

See ya

Chuck S

[Ron Wanttaja]

Thanks a ton to everyone who replied. I've got several turnbuckles, and will
probably try a different approach on each. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[ChuckSlusarczyk]

In article >, Ron Wanttaja says...
>
>Thanks a ton to everyone who replied. I've got several turnbuckles, and will
>probably try a different approach on each. :-)
>
>Ron Wanttaja

Hey Ron
Since your taking the scientific approach how about letting us know the results?
As an ex NASA R & D guy I like the scientific approach :-)

See ya

Chuck S

[.Blueskies.]

"RST Engineering" > wrote in message ...
:I tend to use small or large rotary devices that I can let run for hours or
: days if needs be. If the turnbuckles are small, the little "rock polishers"
: from Harbor Freight are good with whatever abrasive/solventive media you
: wish in with the parts.
:
: If the turnbuckles are large, a **clean** cement mixer withOUT the internal
: stirring paddles and the holes blocked with botch buttons along with the
: media work just fine.
:
: The abrasive media of choice here for that sort of crap is "playground sand"
: from Home Depot. It is very fine and clean, but you may wish to research
: other less invasive media. Pistons and valves come out sparkling clean with
: this media but you've got to figure out how to get ALL the remaining sand
: off of the part ... generally a solvent soak followed by an air blast
: followed by another solvent soak.
:
:
: Jim
:

Corn cob media works real well
check out: http://www.shorinternational.com/TumblingMedia.htm

[Reggie]

After soaking and paint brush scrubbing, try a Sonic Cleaner with MEK
solvent.

Place on a rack about 1 inch from the bottom of the sonic bath, so the
crud has a place to go.

When cleaned you will need to regrease them.

Reggie

[Ron Wanttaja]

(Original question was about how to clean a thick layer of grease and dirt off
some old turnbuckles with minimum manual effort.)

Just as an update to folks...I ran one turnbuckle through the dishwasher. Did
well at taking off the surface crud, but it didn't really shine up the metal.

Going to try the rock-polisher next. My wife has a small one, with
buckshot-sized media for cleaning metal for jewelry work. Think the media is
too large, so I might try (unused) kitty litter.

Ron Wanttaja

[Bill Daniels]

This may not solve everything but it's what I use.

I have an old collander and a rattle can of brake or carb/throttle body
cleaner from an auto parts store. I just squirt off the small parts in the
collander. Call it a poor mans parts cleaner. It's a pretty agressive
solvent so be careful what you use it on. The collander can also be used to
soak parts in a can of solvent.

For polish, why not use a fiber polishing wheel charged with some brass
polish. Comet copper and stainless cleaner from the kitchen also works on
some metals.

Bill Daniels


"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
> (Original question was about how to clean a thick layer of grease and dirt
> off
> some old turnbuckles with minimum manual effort.)
>
> Just as an update to folks...I ran one turnbuckle through the dishwasher.
> Did
> well at taking off the surface crud, but it didn't really shine up the
> metal.
>
> Going to try the rock-polisher next. My wife has a small one, with
> buckshot-sized media for cleaning metal for jewelry work. Think the media
> is
> too large, so I might try (unused) kitty litter.
>
> Ron Wanttaja

[Anthony W]

Ron Wanttaja wrote:

> Going to try the rock-polisher next. My wife has a small one, with
> buckshot-sized media for cleaning metal for jewelry work. Think the media is
> too large, so I might try (unused) kitty litter.
>
> Ron Wanttaja

Try ground corn cob from the pet store (sold as small animal bedding) in
the rock tumbler. Add 1 ounce of automatic transmission fluid and
tumble for a couple hours before adding the parts to get it mixed.

Tony