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Parts washer- new to me

DPittman said:
Yes I was thinking a 1/4" valve...would that be too small?
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I think it depends on the valve, but probably.

I’m having issues with a 1/4” NPT valve/drain on my air compressor that likes to plug up very easily. Knowing there’s going to be sediment draining from the wash tank I’d be thinking bigger is better.
 
I've got a 1/8 on mine and it does plug but I'd have thought 1/4 would be big enough. It's empty now, bore a hole and weld in a 3/8npt bung or half coupler. That's what I intend to do.
 
Chicken lights said:
I think it depends on the valve, but probably.

I’m having issues with a 1/4” NPT valve/drain on my air compressor that likes to plug up very easily. Knowing there’s going to be sediment draining from the wash tank I’d be thinking bigger is better.
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Possibly, but I know when I let my parts washer sit undisturbed, the fluid I drain is always clear and free of sediment (but off color) the sediment settles to the bottom and I swish that out, but if you want to drain all that sediment out of a valve then definitely bigger the better.
 
Hmmm.

Maybe I’ll grab a small piece of flat steel, a 3/8” npt fitting, weld them together and bolt that to the bottom of the tank. In place of the metric fitting.

The drain on my air compressor is a ball valve that likes to plug. Perhaps a petcock that threads in to a bung has better flow
 
5FAF7B41-82CF-4FCD-AC1B-0D95EE3B4EC1.jpeg

Friend of mine offered me some casters for my wash tank. And he bent up some aluminum to mount them to the legs
 
Ok so I talked to a couple friends. Their suggestion was to drill out the existing bung, and retap it to NPT.

Looking at drill and tap charts online it looks like 14 mm thread is right around 0.5-0.55”.

A 3/8” NPT tap uses a 9/16” drill. Which if I remember right makes a 0.562” hole.

Talked to my machinist buddy and he said yep, drill and tap it exactly how you’re planning to do it.

So that’s the plan....
 
WRT valve....Another option: years ago I had a hydroponic operation in my basement. (Hot peppers...not the other stuff.) Go to a hydroponic store like Quick Grow on Edmonton Trail. They have tons of cheap waterproof drain valves used in grow systems complete with seals and values. It's what they do....
 
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I probably broke all sorts of rules but I don’t have a tap handle big enough for that size tap.

I went about one turn, backed it off, added cutting fluid, one more turn, backed it off, added fluid lather rinse repeat until it wouldn’t turn any farther.

Lots of pipe dope and screwed in the drain cock. The threads felt ok, it tightened up nicely

Now back to mounting the casters...
 
Chicken lights said:
I probably broke all sorts of rules but I don’t have a tap handle big enough for that size tap.

I went about one turn, backed it off, added cutting fluid, one more turn, backed it off, added fluid lather rinse repeat until it wouldn’t turn any farther.
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You were probably 3x more careful than I would have been. But better safe than sorry.
 
spray nine "power kleen" works really well in a parts washer, doesnt have that horrible odor, seems to be nicer on your hands, and i cant say for 100% certainty but i believe its non flammable

i ditched the solvent in my parts washer a while ago for spray nine, i honestly think it even works better than solvent, or better than the stuff i had anyways
 
The pumps used for water base and flammable solvents are different in terms for several reasons. Most of the important reasons are sources of ignition based.

Please keep that in mind when using flammable solvents, hate to hear of a member going up in smoke...
 
I'm just about to change my solvent in my parts tank, and the spray nine looks promising. I don't like varsol odors, even with the low volatility stuff. But I've used varsol for 40+ years, but never too old to change.....
 
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