Using kerosene to clean ground surfaces

[JAParticipant @ja]

Just to comment on Dave's very good summary of Alkanes. Petrol and paraffin are not really pure Alkanes. Petrol now contains quite a bit of Alcohol. Paraffin and at one time petrol, contains Aromatics (ring shaped hydro-carbons such as benzene). Aromatics are very different to Alkanes, they have a lot more chemistry, burn with a smokey flame and are generally carcinogenic. I think domestic paraffin contains very little but ordinary jet fuel can be up to 25%. In fuel Aromatics have one useful property, they swell elastomers such as O rings so help sealing.

As Dave says, clean white spirit should not leave a residue. However I would suggest that manufactures and suppliers could not care less about very small amounts of heavier Alkanes since it will only be used for "cleaning paint brushes".

JA

Edited By JA on 24/03/2022 17:12:41

[choochoo_balooParticipant @choochoo_baloo]

Thanks all for the info – comprehensive as ever. Being a perfectionist, want to clarify the slightly differing opinions:

The tools permanent home is an insulated and heated workshop – fortunately rusting never seems to occur.I've already started my clean "kerosene + clean rag" method on some centres.

Is the consensus that I should now be re-lubing with say WD40. Or the fact that they're going to now be properly stored in said warm environment mean I can stop there? I suppose what I mean is, should mating surfaces be left preferably bone dry or with a protective film?

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

I like this Double TT spray, which leaves a bit of a residue, for things not in regular use. And GT85, as mentioned above is also good (smells nice too!) and seems to be identical to the much more costly Wurth spray, for things used daily, as it can be wiped off easily – if indeed you need to wipe it off at all, probably not necessary in most cases.

Rob

Links to https://www.tetrosyl.com/brands/double-tt/

 

Edit – in your nice warm environment, possibly just a coat of Renaissance wax would suffice,

Links to https://www.picreator.co.uk/?page_id=144

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 24/03/2022 19:33:14

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Rather than by WD40 in aerosol cans, you could buy "maintenance spray" from Morris Lubricants in 5L containers and decant it into a trigger spray bottle. The initial outlay is higher, but the price per cc or whatever is much lower.

No connection with the company apart from being a satisfied customer.

Chris Gunn

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

One safety point with paraffins generally, it is very dangerous to inhale them. Using a spray is not recommended. If you must, use a mask.
If you want a better controlled alkane for cleaning buy Stoddard Sovent . It (should) be to a controlled specification and is normally >90% nonane.

There is no restriction on buying acetone in the UK but responsible suppliers will report unusual purchases. It can be used for various nefarious purposes that are best not described in detail on public forums.

Robert G8RPI

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

My nefarious purpose is for cleaning off Dykem Blue; after some advice on this forum I purchased Acetone via ebay recently (almost certainly over the going rate). It works very well indeed.

Edited By Jon Lawes on 24/03/2022 20:31:47

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

We used paraffin at work to clean parts and to stop rust. First wash in paraffin then wash in clean water and after a quick blow off with a air gun finnished. The paraffin solvents are washed off by the water and leaves a coating of paraffin wax all over no rust but clean.

David

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 24/03/2022 16:36:21:

Knowing a bit of chemistry might clear some fog.

The Paraffins were a family of chemicals containing only Hydrogen and Carbon in single chain molecules. In modern Chemical parlance, they are called Alkanes.

The chains can be very long, and although the chemistry of all the members is similar, as the weight of the molecules increases, they go from gases to solids, via vapours, light liquids, heavy liquids, greases, sticky goo and waxes.

The first 4 are all fuel gases, delivered as compressed liquids in cylinders.

The heaviest alkane listed by Wikipedia is Tetrapentacontane (C₅₄H₁₁₀), a solid which boils at just under 600°C. Might find it in Bitumen.

Heavy Alkanes dissolve in lighter Alkanes, so the lighter liquid mixtures are often used as solvents.

Petrol, Naptha, White Spirit, Paraffin, Jet Fuel and Heating Oils are all mixtures of nearby Alkanes, where each group is heavier than the one below.

Petrol contains, amongst other things, mostly very light easily vaporised alkanes like Octane. An excellent solvent, but best avoided because the fumes are poisonous and a serious explosion risk, easily ignited by a static spark.

White Spirit is a mixture of Alkanes between Nonane (9 carbon atoms) and Dodecane (12 carbon atoms). The members are still light Alkanes, but much less easily vaporised than petrol. White Spirit is safer! The heaviest member (Dodecane) boils at -9.6C, so White Spirit shouldn't leave much residue behind.

According to Wikipedia, dodecane boils at 214C. -9.6C is pretty improbable, it would flash off at room temperature, and white spirit doesn't

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

After the cleaning part I recommend beeswax for things you are going to touch and clear waxoyle (thinned with white spirit) for everything else. I now use the latter even for things that will need oil later on the basis that it will dissolve in the oil that gets added when I actually start using the machine. (except ball bearings that need grease packing during assembly obviously).

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by duncan webster on 24/03/2022 21:06:00:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 24/03/2022 16:36:21:

Knowing a bit of chemistry might clear some fog.

…

According to Wikipedia, dodecane boils at 214C. -9.6C is pretty improbable, it would flash off at room temperature, and white spirit doesn't

Well spotted Duncan – I misread the table! -9.6C is the melting point.

Dave

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