Removing shipping grease

[Brian Runau]

Just got a Grizzly G0586 8" jointer. I am having trouble removing the packing grease used to protect the machined surfaces from rusting. The outfeed table had grease and plastic that looks like plastic was in contact with machined surface. I tried WD40 and I am letting another application soak into the grease to see if this will soften it.

Any other idea greatly welcome.

Thanks

Brian

[Ben West]

WD40 can work great on thin applications of cosmoline. But, Grizzly likes to slather it on thicker than most. In those cases, kerosene is what I use and it works very well...much better than anything else I've tried.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Try a little heat.

[Jim Watts]

I've had good luck beginning with Commercial 409 (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=52935-471-4460035300&lpage=none) from Lowes, along with a small mountain of paper towels. After getting the bulk of the cosmoline off, I follow up with WD40. And then the obligatory 2 - 3 coats of Johnson's Paste Wax. YMMV, but it works for me.

[mickey cassiba]

I've had my best results with naphtha based cleaning fluids, or lighter fluid...doesn't take much, and as it's pretty slow to evaporate, it'll hold the dissolved grease in suspension till you can wipe it off.
Mickey

[glenn bradley]

On my Griz jointer I used rubber gloves and paper towels to get the bulk of it off. I then used mineral spirits on the paper towels disposing of used towels frequently. the spiral head was the real challenge; I raised the tables, sprayed on some mineral spirits, covered the opening with a board (the head was way below the board) and fired it up. I used a nylon brush to get the leftovers. Once the goo was gone, I cleaned up with more MS and waxed it up good.

[Tony Shea]

Gun cleaning supplies are what I use to take any grease off my new toys, guns included. I buy Tipton gun degreaser by the gallon to use on all my bolt action precision rifles. Well, come to find out that this stuff is great for cutting through cosmoline packing grease that all my new toys seem to be caked with durring shipping.

[Paul Greathouse]

I used a plastic putty knife on my Grizzly Jointer followed by WD40 and a rag, it went rather quickly. That was last year though, they may be using a different cosmoline/grease now.

[Jason Hanko]

Plastic scraper and then kerosene. Worked like a charm.

[Sean Nagle]

+1 for the Kerosene.

[John Coloccia]

I start with wd40. I take the stubborn stuff off with gun scrubber.

[guy knight]

mineral spirits works great easy to find and you don't have to clean it up after you get the grease off

[Brian Runau]

Thanks guys.

it wasn't grease, plastic must have stuck to metal and moisture, via condensate, got in. Oh well.

Thanks

[Steven DeMars]

WD40, blue paper towels, #0000 steel wool cleans a 12" JET Planer/Jointer up in no time . . .

I thought it was going to take all evening . . . Had a little over a hour in the flat surfaces . . .

Steve

[Dave Lehnert]

Anyone ever try brake cleaner?

[Alex Leslie]

I use Kerosene and #0000 steel wool, followed by Mother's Mag Wheel Polish and a good paste wax.

[Jeff Willard]

Well, it's already been settled, but I'll put my 2 cents in ennyhoo.

Brake cleaner.

[John Coloccia]

Anyone ever try brake cleaner?

It's pretty similar to the Birchwood Casey gun scrubber I use. Gun scrubber's not quite as harsh. It doesn't attack many plastics, is gentler on paint, etc. I've used Gun Scrubber as brake cleaner/degreaser, but I wouldn't let brake cleaner touch my guns :)

[Howard Acheson]

Kerosene is the preferred and best solvent for cosmoline. It will quickly cut through it and leaves a slight oily residue that protects paint and cast iron.

[Tony Shea]

Well, it's already been settled, but I'll put my 2 cents in ennyhoo.

Brake cleaner.


That's another good one that I don't believe has been said. Cuts through anything and evaporates quickly.

[Kevin Groenke]

It seems crazy to use something more expensive than necessary. Sounds like most any oil-based solvent works about the same. Which of mineral spirits, naptha, kerosene, etc.. which is the cheapest?

Use whatever solvent is on hand or the least expensive.

UNLESS...

If you want to use $10+ per gallon WD40, brake cleaner or gun cleaner.

How about trying my new, specially formulated, DeCosmoLizeIt!!!
Only $25/gallon.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AY5PUKtFTr2aZDliNWdydF8zZHR3N2Q1dHM&hl=enhttp://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AY5PUKtFTr2aZDliNWdydF8zZHR3N2Q1dHM&hl=en
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AY5PUKtFTr2aZDliNWdydF8zZHR3N2Q1dHM&hl=en

[Jeff Willard]

That's another good one that I don't believe has been said. Cuts through anything and evaporates quickly.

'Zackly-and it can be sprayed into tight places.

[Jim Riseborough]

mineral spirits is what I used on mine, just let it set a few seconds, and the stuff wiped right off. Simple.