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Posted: 10/12/2008 1:22:58 PM EDT
is it good to use lacquer thinner to clean my bolt carrier group?????
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nope won't hurt it, just gotta make sure you wipe it all off after, i used it after shooting some wolf, as the AR-15 armorer sugested i do cause of the varnish on the wolf...... but yeah safe to use on your gun edit: i wouldn't soak the bolt though, but the carrier, chamber, and BBL can be cleaned with it |
Why? It's one of the most informative on the whole site. |
| Lacquer thinner is a hot solvent, it will degrade most plastics given a long enough exposure. I have to use it to clean my airless sprayer after I paint my horse fence, it's hard on the plastic of the spray nozzles if left too long to soak in it. I'd pull out the extractor spring insert before soaking a bolt group in it. Mineral spirits are cheaper, and probably as effective at removing carbon with a good soak, without the downside for plastics. |
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I mixed a gallon of Mineral Spirits with a quart of Mobile Synthetic and it works pretty well. I just soak the parts and occasionally brush the parts to provide some mechanical action. When the parts, dry the mineral spirits evaporate and a thin film of oil remains. I also clean and lube with Break Free CLP. I ensure everything is properly lubed before I shoot and then spray everything down when I am done. Maybe a little over kill, but it works for me.... |
I reposted it: www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=7&t=399367 |
Thanks..I will take a peak at it tomorrow |
I got tired of messing with all of those stinky solvents and toothbrushes, and having little speckles of shit flying everywhere, so I bought a Ultrasonic Cleaner from Harbor Freight. It only cost $72.00 and the thing works great! It even has heat. I usually heat up some water on the stove until I can barely put my fingers in it, then pour it into the Ultrasonic and turn it on for a 8 minute, (480 second cycle). The unit will then keep the water hot. The bolt carrier group comes out spotless! If it's really crusty, I'll coat it with Slip 2000 Carbon Killer first, then let it sit for about a half hour, then give it the Ultrasonic treatment. There is nothing that won't come clean after that. I use the Ultrasonic for cleaning a lot of other gun parts as well, like slides from auto pistols, cylinders from single action revolvers, bolts from bolt action rifles, etc. You can't beat it! The best part is it cleans without having to take everything apart. The only thing is don't clean Aluminum parts in it because it can effect the finish due to the fact Aluminum isn't very dense, and the cavitation from the ultrasonic transducer can cause speckling of the surface finish. Bill T. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95563 http://www.slip2000.com/carbonkiller.html |
Bill, what kind of liquid do you put in this thing.....surely not water only??!!  If that's the case, I'm buying one tomorrow....hehh. |
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I use a gallon of mineral spirits mixed with a pint of automatic transmission fluid. ATF is full of detergents and like clp leaves a thin layer of oil when dry. I use this: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=96952 along with 2 to 3 gallons of the mix. Results are as good as the pics in Quibs post. |
There are far better solvents for carbon. Mineral spirits are paraffinic alkanes with low to no polarity. They will wash off oils and loose carbon but will not touch polymerized carbon, gums (lignins from nitrocellulose base) and varnish. Even mosre aggressive solvents like laquer thinner (ketone blends) will have greater polarity and will dissolve oils and possibly some varnishes but it cannot break down polymerized carbon. Using "parts washing solvents" are helpful in that it will remove oils which prevent rapid attack with proper solvents. Ultrasonic cleaning is more of a scrubbing than a chemical colvent and is a great way to clean carriers, bolts and other small parts. Unfortunately, it doesn't work to remove lead deposits from pistol barrels. |
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