Conference vmszoo::rc

    Chris,
    
    "A couple gallons," free?  Sheeesh! Send me some! (Hah!)  Seriously,
    I'm not real sure what mixture the guys around here are using but
    I expect the diluting of the stuff is more to conserve it than anything
    else.  It seems only interested in going after oils so I highly
    doubt even 100% strength concentrate would cause any undesired
    side-affects on a model's finish.  I'd just keep cutting it `til
    it's effectiveness seemed diminished to determine how to mix it.
    
    I've never seen the stuff in its concentrated form...is it pretty thick
    or what??  If so, mixing may be the simple process of thinning it
    `til it'll spray from yer' trusty "409" or "Fantastic" bottle.
    
    Adios,	Al

    I have used the stuff full strength for tough cleaning jobs, but
    I would think that you could dilute it quite a bit for cleaning
    up fuel residue.  The stuff has a fairly powerful smell.  It is
    not thick in its concentrated form, but it creates suds at full
    strength.  For washing fiberglass boat decks, I use a capful to
    a gallon or two.
    
    Charlie
    

    Thanks, 
    
    I was going to dilute it down until it seemed to be too weak and
    then bring it back past the point of just enough.  It ought to last
    a long time that way.
    
    I hope this stuff is as good as it's supposed to be.  WINDEX has
    never quite cut it.  PUN intended. :-)
    
    L8R,
    Chris

    One note somewhere in here was look'n for the manufacture of Simple
    Green.  I took a look at mine this morning and it is made by Sunshine
    Mfg. in Calf.  I get mine at a local/regional discount house called
    SAM's.  It cost about $3.00 for a 32oz. spray bottle or you can
    by it by the gallon I don't remember the cost of a gallon.  If any
    of you want some but just cant find it anywhere drop me a line at
    MMO01::loyd and I'll be glad to get ya some and ship it to ya..
    

I found it - I found it - I found it.
Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - 
Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - Simple Green - 
Of all places - Aubuchon Hardware has it.  I bought a gallon for 9.99.
Not a bargain but...

Now there was previous talk about diluting it but no body actually gave
the figures based on empirical evidence.  

Time has passed - what is the conclusion - 1 part Simple Green to 3 water?

              _!_      
Bye        ----O----   
Kay R. Fisher / \     

================================================================================

>I found it - I found it - I found it.
...
Well I found it again - now it's in the flyers for True Value Hardware stores.
...
>Time has passed - what is the conclusion - 1 part Simple Green to 3 water?
...
I tried 3-1 and had reasonable results so far.

              _!_      
Bye        ----O----   
Kay R. Fisher / \     

================================================================================

    I was able to acquire some in a gallon jug from a friend who got
    from his employer.  They get it in 55 gal. drums and use it straight,
    but this is for a machine shop.  Try about 10 to 1 with water. 
    I have not tryed it yet for cleaning planes (other than it does'nt
    remove oil from balsa) so 10-1 is what my buddy said to try.  He
    brought me a chart (which my wife threw away) and the general use
    ratio was 16 to 1 if I remember correctly.
    
    Hey Al, what are you using?
    
    Chris

        Re:< Note 343.7 by MDVAX1::SPOHR >

                I bought  some  in  a  spray bottle at Auchobon hardware.
        It's the only stuff that will remove the gunk from the Malloney.
        
        Anker

    I started with about 5:1 but a buddy even suggested as much as 3:1.
    So far, I have no complaints with the 5:1 mix and am experimenting
    with less concentrated mixtures.
    
    Adios,	AL

    The topic of post-flight cleaning of a plane had been discussed over a
    year ago in RAMBLING in the vicinity of 239.244 to 239.264 and in this
    topic dedicated to "Simple Green".  It may also appear elsewhere, but I
    didn't find any other references. 
    
    When I started flying last fall, as a cub I dutifully went out and
    bought this wondrous "Simple Green" stuff.  Perhaps because it was
    very, very cold that day, "Simple Green" didn't work nearly as well as
    something I have been using in my workshop for decades, plain denatured
    alcohol --- sold in paint stores by the gallon as a general purpose
    solvent including as a shellac solvent.  I keep some in a small squirt
    bottle all the time anyway, and I've been using it on the plane ever
    since that first day.  I reasoned that since fuel was mostly the same
    thing it probably wouldn't do any damage to use it plain.  After flying
    maybe a dozen weekends, I still can see no damage from this alcohol,
    put on with a paper towel dripping wet and then wiped off with another
    towel. 
    
    Am I doing something insidious and dumb?

        Re:< Note 343.10 by GUSHER::RYDER >

                I had  exactly  the  same  experience  with simple green.
        When the temperature  is  under  40 degrees the soap congeals and
        creates a mess on  the  plane.    I  have  gone  back  to windows
        cleaner, which works in all  temperatures.    Where  simple green
        works better than window cleaner is  when you have two stroke oil
        from a gas engine on the plane.
        
                Just stick with the window cleaner.
        
                      _ 
                     / |
        |  _====____/==|
        |-/____________|
        |    |        o \
             O           \ 
                          O
         Hang in there! o_|_
                          |
             Anker      \_|_/

    Why stick with window cleaner??  Unless there is some inherent problem
    that we have not seen, alcohol (don't worry Al, not "Kool-Aid"!)
    does a dandy job on a greasy plane.
    
    Al (and I) are just wondering if there was something that we have
    overlooked...
    
    cheers,
    jeff
    

Yeah, I tried the Simple Green too, and went back to window
cleaner, actually a 50% water/409 mixture.  I found the Green to
be an effective cleaner, but requiring more than a little extra
effort to remove IT from the surface.  Also, my wife buys the 409
in a big bottle, so it comes from the household budget instead of
from my pocket.  Lots of cheapskate appeal.

On the alcohol, the only thing that occurs to me is that I'd
discourage excessive skin contact with the stuff -- dousing a rag
with a little of it and wiping the plane is more contact than I'd
want.  Especially when something as available as a water-based
cleaner does the trick.  Might not be as much of a problem at
sea-level, but up here your skin is dry enough as is, without any
more added help.

Geez, I used to work 8 hours a day with my hands in MEK and other
nasty stuff and never thought twice of it. 

re  Note 343.11   Stick with the window cleaner 
>>  ... which works in all temperatures

    My wife's window cleaner, Glass Plus (?), shows ice crystals at 
    about 30F, and less than 20% of my flying experience has been 
    when the temperature has been that high. 
    

    Many of the window cleaners contain alcolol anyway.  Anything that
    cuts grease somewhat should work.  THe simple green does seem to
    be hard to use at low temps but I used it all last year with good
    results.

I looked in the keywords and didn't find an entry for our
favorite plane cleanup formula (for those of us who have
glo-glop). So, here's the one I've been using lately:

50% Amonia
20% Fantastik (a great rug cleaner -- takes the place of soap)
10% Alcohol
20% Water

This works really well.  I mix it by eye so the portions vary a
little between batches.  The amonia is not nearly as
objectionable as you might suppose.

The thing I don't like about most cleaner formulas with soap is
that its frequently as much work getting the soap off as it is
getting the glop off.  This formula has very little suds and gets
the glop off even with a rich engine during run-in.

What's yours?

    
    Kind of late but at least you'll know where to get it.
    You can find "Simple Green" at any of the "Pep Boys" stores
    across the East coast.  
    
    I live in Atlanta and we very seldom go below 30 degrees for an
    extended period of time, so "Green" works well.
    
    I'm not sure if "Pep Boys" is across the nation but I do know it
    exists in New England.