Reply To: Hamilton 926 Tear Down

[david pierce]

Jan,
I have not had any problems with it but that does not mean that nothing could go wrong. According to Dewey Clarke, L&R cleaner is Naptha that has been inhibited. I believe that is a fancy name for adding water and alcohol to the Naptha in order to raise the flash point. For those interested, finding the flash point (the point at which a chemical becomes volatile) is determined by putting the test chemical in a paint can with a spark plug screwed into the lid. The can is placed in a pan of water that is heated in incraments while the spark plug is continuously sparking. When the lid of the paint can blows off the temperature is recorded and that determines the flash point.
When I first tested the ultrasonic cleaner with Naptha, I went out to my driveway away from my house and ran the cleaner with an extension cord. I also had a fire extinguisher at hand just in case something happened; it worked fine. When I use it now I place the cleaner in a deep sink as a precaution but nothing has happened. A bathtub would also be fine to provide some peace of mind but the process has so far been event free. I also will not use a tourch or open flame around a work bench. I do that type of work on top of my kitchen stove and always have a fire extinguisher close at hand.
david