Mineral Spirits for changer cleaning?

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

So I am on a mission to clean my changer. Off to the hardware store to get naphtha as recommended here in my search. Low and behold they don't have naphtha in a pint, only a gallon! Being a bit Scottish I couldn't force myself to buy a gallon! They did have lacquer thinner in pints, (and every other solvent on the planet), which is another solvent suggested on the forum. On reading the info on the cans Mineral spirits are for oil based things, and lacquer is for epoxy based things. I grabbed the mineral spirits as it is mostly oil/dirt residue and grime in the changer. Does anyone have a reason why, or why not, to use mineral spirits to clean my changer?

Wayne Quinn · From: Cape Breton.NovaScotia

Brian . my preference is varasol . its a gunk and oil degreaser. and it has and oil base. it really works well on grease and grit ect. and you can by it in quarts. Smile

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D10 Carter, SD10 Mullen .Nashville 400,. peavey 112 Boss DD3., RV5,

Doug Earnest · From: Branson, MO USA

Mineral spirits will work fine. If you can't disassemble the changer just saturate it at any joints, allow to soak a bit, blow it out with compressed air and repeat a couple of times. Re-lube with light oil and tune it up.

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

Thanks Doug. I do intend to remove the changer from the guitar. Not sure how far I will dismantle it.......Whatever it takes to get it clean as a whistle. I thought mineral spirits would be fine, but it is always good to get an opinion from the experienced. I use Remoil for lube. Sparingly. Still pondering the Encore by the way. If I could actually play PSG, it wouldn't be an issue. I would order one in a heartbeat.

Wayne I am not familiar with Varasol, the product you suggest. I am guessing it is available at auto parts stores?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

When I was doing my first overhaul of an MSA, Michael Yahl suggested cleaner wax (I think it was Meguiar's) and a cloth. And elbow grease. More work, less fumes.
Obviously that's for an out-of-guitar job.
You not only get a more thorough clean, you get a chance to re-peen the rivets if they've gone sloppy.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

You could have gotten some cigarette lighter fluid. It's mostly or all naphtha.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Bingo. I forgot about that. Zippo fluid (I knew it was ringing a bell).
Although naphtha is a class of chemicals, so other naphthas might not be the same.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

They didn't have lighter fluid either! I checked.....with a clerk......all out. Only butane. WTF? Anyway I am good to go with the mineral spirits. Thanks Guys. I will get back to you when I have a changer in pieces and am dire straights over putting it back in my guitar. LOL.... peening rivets..lets hope not. That is definitely beyond my skills at this point. Whoa!

Jim Bob Sedgwick · From: Clinton, Missouri USA

If you are going to dismantle the changer why not go all the way. Automotive parts dip will clean it like brand new. ( I have done this with great results) If you opt do do this, make sure and wear rubber gloves. It'll take off your skin. Shocked

Patrick Ickes · From: Upper Lake, CA USA

Mineral spirits leave an oily residue, to protect the China Bristle brush hairs, and a smell that will linger for a long, long time.
Go to KMART, CVS, ReXall, etc and get a yellow squeeze bottle of Ronsonal lighter fluid. It's Naptha. Leaves no residue, only a faint smell that goes away quickly, safe on most surfaces, clear so you can tell when your running clean, and evaporates quickly.
Patrick

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

HMMMM. Damn. Guess I will hold out for the Naphtha. Oh Well

Walter Bowden · From: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Hey Brian.
Up late and wanted to put in my 2 cents worth. I can attest that naphtha is a really good solvent that can flush out all kinds of gunk and leave a clean surface and it doesn't seem to harm surrounding surfaces if you wipe small spills. It evaporates quickly and minimal smell.

It is a petrochemical so Remoil and other follow up petrol based lubes are compatible.

As you experienced, I had to buy a half gallon of the stuff but it's cheaper than buying multiple Zippo lighter fluid cans and you can clean all sorts of stuff with it.

I have found another use for the excess.
I see you live in Vermont. Naphtha is a great substitute for Coleman fuel in Coleman lanterns or camp stoves. Best wishes, Walter
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Emmons S10, p/p, Nashville 112, Zion 50 tele style guitar, Gibson LP Classic w/Vox AC30, Fender Deluxe De Ville and a Rawdon-Hall classical

Tom Campbell · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Lighter fluid (naphtha) is also good for cleaning the guitar body...lacquer bodies included. Standard guitar repair manuals and guitar techs. use it all the time for that purpose. It evaporates very rapidly.

Wayne Quinn · From: Cape Breton.NovaScotia

Don't know if I would use naphtha or lighter fluid. there highly explosive are they not, could be a safety hazard. Whoa!

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D10 Carter, SD10 Mullen .Nashville 400,. peavey 112 Boss DD3., RV5,

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

So clearly Patrick has some knowledge about Mineral Spirits as a painter, chemist, or some kind of research/experience but:

Just for shits and grins I put some Mineral Spirits on a metal rod and a screwdriver to see if i could detect any residue this morning. Clearly, this is not scientific. I could not detect by smell, sight, or feel any residue. I wiped them good with a clean white paper towel and still nothing. The can says it is low odor and dries with no residue? So I am betting it is fine.............that being said, I am still going to use naphtha! Going through the trouble of pulling and tearing down the changer, (my first), I want to be sure I am cleaning it as bare as possible and NOT leaving a residue other than a few micro drops of oil at the pivot points when I am done

Jim Bob, I did think about a parts tub. Which I don't have, or have access to. And using that stuff in a small container with brushes etc. to clean the changer sounded nasty and just asking for trouble. As you said that stuff is pretty volatile! I have no garage to work in, this is a kitchen project. I am pretty sure you need to clean the parts after they come out of the bath to neutralize whatever that stuff is they where in? Anyway. it was more than I wanted to deal with when you can use a cleaner like naphtha or mineral spirits with less worry about spills and splatter.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

" a parts tub."
Well, if you want to do it that way,,, any good automotive store is going to have that stuff in a one gallon paint can that has a rack that pulls out. Definitely an outside job though!
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps

Tom Campbell · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Ronson liter fluid (naphtha) comes in a 8 oz. plastic bottle with a pour spout. You can buy it at Walmart, Target or most stores that sell cigarettes.
Forget buying it in gallon containers...you don't have to!!!

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

meh.. If the changer is coming out of the guitar, just get $1 of gasoline and a parts brush.. Done in 20 minutes.. Do it outside is all, away from any chance of ignition.....bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

So the changer is out, dissembled, and wiped down with Naphtha. Now the parts are soaking in Naphtha. Sadly it looks like a partial rebuild. The changer axle is worn and grooved. Off to the machine shop to have one made tomorrow. Also there is lots of slop in most of the changer fingers. I guess there is peening in my future after all Lane. And It is grooved/worn where the changer lever finger hits the whatchamacallet for raises and lowers. (the main part that pivots on the shaft and holds the string) I guess that would be the bridge?(duh!) Can I gently buff those grooves out without damaging the mechanics of the the device? Between every changer finger and string bridge there was a spacer washer that seems to be nylon? They were also stacked at the ends to take up slack on the axle. It seems contrary to oil nylon? I think I would like to replace them with brass or copper? Some were a bit damaged. And no they are not soaking in the naphtha. Maybe it is some other material not affected by oil. Does anyone know where I can get replacements for them?AND MAN WAS THIS THING NASTY!!!!. Grime and grit holy shit! My fingers will be stained for days. It was rebuilt in 2000. I am betting that is the last time it was taken out and cleaned up.
If ya'll are tired of this, cause ya heard it all before, I can cease and desist. Not a problem. I could use a bit o mentoring if anyone is interested you can PM me.
Thanks, Brian

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Personally I use:

NAPHTHA: I use it only when I want to clean parts w/o guitar disassembly. I think it is only a middle-of the-road solvent.

CARBUERATOR CLEANER: If I've gone to the effort of dissassembling the guitar, I want to make sure it is as clean as possible. I buy a gallon of carb cleaner which comes with it's own "dunking" basket. I'll pop the pieces in the basket, submerge them for 30 min and then pull the basket out. Next, I'll rinse each part w/ water and thouroughally dry it with a rag (or compressed air) afterwards. This is something that needs to be done outside or in a some other well ventilated area. I would not include the nylon parts.

POLISHING: If you decide to polish the changer heads. Remove the spacers and put the changer fingers back on the axle. C-Clamp the sides of the 1st and 10th finger and place this assembly in a soft-jawed vice. Take a strip of crocus cloth and use it like a shoeshine cloth, back and forth, over all the heads. Move frequently, do not dwell on any one head. Then buff lightly on a wheel in a similar fashion. If you have no buffing wheel you can use a buffing cloth w/ compound....again with a shoe-shine motion. The main idea is that since you are working all the heads together, when you're finished, they are all level w/ one-another. If you buff, you'll need to clean the changer parts once again as above

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Tony's advice is darn good! You can get all sorts of shim washers from McMasterCarr.
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps

Brian Brgant · From: Vermont, USA

Thanks Tony...I like it. And John, McMasterCar has a web site?? yep they do, got it thanks. Wow it is like a tinker mans paradise!

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

http://www.mcmaster.com
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps

Hamilton Barnard · From: Oro Valley, Arizona (deceased)

Mineral spirits is just paint thinner but more finely filtered. For cleaning not worth the extra money.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

"Wow it is like a tinker mans paradise!"

Yup! And there's a huge warehouse nearby. When I worked at Performance Steel Guitars, I could just drive over. There are some other places like that too. Small Parts, or something like that?
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps

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