cleaning bucket of bolts ...

[alana]

... how should i do that? ☺

i've got kerosene,
degreaser,
silicone oil,
petrol
detergent ...
i wasn't sure what / order to use,
but i know some of the handy practical manual types on the knot board will know!

the bucket or buckets of metal parts (steel, galv) are moslty loose nuts, bolts, drill bits -
dusty and a bit greasy -
rinse in water won't quite do -
and i want to clean them 'quickly'
then sort them ...
need sorter boxes ...
this could take years

but i need to get them clean first !

... thanks ! 

[alana]

maybe a milk crate total of bits and pieces,
in various containers,
but i found a bucketful to start on,

i hope it's just drench in kerosene,
strain them out
and let dry.

maybe grease the quality items
?

[PatDucey]

I have an old bench grinder that I have converted to a dual wire wheel tool.  I use a pair of vice grips to hold small parts, and I always wear gloves and eye protection while using this tool. I wouldn't use a wire wheel to clean drill bits, maybe a commercial degreaser.

[alana]

I have an old bench grinder that I have converted to a dual wire wheel tool.  I use a pair of vice grips to hold small parts, and I always wear gloves and eye protection while using this tool. I wouldn't use a wire wheel to clean drill bits, maybe a commercial degreaser.

you were so right !,
it is wire-wheel-level gunk !
i don't know that build up would form like limpets
but decades of sitting by themselves
they have formed such 3d patches

so upon your suggestion i sat them (some) in degreaser
and will have a look tomorrow !

also i will set the air duster on them in future,
before getting any liquids on them ! ☺

[ryreidl]

Sorry for the late reply, but I decided to share my two cents. For cleaning metal parts like nuts, bolts, and drill bits, I'd suggest starting with a degreaser to cut through the grease and grime. After that, you can use kerosene to get rid of any stubborn residues. Rinse them with water to finish off, and then let them dry. Sorting them into boxes is a good idea, too! And I also wanted to mention that I recently purchased a completely new and reliable set of bolts, fasteners, screws, and other hardware for my projects at https://www.scrooz.com.au/, and I'm very pleased with the quality. My old ones just weren't cutting it anymore, which is why I decided to share this with you all. You'll probably find it useful too!

[alana]

Sorry for the late reply, but I decided to share my two cents. For cleaning metal parts like nuts, bolts, and drill bits, I'd suggest starting with a degreaser to cut through the grease and grime. After that, you can use kerosene to get rid of any stubborn residues. Rinse them with water to finish off, and then let them dry. Sorting them into boxes is a good idea, too! And I also wanted to mention that I recently purchased a completely new and reliable set of bolts, fasteners, screws, and other hardware for my projects at https://www.scrooz.com.au/, and I'm very pleased with the quality. My old ones just weren't cutting it anymore, which is why I decided to share this with you all. You'll probably find it useful too!

how'd i miss your reply..
anyway, 2c is always welcome,
yes.. sorter boxes, a whole other topic but ... thanks !