[HAM] gasoline

[Dave Bishop]

Gasoline has a number of cool properties that, to my way of thinking, make 
it an awkward risk/reward choice for parts cleaning.  Its got an extremely 
low flashpoint of about -40 degrees F, which means that at typical outdoor 
temperatures it sheds vapor too rapidly.  Second, it is overly dense as a 
vapor, meaning it will float on the ground (so you can't run away from it) 
and is ignitable at 15 or more feet away from a spilled pool of liquid. 
That vapor density also packs extreme explosive energy.  A gallon of gas is 
equivilant to 15 sticks of dynamite and can reach 15,000 degrees F.  Third, 
as a result of the first two points, gas mixes with atmospheric oxygen to 
foster ignition from a very weak initiator, such as static electricity, 
thats hard to eliminate from a work area.  Fourth, since it isn't sold as an 
aerosol, parts (and the hands holding them) often get dunked, meaning the 
injuries from a gas explosion are almost always crippling, even if they 
happen infrequently.

Obviously, gasoline can be handled safely.  Most of the comments on this 
thread involve one technique or another to keep the vapor concentration too 
low for ignition.  On a list like this with an archive available to anyone, 
I get nervous about proposals to clean with gasoline, though Steve's methods 
obviously work when he does it.  Kerosene has identical cleaning properties, 
but its much less flamable, as are some other solvents.  So to my mind, even 
though its possible to clean a TWG with gasoline without maiming oneself, 
its a sucker bet for most of us when there are other, safer alternatives.

Thats not to suggest that I haven't used gas to clean parts (I'm an 
aknowledged hypocrite), but in the back of my mind I've thought that if I or 
somebody else ever got hurt, I'd never be able to live with it.

This is an incendiary topic, so please don't flame me about it :>)

Regards,

Dave Bishop