Cleaning West System Pumps (reprised)

[Sticks In The MudWoodshop]

Cleaning west systems epoxy pumps. Does that require ethanol, or, will isopropyl alcohol do? Thanks!

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Sticks, welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos, and to start threads, in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, please add your location to the Account Details page in your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar, as this is a geographic sport. Many of the site's technical features are explained in Features: Help and How-To Running Thread. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

I assume you call this thread a reprise because Mike McCrea in the following thread did not identify what kind of alchohol he used to clean the pumps:

How to clean West System Pumps

The pumps (yellow nozzle pumps) on my cans of West System resin and hardeners are old, some older than others. I’ve never cleaned them and I don’t completely trust the accuracy of the hardener ones in particular. I called West System technical services to ask about their pump maintenance and...

www.canoetripping.net

I don't know the answer, but perhaps other folks here do, if the type of alcohol matters at all. You can also just experiment and let us know your results. I never cleaned an epoxy pump, but I have successfully cleaned G/flex out of syringes with both white vinegar and acetone. As I recall, I think the acetone was a bit more effective.

 

[Sticks In The MudWoodshop]

Sticks, welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos, and to start threads, in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, please add your location to the Account Details page in your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar, as this is a geographic sport. Many of the site's technical features are explained in Features: Help and How-To Running Thread. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

I assume you call this thread a reprise because Mike McCrea in the following thread did not identify what kind of alchohol he used to clean the pumps:

How to clean West System Pumps

The pumps (yellow nozzle pumps) on my cans of West System resin and hardeners are old, some older than others. I’ve never cleaned them and I don’t completely trust the accuracy of the hardener ones in particular. I called West System technical services to ask about their pump maintenance and...

www.canoetripping.net

I don't know the answer, but perhaps other folks here do, if the type of alcohol matters at all. You can also just experiment and let us know your results. I never cleaned an epoxy pump, but I have successfully cleaned G/flex out of syringes with both white vinegar and acetone. As I recall, I think the acetone was a bit more effective.

I used that name b/c it was the name of the original thread. Yes, I didn't see anywhere which alcohol was used. I was AMAZED at how much resin came out in the hot water. I can see no reason to buy new pumps; the resin pump, at least, was EASY to clean!