Anybody here build a hot tank?

[71butterbee]

Im thinking about building my own hot tank so im looking for ideas on the best and most cost effective way.
Thanks

[Challenger340]

Yes, i've built my own many years ago. It got pretty involved though with built in agitator etc.

More simply, I've seen lots of guys just cut a metal barrell in half lengthwise, lay it down on a crude stand, fill with caustic, add an airline tube on very slow bubble, and an engine block heater submerged at the end of a threaded tube for heat. (110 volt)
Works just fine, and you did say "cost effective".

[Ghoste]

That's exactly what I did.  The barrel sprung a leak last fall so I'll need to rebuild it when I need it again but it served us well in our little shop for a long time.

[K9COP]

Cue the newbie.. what's a hot tank? Don't ask = don't know..

[Ghoste]

In a real shop, it's a large tank filled with a caustic soda solution.  It's heated and has air running into to it to keep everything agitated.  You dunk you greasy old cruddy junk yard parts in in, come back later to take them out, and voila!  Clean as a whistle (usually).

[jackel440]

i built on over size parts washer from 2 washing machine housings,all welded together.works good but I like the thought of having a hot tank, better.
Where do you purchase the caustic soda solution to put into it?Is it a concentrate or premixed?
I could convert my washer over to this pretty easy.especially if it worked better than what i have now.

[Ghoste]

I bought mine from a local machine shop and it wasn't pre-mixed.