Cleaning kit parts before priming
 

Now that Naphtha is extremely difficult to find in California, what's everybody using to wipe down kit parts before applying self-etching primer? Isopropyl alcohol? Lacquer thinner? Dawn dishwashing soap and water?

Thanks,

Denatured alcohol
 

I use denatured alcohol or mineral spirits. Whichever happens to be within reach at the time.

I've seen mineral spirits recommended, and I use that to remove sticker residue and other gunk. My final wipedown is usually with some OMNI reducer, left over from an automotive paint job several years ago. It's thinner (reducer) for acrylic enamel. But like Xavier -- whatever's handy.

Cleaning parts
 

Lacquer thinner is my standard cor rattle can prep for tiny parts.
Before spraying the main primer, AeroGreen 4110.

Acetone. It's already handy for removing the lettering on the aluminum.

I haven't gone the rattle can route (tho it would be way easier!). Acetone, Alumni-prep, and then StewartSystems EkoPrime works really well for me (and then in some cases, JetFlex WR as a top coat)

Acetone is my preference as well. Readily available at the Big Box hardware stores.

Dupli-color acetone from O'reilly auto parts has been my choice after S.E.M. was no longer available due to the newer VOC laws in AZ.

I'm still playing around with methods of prepping before I use SEM self etching primer.

So far, what has worked the best for me is a very long process of scuffing, acetone, then dawn soap/water, rinse with tap water, then rinse with distilled water.

That process was taking forever and so the last batch I sprayed, I skipped the acetone step but kept everything else the same. The batch didn't come out too well. I had several areas of primer "lifting". I'm not sure if the prep method was bad, or if it was due to that I also had switched from using rattle cans to spraying it with a HVLP gun. It took a little getting used to.

My next method that I am going to try, is using SEM's no voc cleaner. I'll experiment with this on some scrap parts first this time.

All this brings me to a question that's been lingering in my mind, but I'll ask on a new thread in the primer section so I don't hijack this topic.

After cleaning with mineral spirits or acetone to remove adhesive residue and oil I scuff with a maroon Scotchbrite pad, wipe down with thinner (or acetone if it's handier), shoot SEM primer (or Stewart Systems Eko-Prime if it's a large batch of parts). Zero problems. A solvent wipe will leave zero residue or deposits... soap & water, maybe or maybe not.

I figure that once the metal is cleaned of adhesive and gunk, the scuffing will provide some mechanical adhesion and the solvent wipe ensures there are no oils left. I wear nitrile gloves while doing the wipedown and painting, to protect my skin from the solvents and the parts from my skin. If I'm shooting SEM primer I also use a 3M respirator half-mask with the pink P100 filters good for particulates and "nuisance level" organic vapors. I don't even smell the solvent until I take the mask off.