Magnets in parts washer?

Do you put magnets in your parts washer?

Have you ever heard any reason not to do this?

 

No heat will kill a magnet, my crank trigger wheel died after my builder put it in boiling water to heat it prior to installing on crank.

 

what type of heat for god sakes? magnets in a motor to keep things from the bearings there is a lot of heat there and also like in a induced fan relay motor in a heater, yes a torch with a rose bud would be a killer on a magnet.

 

as in magnets in parts washer to grab metal shavings?....

This I have in my parts washer.

 

The size of the magnet also plays a role as does magnet strength.

 

When I made my parts washer 100 years ago when safety clean in my opinon wasnt an option, I made it large enough to sit a block in and wash it.
Magnets would be ok but I would hate to dig the metal fines off the magnet.
But i do have a the saftey clean basket, strainer, pump , hose, brush, light with switch.
I knew the safety clean guy real well back then.
I plumbed in behind the lid a cheap and dirty, can buy anywhere, Ford oil filter after the pump to the hose and brush, if you have a lathe and mill very easy to make, or use a remote filter mount i guess.
Now I change the fluid about once a year or when it becomes to oily to clean!
Still have to wash out the bottom of the barrel when you clean it but i at least know that crap isn't in the parts i washed.

 

John is rite a filter works great..dave

 

I got to thinking about this after my son was cleaning the parts washer out and grabbed a funnel with a metal screen down in the bottom of it. He was trying to dump the old solvent, but the screen kept plugging. The stuff on the screen was slimy, not grity and certainly did not appear to be metalic, until I checked it with a magnet.
Just this year I threw some magnets in the bottom of the cleaner.

You know how after a crank gets magnafluxed they demagnetize it. Well my fear is that I was magnetizing the microscopic filings and if/when they are in the engine they would plug holes like in lifters, rocker arms, etc...

 

I have to ask what solvent you are using to make it slimly?
Water based? Citrus based?
I use just plain mineral spirits

 

Cleaner

I use one of the 6 gal. plastic buckets in the cleaning barrel so I can keep a small layer of water in the bottom. (won't rust out) It traps all the "fines" when the vat is between uses and they settle out. I just pump from above the water layer.

 

yes, mineral spirits