(cross-posted at mAss Backwards)
After trying the old fashioned method of removing the cosmoline from the SKS by repeatedly spraying each piece with degreaser and/or WD-40 and wiping dry with a shop rag, I decided I'm going to give the "low-heat method" a try, and build my own version of the "Easy Bake Garbage Can", as illustrated there at www.surplusrifle.com.
The basic concept is pretty simple - put a lightbulb in the bottom of a galvanized trash can, lay the thing on its side, and put your gun parts on a rack inside, over a drip pan of aluminum foil.
Close the lid, hit the power, and just wait for the cosmoline to melt away.
This design seems to have a couple basic design flaws. First, there's a lot of wasted volume inside, requiring a higher wattage bulb than might be necessary. Second, and this was the big one for me, you're limited as to the length of the piece you can fit inside with the lid closed.
The barrel/receiver would have to be flipped around to get both ends heated up, and you wouldn't be able to close the lid to maximize the efficiency of the unit.
The length issue was addressed, somewhat, in this addendum to the original design posted at surplusrifle.com. But, face it, while it might work perfectly as intended, the stacked garbage can method won't win any beauty contests.
That is where "The Grease Gauntlet" (for lack of a better name) comes in.
Post with pictures here.
The one thing I need to change is the overall length. It's too long to get warmed up by a single light bulb without insulating the whole thing with a blanket.
After trying the old fashioned method of removing the cosmoline from the SKS by repeatedly spraying each piece with degreaser and/or WD-40 and wiping dry with a shop rag, I decided I'm going to give the "low-heat method" a try, and build my own version of the "Easy Bake Garbage Can", as illustrated there at www.surplusrifle.com.
The basic concept is pretty simple - put a lightbulb in the bottom of a galvanized trash can, lay the thing on its side, and put your gun parts on a rack inside, over a drip pan of aluminum foil.
Close the lid, hit the power, and just wait for the cosmoline to melt away.
This design seems to have a couple basic design flaws. First, there's a lot of wasted volume inside, requiring a higher wattage bulb than might be necessary. Second, and this was the big one for me, you're limited as to the length of the piece you can fit inside with the lid closed.
The barrel/receiver would have to be flipped around to get both ends heated up, and you wouldn't be able to close the lid to maximize the efficiency of the unit.
The length issue was addressed, somewhat, in this addendum to the original design posted at surplusrifle.com. But, face it, while it might work perfectly as intended, the stacked garbage can method won't win any beauty contests.
That is where "The Grease Gauntlet" (for lack of a better name) comes in.
Post with pictures here.
The one thing I need to change is the overall length. It's too long to get warmed up by a single light bulb without insulating the whole thing with a blanket.