Removal of residual hand and cutting oil from bare frames and forks ?

[Scheisserad61]

When building I try to keep my steel frames and forks free from as much oil as possible. But as a hobbyist, I don't build in a clean room and I know that there are surface contaminants all over my bare frames, whether skin oil or cutting oil or resin from the production cloth.

But I want to try and hand off a frame to the painter as clean as possible. I'm wondering what others do, and for the Painters here - how do you deal with
pre-paint cleaning and de-greasing ?

P.S. - where I was working I used water-soluble oil for the first time when turning the fork crown seats. I'm guessing I'm going to need detergent
and hot water to get THAT off of there ?

Regards,
Mike Fabian
San Francisco

[Michael Gordon]

After cutting crowns and tapping threads, I spray down with isopropyl alcohol (purchased from the pharmacy) using a spray bottle from the hardware store. It is great for breaking down and cleaning away the excess oil, and evaporates quickly.

[Cynikal]

70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol?

[Michael Gordon]

I use 91%. I want it to cut through the cutting oil and evaporate fast. 70% is just diluted with more water. In the end, I'm not sure how much difference it makes. I just started with 91%, it worked, and haven't had a reason to try anything else.

[Cynikal]

That was my impulse as well. Thanks

[false_aesthetic]

Every time I've brought a project to a new powder coater or painter (not just bikes) I make sure to ask how they'd like the item to be prepped. It just helps things along:

My local Cerikote guy has asked that I remove grease/oil with acetone before he blasts the frame. He explained that he doesn't want to contaminate his media with grease/oil/grime and it'll be cheaper for me to do it than to pay him to do it.

The local powder coater doesn't care. He just blasts the frame and powder coats over it.

The not-so-pro local painter has asked for the frame to be wiped down with rubbing alcohol (didn't specify the %). He uses SEM Solve and something else to prep the frame before paint.

The frame I just completed was wiped down with acetone and then U-POL 2012 before the primer went on (as per the advice of a friend who used to do bodywork + paint for a living). We'll see how that ends up.