Old School Homemade Bearing Cleaner

**GriffinSk8** · 07-27-2009 08:39 PM

For a long time I used a jar or a can. This is the way I learned how to do it, but for some reason I hated the cleaner getting all over my hands. I have seen a lot of bearing cleaners but all of them seem to be small and are not getting the bearings clean. My grandfather told me at a young age you can always make one for yourself. The bearing cleaner can does it's job and you don't need to dig your hands in the can to get a single bearing. Plus you can clean a whole set together and make it a little easier on the rotation of your boards.
GSK8

**enemy combatant** · 07-27-2009 08:50 PM

Lima beans??? WTF!

**GriffinSk8** · 07-28-2009 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

Lima beans??? WTF!

No Hot Wasabi Peas. Wasabi coater green peas.

**TIMORNE** · 07-28-2009 09:38 AM

Well GSK8,aren't you going to show us what it looks like inside d'can

**stringtheory** · 07-28-2009 09:44 AM

Probably some kind of gasket or rubber washer up in the cap on the long bolt. Maybe some spacers on the bolt as well to separate the bearings, and a wing nut.

**Undying** · 07-28-2009 10:36 AM

Tell us how you made it?

**speshlspeclsteak** · 07-28-2009 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Undying

Tell us how you made it?

thats not how it works with griffin. he justs posts pictures untill it almost makes sense

also wasabi peas ftw

**GriffinSk8** · 07-28-2009 10:45 AM

All it is an old can and a plastic lid and an 8 inch bolt x 5/16 inches a washer a nut and a spring. The can works better than glass and a plastic lid's are little easier to make as a splash shield. You just need a small amount of cleaner at the bottom to start. Add the washer to the bolt than your bearings roll and swish the cleaner. Do this five times than take the bolt and bounce the bearings to get all the extra cleaner off. Lay a rag out and take the bearings off the bolt. Add the spring and the bearings to the bolt and do the same process to the bearing just add the lid as a splash shield. Angle the can so the cleaner can touch all the bearings. Remember roll and bounce the bearings. Drop the bearing on the rag and let them dry. If they still don't feel clean repeat. This works really will for fine sand. No more pop rocks in the wheels. It cost less than five dollers to make this. Cleaner is extra.

GSK8

**GriffinSk8** · 07-28-2009 10:55 AM

**GriffinSk8** · 07-28-2009 12:02 PM

Your welcome!!Your welcome!!

**enemy combatant** · 07-28-2009 12:09 PM

Hell, I don't even bother with a bolt anymore. I just pop the seals and shake all eight of them around in a Mayonaisse jar about a quarter filled with acetone. Rinse them in alcohol and then blow dry them and lube.

**BigDaddy@TactisSkates** · 07-28-2009 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

Hell, I don't even bother with a bolt anymore. I just pop the seals and shake all eight of them around in a Mayonaisse jar about a quarter filled with acetone. Rinse them in alcohol and then blow dry them and lube.

Right on man... Even easier just use Breakleen and spray it into the bearing causing it to spin... Blow out and lube with synthetic oil... Fast!8)

I should just shoot a video... we do twenty plus bearing cleans a week at the pro-shop.

**Sleeveless** · 08-08-2009 10:31 AM

Thane, I love your ad hoc ingenuity. I gotta make one of these. Keep up the good work and keep posting the stuff that comes out of your mad scientist lab.

**Trygve** · 08-09-2009 01:57 AM

looks like that, but cooler cause of the food, and cheap.

**seabass101dg** · 08-09-2009 02:31 AM

why did you put a spring?

**Looptail** · 08-09-2009 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by seabass101dg

why did you put a spring?

Better rebound?

**GriffinSk8** · 08-09-2009 10:42 AM

The size of the can is important you need to splash the cleaner around the bearings when you rolling them in the can. The spring helps in two ways. To clean off the cleaner when you bounce the bearings on the spring. The other is you need room for the bearing to move around and clean off the grime. Helps to shake the sand and dirt off. Bearing washers could help also. I just made a tool that does the job and not for it's looks. If you want it to look cool put sticker or extra grip tape on it, good for grip too. Make one of your own and see.
GSK8.

**EBasil** · 08-10-2009 08:42 AM

Simple ideas and homebuilt tools rule. Here's the old article on the cleaner we used to have the Longboard Building 101 students build.

$1.25 Bearing Cleaner. (adjust for inflation)

**Wolfin** · 08-17-2009 02:30 AM

I've always plopped them in a ziploc plastic container, poured in some lime juice, closed the lid and shook 'em about... But this looks like a nicer alternative.

PROTIP: little nicks and cuts that you don't notice on your hands are VERY APPARENT when you have lime juice all over them.