What is the best/easiest way to degrease steel wool? My carding wheel setup lacks sufficient oomph to get the job done so I resorted to steel wool. However, I didn't think to degrease it and I think that accounts for the rather poor results I got this time.

zlr, DO NOT use your carding wheel to degrease the action. It will contaminate the wheel and you will have to clean it or it will get all over the metal as you rust blue. Try using simple green and if need be, employ a cleaned (with solvent - lacquer thinner) piece of steel wool along with the simple green. Then rinse well. There are commercial degreasing agents but they require a separate bath and tank to do the job. The metal has to be grease and oil free and you have to handle it with rubber gloves until it is done as your fingers will contaminate it further.

Since you already did what chic said don't do you can use any carburator cleaner to degrease with.

Sorry, guys, I must have somehow mistated my question. I did not attempt to degrease the action with the wheel. I first cleaned the action, etc., with lacquer thinner then simple green just like Chic said.

When it came time to card however I found my wheel lacking in HP. I switched to steel wool and like I said didn't think to degrease it first. I think that's why this job didn't turn out as nice as the job where I used only the wheel.

So it sounds like soaking the steel wool in lacquer thinner is the ticket?

Thanks for the advice. Seems I did everything right but degrease the steel wool.

zlr, sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes, you do have to degrease steel wool first. If it was not protected with an oil it would quickly become rust wool. I use a fine stainless wheel for carding and turn it around 600 rpm. It is enough to knock the scale off but nothing else. Good luck.

Thanks Chic.

I really need a new setup for my wheel. I got a real nice .003" stainless wire brush but really need a better motor to turn it with. Can't afford one now so the old fashioned way will have to do.

I'll give it another go tomorrow and let you all know how I do.

Amazing what following directions can do. This time the barrel turned out real nice. Matches the receiver exactly. I guess it was the steel wool after all.

Thanks!