cleaning up

I just purchased my first letterpress, a kelsey 5x8. It needs to be cleaned up, grease, a little rust etc. I would also like to repaint it. Any products or info anyone can give me would be helpful.

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SimpleGreen will get rid of most grease and a 50/50 vinegar and lemon juice mixture will take care of most surface rust. CitriStrip (wear chemical resistant gloves) will take care of the paint. Rustoleum Industrial enamel will make a good new paint.

Gunk engine degreaser would work — it’s available at AutoZone or some other auto supply store. So would gasoline, but it’s explosive and shouldn’t be used indoors.

We have a “U-Wash-Em” car wash in my neighborhood ….. so it only costs me a few bucks to blast a press clean. First I spray it all over with Gunk, then I use the car wash’s power washer to blast it clean. Sometimes for a big press it takes two or three blastings to get it done, but with a Kelsey or Sigwalt it only takes a few minutes to bring it down to the original paint. It’s a LOT easier than trying to use chemical strippers in your garage.