for the Mechanics and Gunsmiths

Received the following from a friend who is a pretty good mechanic himself. Just thought I would pass it along.
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For all of you that are mechanically inclined.....
Penetrating Oils Compared

Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break
out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They arranged a subjective
test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque
required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

Penetrating oil ..... Average load

None ..................... 516 pounds

WD-40 .................. 238 pounds

PB Blaster ..............214 pounds

Liquid Wrench ...... 127 pounds

Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds

ATF-Acetone mix... 53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic
transmission fluid and acetone.

Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this
one particular test. A local machinist group mixed up a batch and all now
use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as
good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

 

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

I've got some ATF fluid and Acetone laying around, I'll have to mix and see how it does. I've always used WD-40 & PB Blaster. Tried Liquid wrench once, didn't work that well, so I stuck with primarily PB Blaster.

 

When working on the Jeep- I've found that nothing works.

I usually resort to a torch.

 

I wasn't being a prick yesterday, heck I wasn't even surfing angry. I just never had any luck, living in the rust belt, and owning old jeeps, when it came to removing old bolts.

I use WD-40 when working with aluminum, it really helps when drilling, tapping, turning, or parting. I'll have to try the 50/50 mix next time I get a chance to play on the lathe.

 

Hey don't worry, you ain't the first or the last to find themselves having to resort to the torch. I just break'em off flush and cuss a blue streak for hours....lol

 

I use ATF, have an old oil can filled w/ used fluid. I also use it when bringing an old motor to life I pull the plugs and pour some right in the cylinder. Then over the course of a few days try and rotate the crank a little w/ a breaker bar till it turns free.

 

Once upon a time kerosene was a good penetrant/light lubricant. Don't know how it works now. Seems the last I had was a bit dry. Diesel fuel is quite dry feeling now also.

 

gotta love the old smoke wrench!!!

Only use wd-40 for cleaning my hands...
definatly will be trying the home brew!!!

 

A long breaker bar helps especially when you are limited in your choice of Penetrating Oil...

 

also while u have the torch out u dont have to cut it just try heating it a little ...
and u dont have to have a "cutting torch" to heat it ...

 

here is the thirsty crowd , Beer involved & a mini Ductor with a dog.

This is used many times around here , liquid wrench (Oxy-Aclene) also.


& 1K watts , Not AMPS , glad he's not fixing digital machines ..


KAS , I have many type of great hand cleaners , never use Acetone / MEK type . each type is for a different dirt/grease.

If you find one for Cooties , I'd be in .

Sloth

 

sloth another thing u never clean ur hands with is oven cleaner ... espically if you have and cuts on your hands or busted nuckles...

dont worry about how i know...

i think gasoline will work for cooties ... i know it does wonders on crabs !!!!

 

Diesel is MUCH drier these days, due to the lower sulfur content formula they're selling. Not sure about kerosene....

One of the very best penetrating fluids I have ever seen was oil of wintergreen. On my first ship, we scored some from the "doc" (corpsman in charge of medical, on the fast frigate). That stuff might take a day or so, but it creeped in and broke up rust better than any creeping oil we had on hand. Seems they use it in the medical field as a topical analgesic, if I remember correctly (that's going back 30+ years, so no telling how good my memory is on that subject!).

 

My choice, also good for other uses. I wonder what the torque rating is of Ed's Red Bore Cleaner?

Ed's Red Bore Cleaner
1 part Dexron II, IIe or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later. This is automotive transmission fluid
1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K1
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS #64741-49-9, or substitute "Stoddard Solvent", CAS #8052-41-3, or equivalent, (aka "Varsol")
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.

(Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon, OK to substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)


MIXING INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean 1 gallon metal, chemical-resistant, heavy gage PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also OK. Do NOT use HDPE, which is breathable because the acetone will evaporate. The acetone in ER will attack HDPE in about 6 months, making a heck of a mess!

Add the ATF first. Use the empty container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly rinsed. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin it into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved.

I recommend diverting a small quantity, up to 4 ozs. per quart of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for use as an "ER-compatible" gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the mix.