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Monday, November 05, 2012

Penetrating oils

Penetrating Oils Machinist's Workshop Mag recently published some information on various penetrating oils. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts.

They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

*Penetrating oils ........... Average torque load to loosen*

No Oil used ................... 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 is a " mix-your-own-brew" -- 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note this "home brew" released bolts better than any commercial product in this one particular test.

Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is almost as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF-Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix.
*ATF = Automatic Transmission Fluid
-Sent in by Murray

25 comments:

  1. See, it's stuff like this that keeps me coming back here (that and the milfs)! Never heard of Kano Kroil but I've used the other three. Fuck that, it's ATF-acetone from here on out. Thanks!

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  2. That's a timely post for me! The bike is now off the road for winter, and is due a stripdown to a bare frame for sandblast & paint. Given that it is a Jap bike that's done 18 British winters, this should ease things along a bit - thank you!

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  3. Seriously?! And you won't post a single one of my bacon recipes?!

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  4. If you break a bolt off below the surface, all the bacon in the world ain't gonna help, Wiserangel.
    Sad but painfully true.

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  5. I can't believe you just admitted bacon can't solve everything.
    Shocked.

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  6. Recipes? You guys sit around swapping recipes?

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  7. I always thought that a hot redhead was great for loosening rusted nuts...

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  8. Penetrating oils and rusty nuts? Is this a new feature on Milfy Mondays? Will you call it Dilfy Days with a coupon for a free prostate screening?

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  9. WD-40 really isn't very good penetrating oil. It's too light, and evaporates before it can really penetrate.
    I've always been a BIG fan of good old Liquid Wrench, and I heard about the ATF/Solvent trick years ago, but had forgotten about it.

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  10. Can't beleive you guys never used bacon grease for slick'm/ gofaster.

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  11. @ Deb!

    I did the prostate screening. That's why I have rusted nuts!

    I don't have that cancer anymore though, so I'm just glad to be here. :-)

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  12. WD-40 isn't really good for much...except attracting trout (we're talking fish, HWA) :)

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  13. That's good to know Ken. Thanks for the tip.

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  14. Kroil is my go to gun cleaner for removing lead deposits on my revolvers.

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  15. tripseven, I had a whole lot more to say about penetrating oils, but I just recently got back in wc's good graces and I HATE Banned Camp.

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  16. Byrn! What are you riding/stripping down?

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  17. Good info. Nobody wants to bust a nut when busting nuts... and bolts.

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  18. Wow... I've been a PB Blaster guy forever in my restoration tinkering. I've had the ingredients for the homebrew on a shelf in the workshop all along and never realized it was a good alternative. I'm giving that a try on the next stuck part I come across.

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  19. ATF and lacquer thinner makes a killer gun scrub.

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  20. @Sarthurk - It's a 1994 Suzuki RF900R. Fully roadworthy despite it's age, and quicker that I need it to be - but cheap enough to run & maintain. Starting to show the signs of too many winters, so a week or two of strip/paint/grease is well warranted.

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  21. Son tried the ATF/acetone mix a while back, and it worked quite well.
    I tried ATF/mineral spirits(what I had handy); worked, but don't think as good as the mix with acetone.

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  22. I've used ATF for decades. Spray it on and let it sit overnight. Bigfoot.

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  23. A thought occurs for a badly fouled bore: stick the muzzle in a bottle of the mix, wet a bore brush, and start scrubbing, making sure the brush goes into the solution each time.

    Bet that'd clean ANYTHING out

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