Penetrating Oils....best and home made...

[brin]

My cousin sent me this email....about penetrating oils....looks like the best one is homemade... Just passing it on fyi
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Penetrating Oils

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

Below listed, a subjective test was made of all the popular penetrates, with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

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 "home brew" mix of 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 20% of the price.

ATF-Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix. (ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid)

[crash325]

Sounds like a good deal.
has anyone tried it???

[tungularafishcamp]

I use diesel/2 stroke oil 50/50, seems to work as well as anything I have bought and always have it available. Also works pretty as a protectant.

I would think the acetone would evaporate really fast leaving just the atf but maybe that is the point??

[oldyellr]

I've used the ATF/acetone mix and it worked better than any commercial penetrating oil for me. The only caution is that the acetone might attack whatever plastic spray bottle you use for the mixture. The one I have it is is now quite deformed.

[Johnp33]

I use an ATF solvent mix , I put it in a spray bottle but, when I need to get to an area difficult to get at I have air nozzles with 1/4 inch copper tubing on them I fill the nozzle and tube then connect it to the air line, and am able to get into places not accessible with a spray bottle.
The mix has to sit for a while, and the solvent will evaporate drawing the ATF in.
I also use liquid wrench, When I assemble I use a mix of ATF, synthetic gear oil, and Never size, 1/3 of each. That cuts down greatly on the corrosion, between items that you will take apart later.

[DarkBlack]

Acetone with ATF should eat paint like a beaver eating bark. That's probably why the commecial brews don't use it. Think of all the PO'd customers that would have unintended dameged paint from every drip,drop, and overspray.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I save all the used oil /tranny fluid / gear oil / old gasoline from the chainsaws and weedeaters ,lawntractor when stored for the season /and any other petro products I dump them in a 30 gallon steel barrel and i have a stainless basket that I hang in the mix , works great ! and it's better than tossing it ! just keep it away from the house and barn .

[RickB]

The ATF/acetone mix has had much exposure over on Viewing a forum - Machinery Talk which is a mainstream AG discussion forum. Longtime member Jon Hagen from North Dakota was the first to post the recipe and his successes with the mix. It is widely called "Hagen's Brew" over there.

[mikehaugen]

while I believe that the results from the atf/ acetone mix would be good, I have a problem with a test that places liquid wrench that high above pb blaster. I have never really had any luck with anything but pb, but it could also have to do with the heat-spray-heat-spray method that I use. I will have to try the "homebrew" mixture... sound like a good idea. I wonder if it matters what type of atf you use?

[tungularafishcamp]

I use heat too, thats why I am not so sure about acetone, pretty flammable stuff.(I know all of that stuff is flammable but acetone is really hot)