Wax used on rusted parts!!!!!

[JerryG]

Your welcome. I have mentioned that trick a few times here. I learned it from a old mechanic I worked with many years ago. Been using it ever since. It's amazing what a little wax will do isn't it.

That's the same way that I learned about it. From an ole mechanic years ago. Ever wonder where those old mechanics came up with what they did that worked. I know that they didn't have some of the fancy tools we have today, but who would have ever thought to melt wax on a stuck nut or bolt? There are lots of other old tricks that they used all the time also.

 

[Kays Supply]

My 2 cents worth on WD 40. One thing NOT to use it on. Gun actions. The outside of a gun is fine, but not on the inside. I have had a couple of guns that I put up for extended periods after soaking them down with WD 40 inside and out, lock up. The action was frozen by the dried WD 40. The trigger wouldn't even move. I had to tear the action and bolt completely down and soak them with solvent to get the varnish loose.

Another trick with the wax. When nailing thin wood or close to the edge, stick your nail into the wax before you use it. It will help keep the wood from splitting. An old carpenter I worked around had a hole drilled in his wooden handled hammer. He melted wax into it. He would stick his finish nail into it before nailing a trim piece.

 

[BillyP]

Your welcome. I have mentioned that trick a few times here. I learned it from a old mechanic I worked with many years ago. Been using it ever since. It's amazing what a little wax will do isn't it.

Mike, will this wax technique work uphill? I have a lot of bearing maintenance (pillow block mostly) and fan blades but after a few years they are a bugger to get off the shaft.

 

[DieselPower]

Yep, it goes up hill. Just like it does on a candle wick.

 

[BTDT]

Here's some pics (post #23) of rusted rocker arm assembly's that it freed up

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/99720-ford-1300-top-end-not-3.html

 

[firemanpat2910]

Be sure if you live in the south you dont leave the wax in your tool box. I had i stick in my canvas tool bag in the floorboard of my truck and a box in the truck box. I spent 1/2 an hour scraping the wax off my snapon screwdriver handles. and threw a way a package of wire terminal ends from the truck box that was melted together. And its only MAY.

 

[DieselPower]

I should have mentioned that. It does melt in the heat of the sun. I keep mine in a zip lock bag so it can melt all it wants.

 

[bucmeister]

I too, can attest to the wax working where other stuff has failed. I was having the devil removing the breech plug from a .58 caliber H&R muzzle loader belonging to my paw in law, had tried all sorts of penetrating oils and heat on it over a period of couple of weeks when a guy that worked at the local paper mill shop bought me a chunk of bee's wax and explained that they used it all the time on the corroded parts. Worked like a dream, bit of wax with enough heat to make it wick in just like sweating copper fittings together and viola, out came the plug first try, like it was never stuck in the first place. Got my attention big time.

As far as heating the cap on the O2 bottle enought to make it work, have you thought of using an electric heat gun? It will get the metal plenty hot enough to melt and wick the wax without risk to the bottle.

 

[rox]

bucmeister-Hey thanks for the idea of the heat gun. We have one and use it to shrink the shrink foil on the tops of our olive oil bottles. If I ahve to use the heat the metal and place the parafin wax on it I'll remember your idea and use the heat gun!

 

[dberry]

My 2 cents worth on WD 40. One thing NOT to use it on. Gun actions. The outside of a gun is fine, but not on the inside. I have had a couple of guns that I put up for extended periods after soaking them down with WD 40 inside and out, lock up. The action was frozen by the dried WD 40. The trigger wouldn't even move. I had to tear the action and bolt completely down and soak them with solvent to get the varnish loose.

Another trick with the wax. When nailing thin wood or close to the edge, stick your nail into the wax before you use it. It will help keep the wood from splitting. An old carpenter I worked around had a hole drilled in his wooden handled hammer. He melted wax into it. He would stick his finish nail into it before nailing a trim piece.

Another trick for wood that is prone to splitting where you can't be bothered to pre-drill is to reverse the nail, wack it with your hammer a bit to form a blunt tip which tends to crush it's way thru rather than split the wood.