Something to ponder

Cam

Cam

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What do you guys think of this???I received it from my cousin who is a mechanic. He was passing it on to me.

"Machinist's Workshop" recently published information on various penetrating
oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for "break out
"torque" on rusted nuts and bolts. A subjective test was made of popular
penetrating oils, with the unit of merit being the torque required to
remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" bolt.
Average torque load to loosen nut:
No Oil used ........................516 foot pounds
WD-40 ..................... ........238 foot pounds
PB Blaster .........................214 foot pounds
Liquid Wrench ......................127 foot pounds
Kano Kroil .........................106 foot pounds
ATF/Acetone mix...................... 53 foot 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 = Any type of Automatic Transmission Fluid

This version of the story was in one of the Military Vehicle Club newsletters:
 
I saw that posted on another list a year or so ago. I tried the ATF/acetone mix and it seems to work well.
 
Another consideration might be how much collateral damage is caused by the oil. I don't think I would be too concerned about a little WD-40 getting on paint. But if ATF is anything like brake fluid you really don't want it anywhere near paint.

Mike
 
With all the praises I read here and other forums about PB Blaster, I'm surprised that it is so close to WD40. I'm not big on witch's brew type of products, so I'm guessing a can of liquid wrench will soon find it's way into my toolbox.
 
Nice to know. If I really want that whatever apart, I'll worry about the paint later.
 
Hells bells, any highly volatile solvent mixed with any oil will do the same, not just ATF.

I'm wondering about the 'scientifically rusted' parts.

Also, any of you check to see hot hot a rusted or even cross threaded bolt gets while turning...just a word of caution using acetone or lacquer around hot parts.
 
quote:
Hells bells, any highly volatile solvent mixed with any oil will do the same, not just ATF.

I'm wondering about the 'scientifically rusted' parts.

Click to expand...


+1
 
Those results are very interesting , and not a little surprising. If... by any chance only one "scientifically rusted " bolt's nut was tested once for each solvent, the results listed would be pretty meaningless as the corrosion bond could conceivably vary considerably between different fasteners of same type.

Update: I did a lot of seaching and found reference to the original Machinists Workshop (Village Press) April 2007 (Volume 20/Issue 2) but couldn't access the article "Testing Different Types Of Pentrating Oils" there, though the author was listed as Lloyd Bender .
However, the article was reprinted in full in the July 24. 2011 issue of WHAM, "the official publication of the Wichita Historical Aircraft Modelers" (!)
and is linked here: http://www.antiquemodeler.org/sam_new/news_letters/assets/wham_2011_07.pdf

There were no threads, no unscrewing involved, so it would appear this is a bit a of a case of verbal "Post office".
Steel pins were inserted in holes drilled in steel rod , purposedly rusted , then the force required to press out the pins was recorded. No way of knowing how many tests per solvent.

FWIW, a poster on another machinists' website stated he mixed the ATF and acetone and they were not homogenous. They quickly separated into 2 distinct layers , and it was suggested that kerosene mixes much more effectively than the more dangerous acetone. Others have mentioned good luck with the ATF & acetone brew.
 
"than the more dangerous acetone"

... but it is fun to play with low flash point suspected carcinogens!

I use acetone for many things, just remember to respect it and exercise appropriate caution.
 
Wow, I've had better luck with PB than liquid wrench. I've heard Kroil is great but not avail at the local box store. Acetone, I'll pass for now.
 
Ahhh come on guys. Acetone is for wimps. Get the real thing! Methyl Ethyl Keytone aka MEK. Go large or go home I say!
 
quote:
Originally posted by GeeBee

Ahhh come on guys. Acetone is for wimps. Get the real thing! Methyl Ethyl Keytone aka MEK. Go large or go home I say!

Click to expand...

+1

Just light a match and the blast will loosen the bolt.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Cam

quote:
Originally posted by GeeBee

Ahhh come on guys. Acetone is for wimps. Get the real thing! Methyl Ethyl Keytone aka MEK. Go large or go home I say!

Click to expand...

+1

Just light a match and the blast will loosen the bolt.

Click to expand...


Bingo!
 
That's probably why you can't buy the stuff... product liability.
 
quote:
Originally posted by GeeBee

quote:
Originally posted by Cam

quote:
Originally posted by GeeBee

Ahhh come on guys. Acetone is for wimps. Get the real thing! Methyl Ethyl Keytone aka MEK. Go large or go home I say!

Click to expand...
+1

Just light a match and the blast will loosen the bolt.

Click to expand...


Bingo!

Click to expand...


Twenty years back the MEK unit in our refinery caught fire and burned to the ground, pretty exciting and very lucky not one serious injury.
They, wisely, never rebuilt the unit.
I do recall the maintenance workers would wash their cotton work gloves in the MEK and they would look brand new.
Of course that was back before "right to know" exsisted and the workers knew very little to nothing about what they were being exposed to back then.
 
quote:
Originally posted by GeeBee

Ahhh come on guys. Acetone is for wimps. Get the real thing! Methyl Ethyl Keytone aka MEK. Go large or go home I say!
Click to expand...


Nah; if you're gonna go that far, might as well use the real thing....THF,tetrahydrofuran. That'll melt your plastic !
 
berore there was WD-40 there was CRC 5-56

It seemed to work well.

What happened to it ?

RWS
 
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