Home Brew Penetrating Oil

[mdo817]

This is copied from an e-mail sent to me the other day. We are currently giving it a try here at work. I also plan to give it a try at the house. Anyone else that wants to try it and report back, this could be good or a joke, I'm not sure.



Machinist Workshop Magazine actually tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts.Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.

*Don't forget the April 2007 "Machinist Workshop" magazine comparison test.

*They arranged a subjective test of all popular penetrants with the control being toque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

Penettrating Oil .........Average Load

None                        516 lbs
WD-40                      238 lbs
PB Blaster                  214 lbs
Liquid Wrench            127 lbs
Kano Kroil                  106 lbs     (This is what we have been using for years @ Delta)
ATF-Acetone mix         53 lbs

*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 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 about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

[DOUG]

Kewl.  Mix me up a small bottle for my tool box.

[RotorHead]

Who knew PB Blaster sucked so bad? Not me. 

[Trailabite]

Acetone? Isn't that fingernail polish remover?

[Matt]

Who knew PB Blaster sucked so bad? Not me. 

Me neither. Its my favorite. I guess I didnt know there was stuff out there, that much better.

I am skeptical.  I guess you would need to mix it in a windex bottle so you can spray it.

[Jimmy]

Acetone? Isn't that fingernail polish remover?

Pretty much. You can buy a quart of it at Lowe's for a couple bucks. I think I have some sitting around. I am going to try it out.

[Ben H.]

I have heard that power steering fluid works slightly better.

[swamprat]

yano i hear plasma cutters work too 

the acetone ATF mix sounds really viable. someone should try it.

[Jimmy]

If I run to the auto store tomorrow I will get some ATF and try it. It'll be pretty cheap too. A 12 oz can of PB costs what, $5? With the mix you can make 1/2 a gallon for $10.

I need to find some rusty bolts, I think I've already taken everything apart on my axles, lol.

[Rowingfish87]

Kewl.  Mix me up a small bottle for allsouth's tool box.

fixed it for you.

sounds cool mark. let us know how it works.

[mdo817]

Who knew PB Blaster sucked so bad? Not me. 

I've never been that impressed with PB, but everybody on the Net swears by it. Like I said we've been using Kroil for years, and of course that's what I got here. We did mix some at work, but of course we haven't had any stuck bolts since it was mixed, go figure.

[Jimmy]

Kewl.  Mix me up a small bottle for allsouth's tool box.

fixed it for you.

sounds cool mark. let us know how it works.