Penetrating Oil Study

Delezynski · Oct 22, 2013

When I was in the US Navy, a LONG time ago, we often used oil of wintergreen or wintergreen oil. Not sure where it would fall. But thanks for posting. I have some AFT and Acetone about and may mix up a few ounces to try.

Greg

Winkfish · Oct 22, 2013

John T1594 said:
*ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid

Glad you cleared that up. i thought we'd be dealing with explosives - "Yeah it penetrates rust great, but you might lose a finger or two."

rufus1138 · Oct 23, 2013

hahaha wink, sounds like an old oil field guy that talked all the time about using "the ole' oxy wrench" aka an oxy-acetelyne torch.

dlandersson · Oct 23, 2013

Acetone has health hazards.

Acetone has health hazards.

Eddie7045 · Oct 23, 2013

I worked with an old timer who immediately went to

WD 40 whenever anything got stuck. If possible we set that project aside for a while, over night if we could. The guy was a real pro and knew a lot but he was very stubborn and it wasn't worth pointing anything out to him. I'll be darned though if what ever it was got free the next day. I wound up retiring and to this day never had to use anything else not that I wouldn't try sometihing else if I was at my wits end.

I did learn that it is good to prevent things from getting stuck. I never change spark plugs, for instance, without using anti-sieze on the threads.

rgranger · Oct 23, 2013

dlandersson said:
Acetone has health hazards.

Acetone is not as bad as a lot of other things we use all the time. Gasoline comes to mind. Gasoline is full of benzene-like compounds, methyl tert-butyl ether and other nasty things....

I'm not saying that acetone is benign, but just about ever other solvent you have in the tool shed is more hazardous than acetone.

Not trying to pick a fight, just wanted to put a little perspective on it.

For many years, acetone was the solvent in nail polish remover. It was replaced by ethyl acetate because acetone stripped too much of the moisturizer from your skin. The move to replace it had more to do with skin irritation than long term health hazards...You can still buy acetone nail polish remover but it is not as common.

nolasafari · Oct 23, 2013

Delezynski said:
When I was in the US Navy, a LONG time ago, we often used oil of wintergreen or wintergreen oil. Not sure where it would fall. But thanks for posting. I have some AFT and Acetone about and may mix up a few ounces to try.

Greg

I was a MM in the Navy that is where I learned of Wintergreen, I have used everytihng listed at one time or another. I grab what is handy.

Merlin Clark · Oct 23, 2013

New tools! Thanks!

capta · Oct 23, 2013

Personally, I've had much better performance with PB Blaster than either Liquid Wrench or WD-40, but it might be the saltwater environment?
Acetone and gasoline will evaporate too quickly if used outdoors to be of much use, I believe, and I wouldn't want to use either in my engine room, though I do use Marvel Mystery oil as a soak to clean up parts when I don't have kerosene available.

woodster · Oct 23, 2013

rufus1138 said:
hahaha wink, sounds like an old oil field guy that talked all the time about using "the ole' oxy wrench" aka an oxy-acetelyne torch.

AKA the gas ax in the ironworking world

regards

woody

jibes138 · Oct 25, 2013

But it is not a VOC

dlandersson said:
Acetone has health hazards.

In industry Acetone is generally looked at more favorably than say Alcohol since it is not considered a VOC and thus not reportable as such to the EPA.

Environmental. When the EPA exempted acetone from regulation as a volatile organic compound (VOC) in 1995, EPA stated that this exemption would "contribute to the achievement of several important environmental goals and would support EPA’s pollution prevention efforts". 60 Fed. Reg. 31,634 (June 16, 1995). 60 Fed. Reg. 31,634 (June 16, 1995). EPA noted that acetone could be used as a substitute for several compounds that are listed as hazardous air pollutants (HAP) under section 112 of the Clean Air Act.

Ron20324 · Oct 25, 2013

dlandersson said:
Acetone has health hazards.

I donated blood to the Red Cross several times a year via CWA blood drives. Two consecutive springs (after spring commissioning), the post-testing of my blood said I had Hepatitis B (inflamation of the liver). However, the three donations in-between had a clean test, and that was verified by doctor's testing. All was well after that.

rgranger · Oct 25, 2013

Ron20324 said:
I donated blood to the Red Cross several times a year via CWA blood drives. Two consecutive springs (after spring commissioning), the post-testing of my blood said I had Hepatitis B (inflamation of the liver). However, the three donations in-between had a clean test, and that was verified by doctor's testing. All was well after that.

Hey Ron
I missed the connection. Are you saying that acetone exposure caused you to have an inflamed liver?

FastOlson · Oct 25, 2013

Ron20324 said:
I donated blood to the Red Cross several times a year via CWA blood drives. Two consecutive springs (after spring commissioning), the post-testing of my blood said I had Hepatitis B (inflamation of the liver). However, the three donations in-between had a clean test, and that was verified by doctor's testing. All was well after that.

All might be well for you in dealing with the Red Cross in your area, but it does not work that way in PDX. About a decade ago they told me that my blood donation "failed" their tests and I was no longer eligible. I went to my doctor with their piece of paper and was told that nothing's wrong with me. Some sort of false-positive.

So, after many decades and many gallons of blood donations, I was put on their unacceptable list forever into the future...
They still say in their public service ads that they want blood - sheesh.
IMHO, not so much.

About acetone -- as a hobbyist, I have used it (albeit sparingly) for many decades to clean up around fiberglassing work. What with throwing away the cheapie chip brushes and the used vinyl gloves, I do try to limit exposure. It's a very useful chemical, but it Will take the hide off a boar.

Cheers,
Loren

Freedom77 · Oct 26, 2013

dlandersson said:
Acetone has health hazards.

So does sailing

Maine Sail · Oct 26, 2013

That test came out a while ago, like many years. After it came out I tried the ATF / Acetone mix. It works ok, and is pretty cheap per oz, but not as good as they make it sound. I have gone back to Kroil, Thrust and PB. Don't try a synthetic ATF. Regular Dexron III mixes ok but I still shake it before use....

In the real world, which is where I operate, I still find PB Blaster to be one of the all around best, especially for the price.

I also find that non "scientifically rusted" nuts, studs bolts etc. come free much better with PB or Kroil than the ATF / Acetone mix, in the real world of course.... Kroil used to be great but the cans I get today are not what I feel it used to be, don't know why, though it is still pricey..

Two years ago I was doing the brake rotors on my wife's Honda Pilot. The set screws that hold the rotors on are notorious for rusting in place, as are the caliper bolts. After two hours of soaking the right side in the "new" ATF / Acetone mix I had only stripped the Phillips heads of the set screws, even with an impact screw driver. One of them finally broke (Doh'!). I blasted the remaining two with PB and waited about 5 minutes. The one unbroken screw came right out with a quick blast of the impact driver despite having almost no grip left to it. I put my Knipex pliers on the broken one and was able to get it out. On the left side I simply sprayed with PB, waited five minutes, and both set screws backed right out with no damage to the heads..... These of course were not "scientifically rusted" on and had been "naturally rusted", by real Maine winters...

Thrust is also an excellent product. Liquid Wrench makes numerous products and I find one of them to do okay, but not the others. Can't remember which one I like though.. WD-40 is pure junk....

If you have lots of "scientifically rusted" parts then the ATF/Acetone stuff may be good.. In the real world that I work in, I have yet to see a scientifically rusted nut, stud or bolt.....

Ron20324 · Oct 26, 2013

rgranger said:
....Are you saying that acetone exposure caused you to have an inflamed liver?

Sorry, I missed the making the connection. No, not an inflammeded liver, just that acetone added a component to my blood that gave a false reading of Hep B. Like a false Lyme disease or pregnancy test. No, I'm not pregnant, either:dance:

rgranger · Oct 26, 2013

Ron20324 said:
... No, I'm not pregnant, either:dance:

How many times have I hear THAT before...?

Ron20324 · Oct 26, 2013

FastOlson said:
All might be well for you in dealing with the Red Cross in your area, but it does not work that way in PDX. About a decade ago they told me that my blood donation "failed" their tests and I was no longer eligible. I went to my doctor with their piece of paper and was told that nothing's wrong with me. Some sort of false-positive.... after many decades and many gallons of blood donations, I was put on their unacceptable list forever into the future... ...They still say in their public service ads that they want blood - sheesh. Loren

Actually, it was not all that easy to have a rational explanation accepted, and for years I could not donate- even after decades of donating. I sent a letter to the editor of the Annapolis newspaper, saying what you did- try to give the blood the RC so badly needed, but being turned down. Soon thereafter, the "Feds reduced the level" of whatever element it was they were tracking, and I was once again elgiable to give blood. Still, it was over a year before I could get through the red tape and do so. Folks, be advised!