Penetrating Oil

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One of the threads recently posted some info on penetrating oil performance. Here is a slight correction to that info...

Machinist's Workshop V20 number 2, April/May 007, page 35
Article: “Testing Penetrating oils”
This reports a test of penetrating oils where they measured the force required to loosen rusty test devices. The details reported here were validated by the original article author. He also added some details on the methods.
You must buy the issue if you want to see how they did the test. The back issue is available for purchase.
The table below extracts the results table The lower the number of pounds the better. Interesting that a simple mix of acetone and power steering fluid (PSF) works the best!

Penetrating oil Average load Price per fluid ounce
None 516 pounds
WD-40 238 pounds $0.25
PB Blaster 214 pounds $0.35
Liquid Wrench 127 pounds $0.21
Kano Kroil 106 pounds $0.75
PSF-Acetone mix 53 pounds $0.10 (50/50 mix)

Notes from original article author:
1) These are loads required to free the test piece after 8 hours of immersion in penetrating oil. This is probably not representative of a quick squirt just before a wrench is applied.
2) The original article states ATF was used in the DIY mix. It was actually PSF. I corrected the table to reflect this.

© Copyright 8 February 2008, 63Avanti@sterkel.org
Permission to print and post on the internet in this form received from the author
8 February 2008.
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Machinist's Workshop Mag (tm)recently published some information on various penetrating oils that I found very interesting. Some of you might appreciate this. the magazine reports they tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts.
They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist.

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

*Penetrating oil .......... Average load*
None ........................... 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 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 one particular test.