Machinist's Workshop Magazine (March/April or
May/June, 2007) actually tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. 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. 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.

Are you Frank Ford? This was discussed on the MW-HSM forum a while back. (Probably 2007) There was some scepticism about the report back then with the usual die-hard users of PB Blaster. I've been using a mix of Diesel/Acetone and straight Diesel for years. Works great for freeing up seized mechanisms too.

Ken Kopsky (AKA: CCWKEN)

I remeber that posing too. I think it was longer ago, but maybe not.
Anyway, I went and bought a pint of acetone and mixed it with ATF and I have used it with good results ever since. I still use some spray penetrating oil just because it gets in there better in some cases because of the spray pressure.
You can buy those qt. spray cans that you pump up with shop air prssure that you can fill with whatever you want to. I lost mine but for the $savings it would be a good idea to get one and fill it with ATF&acetone.
I can't believe WD-40 helped that much. I wonder what plain water would have done.?
Water Displacement #40 (WD40) is good for drying out wet ignition systems and spraying on termites.

Frank, interesting. I hadn't heard of the ATF-acetone brew before. Will have to give that a try. Thanks. Dave

I am about to attempt removing a lot of rusted bolts - so this posting is very timely. I happen to have a container of acetone too, so just the ATF to acquire.

Cheers
Adrian

What's better? Dexron? Type A? I'm more of a Type F guy myself. ;-)

Try a mixture of ATF, Diesel, and Brake fluid. Best stuff ever. In most cases it works while you wait. I don't know what portions because I get from an old guy down the road from me, and he's kinda protective of the recipe. -Mike

Mike, I don't think the proportions are as important as the ingredients themselves.

We've used diesel fuel and ATF since I was a kid to pour into stuck engines and let them sit for a few days. Its a lot like gasoline without the fast evaporation...it creeps into places that you don't even know are there. I never thought of mixin acetone with it but sounds like a great idea. Gotta try tht one!

Almost 25 years ago I got this from an older club member, 40% marvel Mystery Oil, 40% paint thinner and 20% ATF (type F, after all you are working on old parts covered in Ford Brown lol). The paint thinner is a lot cheaper but may take a we bit longer than if acetone is used. Jerry

I have two parts washers set up in my shop one with clean Mineral spirits the other I keep the used mineral spirits in. I first clean the greasy parts in the old cleaner tank than finish it in the clean tank.
When I have really rusted frozen parts I just soak them in the old tank for a day or two and it never failed me to loosen every thing I put in.

WD40 is real good for melting hard (used)chewing gum that is in carpets or pets fur etc..A bit off topic, but it works real well.

Nevin, So what does the chewing gum taste like afterwards? .....Michael Pawelek

Not good, but it's easier to chew

does it make your pets hard to hold on to ??

Nevin, do you really park your chewing cum in pets' fur overnight.
I haven't heard that song in 10 years or more; Does your chewing gum loose it's flavor on the bedpost overnight?

No, I stick it on the carpet.

Aaron, second line:
If your mother says Don't chew it, do you swallow it in spite?

This thread has drifted, so I may as well ask Did you also eat cold taters and then sleep at the foot of the bed?

No, but I got my education out behind the barn.

(How's that for a thread drift??)









(OK, The education I got out behind the barn was working on Model T's and my dad spitting Copenhagen juice on bolts before he put the nut on to make them thread on easier and be easier to get off next time. Whew, back on the thread!! I'm saved from the forum police again!!)