Homemade Penetrating Fluid - the BEST you can use! An easy DIY too!

Lefty38-55

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Feb 17, 2016
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159
Location
New England
FWIW the best penetrating 'solvent' one can use is a DIY homemade mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

Recently "Machinist Workshop Magazine" did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they 'scientifically rusted' to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.

This is what they came up with:
  • Nothing: 516 lbs

  • WD-40: 238 lbs

  • PB Blaster: 214 lbs

  • Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs

  • Kano Kroil: 106 lbs

  • ATF/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs
 
Did the article mention how long they let the penetrant work? I am often a bit impatient. Or so my spouse tells me. Often!
 
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