# Home Brew Penetrating Oil



## macrnr (Aug 26, 2012)

I was helping my daughter today tear down an old South Bend 9" lathe that had been sitting in the weather for quite a while. It was completely seized up, and I remember one of the members mentioning acetone and automatic transmission fluid for penetrating oil. I didn't have any acetone but I did have some denatured alcohol which I mixed 50-50 with automatic transmission fluid and it worked fantastic. Alcohol is not nearly as toxic as acetone so that is a major plus. This mixture works as well or better than store bought! I had the machine moving in less than 10 minutes.


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## 7HC (Aug 26, 2012)

macrnr said:


> I was helping my daughter today tear down an old South Bend 9" lathe that had been sitting in the weather for quite a while. It was completely seized up, and I remember one of the members mentioning acetone and automatic transmission fluid for penetrating oil. I didn't have any acetone but I did have some denatured alcohol which I mixed 50-50 with automatic transmission fluid and it worked fantastic. Alcohol is not nearly as toxic as acetone so that is a major plus. This mixture works as well or better than store bought! I had the machine moving in less than 10 minutes.



Cool that it was your daughter's lathe!

M


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## swatson144 (Aug 26, 2012)

Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen ) from a pharmacy can be added to really make it work. The A1 prescription for exhaust studs etc just spray it on straight while they are hot and it works wonders. We used it by the case in machinery spaces in the navy. We'd return from a cruise anything needing removal for leak repair the fasteners got soaked while the plant was cooling. It is a very thin, creepy oil.

Organic and not harmful unless you forget to wash before using the bathroom. Then it seems deadly for a few mins.

Smells good too and no wifely complaints unless you don't heed the prior warning.

Steve


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## PurpLev (Aug 27, 2012)

good info there. sounds like a much better solution than those insanely smelly alternatives in the home center stores, I can still smell it in my mind (from using it several months ago).


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## November X-ray (Aug 27, 2012)

MMO has oil of wintergreen in it, and it always has smelled good! It also works fairly well as a pentrating oil too.


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## Rockytime (Aug 29, 2012)

swatson144 said:


> Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen ) from a pharmacy can be added to really make it work. The A1 prescription for exhaust studs etc just spray it on straight while they are hot and it works wonders. We used it by the case in machinery spaces in the navy. We'd return from a cruise anything needing removal for leak repair the fasteners got soaked while the plant was cooling. It is a very thin, creepy oil.
> 
> Interesting, I use oil of clove.
> 
> Les


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## Rbeckett (Aug 29, 2012)

That was my recipe, glad it worked well for you.  The acetone just seems to dissipate a little more slowly than alky, but either will do.  ATF has friction modifyers and solvent already in it and the solvent just helpd get it in the tight places a little easier.  Once you get it moving smoothly, scrub the dickens out of everything with the recipe and a triple ought steel wool pad.  It will brighten it up just about like new, but wont take any metal off or cause any loseness in the gibbs.  Congrats, and don't forget some pics, and spank that girl for leaving her toys in the rain too.
Bob


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