# Help with frozen thread dial



## auto.pilot (Mar 28, 2012)

I have soaked this in WD 40 for several days and it went from stuck solid to barely-moving-under-brute-force.  Craftsman 101/Atlas 618.  It's too small for a door stop and too big for a book mark.  Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 28, 2012)

Quit using WD40?  :lmao:  It's not really the best "penetrant" as it was created more for water displacement.  If you can get your hands on some my preference is Kroil. http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

-Ron


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## Tony Wells (Mar 28, 2012)

50:50 Acetone:ATF


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## jocat54 (Mar 28, 2012)

Agree, get some real penetrating oil--I really like PB Blaster, there are others.

BTW I have a Good dial for a 6" Atlas/Craftsman.


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## 8ntsane (Mar 28, 2012)

The thread dial on my Sidney Lathe was froze up when I got it. I tried soaking it as well, but no success. I got a crazy idea to drop it into a hot vat of french fry oil. The oil was thin enough, the heat helped the oil get into it. And after repeating the process of slowly getting things turning a few times, all the grit was worked out, now its as good as new. Sounds crazy, but you might want to try it. Any cooking oil in a old pot should do it. The heat,and thin oil is what makes the difference, I think.


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## Tony Wells (Mar 28, 2012)

If you have a bell jar and a vacuum pump, submerge it in a container of oil and pull a vacuum on it, then allow it to pressure back up. Oil will be forced in anywhere there was air space.

What? No bell jar and pump??


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## GK1918 (Mar 29, 2012)

8ntsane's got it, thats the only way, me id bring it right in the house when she aint looking little cooking oil
not much just tilt the pan till its sizzling not to much little at a time, also bring your needle nose.  If I recall
this things are made from pot metal, alum or something like that. I never beleived in snake oil. Heat
cures all even my back.  I bet there is all white corrosion in there.


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## auto.pilot (Mar 29, 2012)

Acetone and ATF did the trick (since that's what I had on hand).  Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.  

jim


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## Tony Wells (Mar 31, 2012)

Good point, Rick. It should be cleaned and the shaft polished a bit, perhaps. The rust/corrosion will return if it isn't kept in motion, or the debris will prematurely wear the parts.


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## Hawkeye (Mar 31, 2012)

Just a question, while we're on the topic. Has anyone ever tried kerosene as a penetrant? Seems that, the way it crawls over surfaces, it should be able to move into cracks and crevices quite easily.


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## Tony Wells (Mar 31, 2012)

I have. As a kid, it was easier to get than most real penetrating oils, like Liquid Wrench, MicroMist, and WD-40....Kroil I hadn't even heard of until recently. The only problem with it would be that it contains no heavier oils for residual protection, but it did pretty good if soaking parts to loosen.


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 31, 2012)

Like Tony says.  I recently used a bucket of kerosene to soak a couple of motorcycle heads and loosen up the crud on them.  It got the job done but then you have to clean them up and lube them afterwards.

-Ron


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 31, 2012)

Blue Chips said:


> I've tried that, the two don't mix. How is it supposed to work? PB Blaster, Kroil, GM Heat Riser Lube. The latter has been my favorite for years. It's sold by GM to free up rusted heat risers on cars.
> 
> Btw, I hear acetone & water is a good cleaner for polished aluminum.




I've never used it myself but I too have heard that acetone/atf is "the best".

-Ron


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