Removing Rusted Bolts

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:43 am

From "Ask the Builder" by Tim Carter

Blog discussing the test

Removing Rusted Bolts

Mike Cyr, of Presque Isle, Maine, wrote to me about an email he'd
received from a relative. Evidently there was a study done by
Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue. The story
looked at the different penetrating oils to see which one did the
best job of removing a rusted bolt by measuring the pounds of
torque required to loosen the bolt once treated. If the study was
scientifically accurate, it turns out a home brew works best!
Here's the summary of the test results:

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 is an acronym for automatic transmission fluid. You can
readily get acetone and ATF, so mix some yourself and see if you
can get the same results. Thanks for sharing this, Mike!

I believe the test actually used Power Steering Fluid, not ATF.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:56 am

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 12:03 pm

bucksaw wrote:From "Ask the Builder" by Tim Carter

Blog discussing the test

I believe the test actually used Power Steering Fluid, not ATF.

Wow. Interesting post assuming accurate!! Would have liked to seen kerosene on the list. (just for you jpg..

). Sure wish I had some rusty fasteners left to test on. Can't wait to find me another rust bucket ShopSmith sometime in the future.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:00 pm

The forgot one on the chart.
Dynamite - zero pounds

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:35 pm

Ed in Tampa wrote:The forgot one on the chart.
Dynamite - zero pounds

On bigger stuff I like a "Smoke wrench".

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:47 pm

robinson46176 wrote:On bigger stuff I like a "Smoke wrench".

I've occasionally used a Sparkle Wrench with great success too. A little judicially applied heat can work wonders at times. FWIW, if you're working on something that can't support the heat of a torch, going the other direction with a can of Freon directed at the bolt can work as well.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:30 pm

Over on the Machinist's Workshop forum, in a discussion on the subject, the author is reported to say the mix was power steering fluid and acetone and that the items were immersed in the penetrating oils for eight hours to produced those results, adding this is probably not representative of a quick squirt just before a wrench is applied. He had intended to use ATF, but got power steering fluid by mistake.

Art in Western Pennsylvania

bffulgham · Post by **bffulgham** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:08 pm

I've had really good luck with PB Blaster on the rusty old farm equipment I work with.

Course, a good Hot Wrench works on most of that stuff too.

qtndas01 · Post by **qtndas01** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 7:45 pm

That is very interesting, At work we have used Kroil with the best results and also used CRC Knock'er Loose. WD 40 was never desisgned to remove rust. its a lubricant designed for water displacement (WD).

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:12 am

mickyd wrote:Wow. Interesting post assuming accurate!! Would have liked to seen kerosene on the list. (just for you jpg.. ). Sure wish I had some rusty fasteners left to test on. Can't wait to find me another rust bucket ShopSmith sometime in the future.

Have you ever 'smelled' liquid wrench? It contains 'petroleum distillate'. Guess what kind!:D

I be trying acetone/k1 next time!