Breakin' stuff loose

[johnridley]

DIYers will all eventually be faced with a bolt or something that's rusted shut.
There have been various concoctions to try to remedy this situation since people started putting lard onto logs to make them roll easier.

I just came across this bit of wonderfulness, and will definitely be trying it next time I get the opportunity. Apparently the best stuff for breaking loose rusted/seized nuts and bolts is a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone.

“Machinist's Workshop magazine (2007) tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates 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. “

Comments

[c0nsumer.livejournal.com]

Do you know how the ATF-Acetone mixture was first thought up?

[samwinolj.livejournal.com]

Wow. Kroil is the best stuff I've ever used, it's startling to see a home-brew solution that's twice as good.