Penetrating oil

[Rex]

Worth knowing.
At least the table proves what I've always suspected, ie those bike restorers who say "it was seized up so I gave it a good dose of WD40" are pretty much wasting their time.
OK as a spray-on lube but crap for a penetrating oil.

[Worty]

I tend to use heat, only the last time I did that near the petrol tank it ended up like Berg's van - everything loose all at once.

[RDfella]

I don't generally waste time with penetrating oils on stubborn threads. If it's seriously attached, nothing much is going to change that other than heat. If it's a bolt, I give the head a good clout with a hammer first to shake it up a bit before applying torque. If it's a nut, heat to red and try to undo. If no success, repeat heat but smack a flat with a cold chisel to expand the nut (preferably supporting the other side in the process). Alternatively, drill a small hole through the nut, parallel with the bolt / stud. Easy then to split the nut. Or, if sufficient room, place a hammer against one flat and smartly (no gentle tapping here!) hit the opposite flat with another. Then reverse and repeat. That expands the nut and it should come undone easily. Final option is to threaten it with Blue Dot (a reloading powder). Not that this would achieve anything, it's just a matter of instilling fear in the nut.

[Worty]

Aye, I used to ride with some fellas who could scare a screw loose, or was it them that had the loose screw and were scary - brain's gone, I'm afraid.

[muskrat]

Always a choice of tool.

[Worty]

Musky, prevention is better than cure.  I know of a tool that couldn't tighten a nut (or rivet) if he'd tried!

[Bsareg]

When I restored my frogeye nearly every bolt was snapped off that went into the body. Held a nut over the stub (even the flush ones) and welded through. Let it cool and never had a problem undoing.

[Greybeard]

One of my early jobs soon after leaving school was at a place that normally did zinc roofing, (we recovered a flat section of roof on Sean Connerys house in West London).
The company had a request to take down a set of external steel fire escape staircases. It was decided that that cocky young prat Neil could do the horrible job of unscrewing about a hundred rusted nuts and bolts on the steel treads, I got taken there one day and told to squirt Plus gas onto every thread I could see. Next day I got dropped off with some tools and left there. When the boss returned for me later in the day I had managed to get every single nut undone. Plus gas was brilliant stuff. I doubt it has the same formula now.

[Rex]

You're right, it isn't the same. I still use it, but like Gunk, Nitromors and many other things, it's a pale imitation now.

[Greybeard]

You're right, it isn't the same. I still use it, but like Gunk, Nitromors and many other things, it's a pale imitation now.

We need to be protected from ourselves in case we start drinking the stuff. 😋

[berger]

plus 1 for plus gas in the stores at the coking plant i worked at we had tins galore, when i was in the stores for the last 4 years of the plants life i borrowed a lot of it because it was so good, shame i run out i should have taken more 

[Bsareg]

Switch cleaner is another fluid we've lost. Apparently, carbon tetrachloride is very harmful so banned. We used to be nigh swimming in it in our workshop no ill effects.

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
Yes there's so many products that have disappeared or been diluted for "our own good". I think common sense hasn't been bread into humans born after 1970!
Cheers 

[Kickaha]

G'day Fellas.
Yes there's so many products that have disappeared or been diluted for "our own good". I think common sense hasn't been bread into humans born after 1970!
Cheers

There wasn't any prior to then either or we wouldn't have the current H & S now

[groily]

Diverting from noxious brews - imagine if someone invented the chainsaw today  . . . Far the most dangerous thing in my shed I reckon.
Probably have to get a permit to own or use one and go on a  course . . .