# Using engines oil on tools



## SMALMALEKI (24 Jan 2021)

I hope everyone having a safe and happy time.
while clearing my garage / workshop this morning I stumbled over a half empty engender oil. Then I realised I have few of them lingering around. After each service garage returns the remaining ~500 ml in the container just in case I need to top up before next service.
Has anybody used engine oil instead of WD40 oil for tools maintenance?


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## sometimewoodworker (24 Jan 2021)

SMALMALEKI said:


> Mha’s anybody used engine oil instead of WD40 oil for tools maintenance?


WD40 is not for lubrication or for leaving a protective film on tools. Clean motor oil will work well for tools.


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## SMALMALEKI (24 Jan 2021)

sometimewoodworker said:


> WD40 is not for lubrication or for leaving a protective film on tools. Clean motor oil will work well for tools.


Thank you for the advice.


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## Woodchips2 (24 Jan 2021)

Paul Sellers shows you how to make a rag-in-a-can oiler Rag-in-a-can Oiler to make use of the engine oil and keep your hands clean. I made one several years ago and it is a very useful gadget.
Regards Keith


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Jan 2021)

I made one a few years ago despite being sceptical about machine oil as opposed to linseed, paraffin wax etc. - I use it regularly.


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## t8hants (24 Jan 2021)

I use baby oil in my 'rag in a can'


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## TRITON (24 Jan 2021)

I seem to remember old engineers used a rag with a mix of paraffin and oil on it to clean and protect old machines.


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Jan 2021)

At school (50+ years ago) the oil used for honing was half engine oil, half paraffin.


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## SMALMALEKI (24 Jan 2021)

Woodchips2 said:


> Paul Sellers shows you how to make a rag-in-a-can oiler Rag-in-a-can Oiler to make use of the engine oil and keep your hands clean. I made one several years ago and it is a very useful gadget.
> Regards Keith



Hi Keith
I have a rag in a can on my bench. I used 3in 1 for that one.
i must have missed the use of motor oil on Paul Sellers video.
Thank you for your help.


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## Torx (25 Jan 2021)

Wait, your garage returns the left over oil?


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Jan 2021)

Torx said:


> Wait, your garage returns the left over oil?


Hi Torx 
I get my own oil instead of bulk oil from a 200 litre barrel. I get the remaining just in case I need to top it up. I have few galleons in garage. 
you can have one.
Regards


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## TheUnicorn (25 Jan 2021)

do you have a lid or cover of some description to stop sawdust and other desirables getting stuck in the rag?


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Jan 2021)

TheUnicorn said:


> do you have a lid or cover of some description to stop sawdust and other desirables getting stuck in the rag?



Hi the Unicorn 

not really. I have prt of rag out of the can. Haven’t had any problem with sawdust.


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## Phil Pascoe (25 Jan 2021)

TheUnicorn said:


> do you have a lid or cover of some description to stop sawdust and other desirables getting stuck in the rag?


No. It gets filthier with age. It makes no difference.


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## Rorschach (25 Jan 2021)

I use engine oil for my lathe and as general rust protection for garden tools etc. I use the same grade of oil as used in my car for convenience. I do my own oil changes so there is always oil on hand. I don't seem to get rust on my wood working tools so I don't use oil there if I can help it.


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## Fergie 307 (25 Jan 2021)

WD 40 will certainly protect your tools from rust. Problem is that over time the solvents evaporate and leave behind a brownish coating, a bit like varnish. This can make things look rusty, although they are in fact perfectly sound. Engine Oil takes much longer to degrade in this way, so the oily rag is definitely the better option.


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## OldWood (25 Jan 2021)

It may be urban myth, but I undertand that WD40 was developed to protect the Minuteman missiles in their underground silos from humidity. It was the 40th product tried and consists mainly of fish oils.

I am now expecting someone to come along and say that is a load of b******ks.


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## Phil Pascoe (25 Jan 2021)

WD ... Water Displacement. It's not designed to be a lubricant. Incidentally, I have read that it is not advisable to use it for that purpose on vehicle electrics as it can cause intermittent faults, which are a nightmare to find.


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Jan 2021)

After reading the debate here I decided to ask uncle Wiki. That’s what I was told.

Different sources credit different men with inventing WD-40 formula in 1953 as part of the Rocket Chemical Company (later renamed to WD-40 Company), in San Diego, California; the formula was kept as a trade secret and was never patented.
According to Iris Engstrand, a historian of San Diego and California history at the University of San Diego, Iver Norman Lawson invented the formula, while the WD-40 company website and other books and newspapers credit Norman Larsen. According to Engstrand, "Lawson was acknowledged at the time, but his name later became confused with company president Norman B. Larsen.""WD-40" is abbreviated from the term "Water Displacement, 40th formula",suggesting it was the result of the 40th attempt to create the product. The spray, composed of various hydrocarbons, was originally designed to be used by Convair to protect the outer skin of the Atlas missile from rust and corrosion.This outer skin also functioned as the outer wall of the missile's paper-thin fuel balloon tanks, which were so fragile that, when empty, they had to be kept inflated with nitrogen to prevent them from collapsing. WD-40 was later found to have many household uses and was made available to consumers in San Diego in 1958.


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## TheUnicorn (25 Jan 2021)

odd, I'd heard wd40 was developed in axminster


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## sometimewoodworker (25 Jan 2021)

Torx said:


> Wait, your garage returns the left over oil?


Is that a surprise? Ours do that, usually a hundred or so ml & if you really want they will return the used oil.


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## powertools (25 Jan 2021)

TheUnicorn said:


> do you have a lid or cover of some description to stop sawdust and other desirables getting stuck in the rag?



I have a rag in a can and I use 3 in 1. I store mine upside down in another can the next size up.


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## kinverkid (25 Jan 2021)

After retiring my rag-in-a-can a couple of years back I replaced it with a leather strap. The bottom of the can still has the original first layer of cotton tee shirt in place then I coiled the strap (around 40mm wide if I remember right) and forced it in. Topped up with clean engine oil and good to go. I much prefer this as the cotton would occasionally catch and fray. This is the can as of today and used frequently for around two years.


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## Tanglefoot20 (25 Jan 2021)

What a brilliant idea this rag in the can is...I spent my working life in the aerospace industry and we used WD40 as a feeing agent , especially on old engine parts.


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## TheUnicorn (25 Jan 2021)

powertools said:


> I have a rag in a can and I use 3 in 1. I store mine upside down in another can the next size up.



like that idea, pity I just threw out a can with a rubberised lid that would have held a smaller can perfectly


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## Fergie 307 (26 Jan 2021)

Phil Pascoe said:


> WD ... Water Displacement. It's not designed to be a lubricant. Incidentally, I have read that it is not advisable to use it for that purpose on vehicle electrics as it can cause intermittent faults, which are a nightmare to find.


It can also cause problems in intricate things like locks. Excellent for freeing them up but you should then introduce some regular oil. Otherwise when the solvents all evaporate over a few weeks it will gum it up again.


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## TheUnicorn (26 Jan 2021)

Fergie 307 said:


> It can also cause problems in intricate things like locks. Excellent for freeing them up but you should then introduce some regular oil. Otherwise when the solvents all evaporate over a few weeks it will gum it up again.


Had picked up the idea that locks should be lubricated with graphite powder, but never in combination with wd40 or oil as you then get a graphite gunk. This is theoretical to me, I've never had any graphite powder, also I'd be reluctant to add any to a lock that had previously been oiled or loosened with WD40, I'm sure after a certain amount of time the lock is dry enough that graphite would be safe, but I have no basis for gauging that.


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## MorrisWoodman12 (26 Jan 2021)

SMALMALEKI said:


> I get my own oil instead of bulk oil from a 200 litre barrel. I get the remaining just in case I need to top it up. I have few galleons in garage.
> you can have one.


My you must have a very large garage to house a few _*galleons *_within it. I'd love to have one but I live too far from the sea to be able to sail it. 
(Sorry @SMALMALEKI I can be just too pedantic sometimes but it made me smile)


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## ivan (26 Jan 2021)

The japanese tool arival brought camelia oil, traditonally used on cloth in a pot, made from a bit of 50mm dia bamboo cut with a node for the base. What we get sold is expensive and contains a fair bit of mineral oil (baby oil). For some time I've used rapeseed oil available cheap from any supermarket. It's also used as a specialist lubricant (presumably with additives). This works quite well and does not cause subsequent finishing problems you might get with engine oil; but engine oil would be OK for garden tools. Camelia oil is also sold as tea tree oil by the alternative cosmetic enthusiast suppliers (Amazon). It's much cheaper than toolshop camelia, and you could cut it with mineral oil if you want. It would be interesting to know if Camelia oil carries any natural anti rust compounds, or if it became popular in Japan just because it was available for Samurai swordsmen.
Rusting requires both oxygen and moisture, oil keeps out the oxygen, but is often lifted by water (oil floats). Maybe camelia oil also has some dewatering ability (presumably not easy to find, as WD took 40 trys before it became WD40!)


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Jan 2021)

Camelia oil and tea tree oil are totally different oils. Camelia Japonica, Melaleuca Alternifolia. Leptospermum scoparium, the NZ tea tree or Manuka is different again. Camelia oil is used for cooking, tea tree oil would be disgusting for that purpose.


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## Andy F (26 Jan 2021)

I heard that WD-40 is made from fish oil. No idea whether it is true or not. It doesn't smell fishy.


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## SMALMALEKI (26 Jan 2021)

I just topped up my rag in a can with some of engine oil to test it out. I have to say I didn’t like the way it started to sink into the rag. I have at some point bought some camellia oil which I am going to use. There is going to be mixture of 3 in 1 + engender oil and camellia oil on my rag for time being.


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## Phil Pascoe (27 Jan 2021)

It saturates the rag - it's meant to.


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## Tuna808 (27 Jan 2021)

WD40 great for spraying fishing lures and baits!.....they even advertise it as a fish attractor.


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## Awac (27 Jan 2021)

OldWood said:


> It may be urban myth, but I undertand that WD40 was developed to protect the Minuteman missiles in their underground silos from humidity. It was the 40th product tried and consists mainly of fish oils.
> 
> I am now expecting someone to come along and say that is a load of b******ks.


Hey, that's what I was told as well!


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## Awac (27 Jan 2021)

I use sewing machine oil, for my oil stones and to protect tools. It is formulated not to gum up and attract fluff in sewing machines. Ask any sewing machine repair man and they will tell you, WD-40 and 3-in-1 are the worst oils for repairs. WD cleans more than lubricates and 3-in-1 gums up over time. I also have no reaction to sewing oil on my skin and if you get any on wood it is clear and very fine. Cheap for a litre as well.


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## Awac (27 Jan 2021)

Tanglefoot20 said:


> What a brilliant idea this rag in the can is...I spent my working life in the aerospace industry and we used WD40 as a feeing agent , especially on old engine parts.



Go for ATF-Acetone (don't drink it mind!).
From Practical machinist forum:

_A study done by Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue looked at 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


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## Awac (27 Jan 2021)

Camphor tablets in your toolbox works well to stop tools rusting...


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## MorrisWoodman12 (28 Jan 2021)

Awac said:


> Go for ATF-Acetone (don't drink it mind!).
> ...........
> _ it turns out a home brew works best!
> ............_
> ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds


They say that there is no such thing as a stupid question but...... here goes - what is ATF- Acetone? And in what Proportions should it be mixed?


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## Awac (28 Jan 2021)

MorrisWoodman12 said:


> They say that there is no such thing as a stupid question but...... here goes - what is ATF- Acetone? And in what Proportions should it be mixed?


Automatic Transmission Fluid and acetone cleaner. 50-50.


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Jan 2021)

A mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid.


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## Concizat (28 Jan 2021)

Woodchips2 said:


> Paul Sellers shows you how to make a rag-in-a-can oiler Rag-in-a-can Oiler to make use of the engine oil and keep your hands clean. I made one several years ago and it is a very useful gadget.
> Regards Keith


Showed this to a pal and he told me that over 60 years ago when he was an apprentice carpenter, the "old boys" showed him this trick, but they used lanolin bought from a ships chandlers and white spirit mixed 1 part lanolin to 5 parts spirit. It was then heated to melt the lanolin into the spirit. They used the old felt backing pads from the sanders which they jammed into empty corned beef tins. He still has one and uses it regularly on his lathe and tools.


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## Jelly (28 Jan 2021)

Awac said:


> Camphor tablets in your toolbox works well to stop tools rusting...


Smells lovely too! I have some in with my micrometers and the like and it does a fine job.


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## Awac (28 Jan 2021)

Jelly said:


> Smells lovely too! I have some in with my micrometers and the like and it does a fine job.


I am not the only one then who loves the smell! Cool!


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## Awac (28 Jan 2021)

Try Ballistol. Amazing oil. Mixes with water, which after evaporating leaves a protective oil finish (think gun barrel), antiseptic for the skin, can be drunk for stomach upsets, preserves wood and metal. Developed for the German Army as a Swiss knife of oils at the beginning of the 20th century.


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