Applying thread penetrant

I currently use Plusgas for my thread penetrant but I am also considering a 50/50 mix of acetone/ATF

One thing I have noticed is how difficult it can be to apply to the area I want it. My Plusgas is in a tin, not a spray can. Many times the area of application is in an area with little room above it, so holding the tin above it to apply the fluid isn't possible. Many times I end up not being able to apply it or p**sing it all over the place as I try a long range squirt or running it from high above.

So do you folks have any cunning methods to apply it? Buying it in mini spray cans would be good but that would be quite expensive and no good if I am using my own mix.

I once thought I had found a good applicator when I decided to use the little drip bottle thing you get with a covid test - it worked great in principle but the body of it split in no time, so great idea but not upto the job.

I am considering little syringes. 20x 3ml syringes are £7.27 off ebay. These should be small enough and also you can direct the fluid in any direction you can point the syringe but not sure how long one wood last.

So any ideas folks? I have enough rusty nuts to benefit from a good application tool.

Thanks in advance.

Mick

Oil can

lynall said:

Oil can

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Thanks Lynall. Is thus something you have tried yourself as I had considered it but thought the seals may not be upto the job?

If they work with plusgas then great - but if they work with rhe acetone mix then that will be fantastic as I could potentially mix it in the can.

The seals in a syringe will probably be okay for single or a few uses if you clean them well after use, could use a small piece of tube to get the fluid right where you want it.
In my experience, syringes are great for drawing a vacuum on brake systems but the seals tend to go soft and swell when subjected to brake fluid.

If you go the syringe route I'd suggest avoiding those with the black rubber bits on the plunger.
I inject pilchard oil & other flavourings into deadbaits when pike fishing & the rubber bits don't last & go all sticky, finally sticking to the syringe body.
I'll have a look a bit later & post a link but I got some off ebay which are all plastic & they've been fine - although I'm not sure how they'd react to the acetone/atf mix

I find these syringes quite useful, get them in calpol/nurofen medicine, they don't have a seal in them. If you know anyone with young kids they probably will have a drawer full of them like we do

steve24v said:

I find these syringes quite useful, get them in calpol/nurofen medicine, they don't have a seal in them. If you know anyone with young kids they probably will have a drawer full of them like we do
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Perhaps these are similar.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/38405450...ar=652317453047&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Dr Strangeglove said:

Perhaps these are similar.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/38405450...ar=652317453047&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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Yes they look ok, probably be better as they have a smaller spout

Just had a look & my ebay history doesn't show far enough back to show the seller but they are KD-Ject brand & I bought them c/w needles.
The needles supplied are blunt, but for my use a few seconds with a file is all it took.

This ad shows them & it's the same seller:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254202701608

Dr Strangeglove said:

Thanks Lynall. Is thus something you have tried yourself as I had considered it but thought the seals may not be upto the job?

If they work with plusgas then great - but if they work with rhe acetone mix then that will be fantastic as I could potentially mix it in the can.

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I sometimes use neat atf in an oil can, it is actually quite seeking.
Tbh none of them are any good at freeing off seized fasteners, though once the fastener is cracked the lube does make it easier to wind it off the rest of the way.
I think if something is proper corrosion seized, it is because water has gotten in there, the rust then fills the spaces in the threads and there is nowhere for lube to get in.

lynall said:

I sometimes use neat atf in an oil can, it is actually quite seeking.
Tbh none of them are any good at freeing off seized fasteners, though once the fastener is cracked the lube does make it easier to wind it off the rest of the way.
I think if something is proper corrosion seized, it is because water has gotten in there, the rust then fills the spaces in the threads and there is nowhere for lube to get in.

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Or just plain old engine oil - if left for a while it is very good at penetrating.
And always use stainless fasteners....

P38 Monkey said:

Or just plain old engine oil - if left for a while it is very good at penetrating.
And always use stainless fasteners....

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Engine oil dont creep like atf does, it really is weird stuff.

Small paint brush can be useful for getting stuff where you want it to be

Def90man said:

Small paint brush can be useful for getting stuff where you want it to be

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The paint brush idea sounds good. I will look into that more.

All glass syringe. Nothing affects them except dropping them.

You could try one of those plastic spray bottles with a trigger. I haven't tried it with penetrating fluid but I use one for applying the thin runny variety of Dinitrol when I just want to do a small touch up and it's not worth getting the compressor out. They're cheap enough that if they deteriorate it's no great loss.

Brown said:

You could try one of those plastic spray bottles with a trigger. I haven't tried it with penetrating fluid but I use one for applying the thin runny variety of Dinitrol when I just want to do a small touch up and it's not worth getting the compressor out. They're cheap enough that if they deteriorate it's no great loss.

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Yep, WD40 is available in that type of container so it should be another good option.

I use syringes for paint. Thinners kills them.

I have one per colour and they last 3 or 4 sessions.

I decant plusgas into a washbottle, no idea what plastic they are made from but I've been using the same bottle for 20 years.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lab-Wash-Bottle-250ml-Laboratory

Well that didn't quite work as expected, just do a search on the above.