Pneumatic tool lubricant alternatives?

[noid]

Does anyone use any other kind of oil in their air tools instead of specially branded pneumatic tools oil? Would like to avoid buying extra oil, i already have a bunch of other oils. The ones i currently have are:

Amsoil 2 stroke oil
Mobil 1 5-30W synthetic
Air compressor oil
Castrol 20w-50

 

[never enuf time]

I've used marvel mystery oil before. Guy at auto parts recommended it

 

[mikevango]

No. I dont think Air tool oil is petroleum based.

 

[jeffk14]

I've used marvel mystery oil before. Guy at auto parts recommended it

MMO is all you need. Ever

Cheap. Available everywhere. It works. Nuff said.

 

[Kirbot]

I would stick to air tool oil.
Motor oil and air tool oil are very different, it almost seems more like transmission fluid.

 

[Hammer1963]

Marvel Mystery Oil air tool oil is great. I have air tools with 20 plus years on them and they work like new. Just spring for it and be done. You can't go wrong

 

[D9H 90V]

Lucas make some, seems good

 

[ZRX61]

MMO is all you need. Ever

Cheap. Available everywhere. It works. Nuff said.

What he said.

 

[lynam]

Has anyone else tryed Lucas air tool oil? I just ran out and i need to get some next week. Keep on forgetting to get some on the tool trucks when they stop by.

http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-Products-10216-Lubricant/dp/B000FW62B4

 

[route246]

What is different about air tool oil? I use it but I suspect that motor oil is going to be just as qualified, if not more, to do the same job. Air tools are just metal-on-metal devices and don't have any carbon fiber or other composites in them; at least that's the way I understand it.

 

[OldHarley]

MMO, is just 10 wt. sewing machine oil with a small amount of oil of wintergreen added.

Story was that in the early 1920's, commercial sewing machines had visible oilers on them and when the oil got hot it smelled bad. In response to the female garment workers complaints, one Mr. Marvel had an idea and had some oil of wintergreen mixed in with the sewing machine oil to give it a more pleasant smell for his female workers. When asked about his formula, he always said "It's a mystery" and the name caught on.

I use it for air tools and in the gas tank of the old bike.

 

[jsaw]

I have been using ATF every day for almost 20 years.

 

[jeffk14]

I have been using ATF every day for almost 20 years.

That would probably work O.K. too.

Then again, what do I know? My FAVORITE weapons lubricant is Mobil 1
10W 30 synthetic motor oil. At 7 bucks a quart from WalMart, I'll never use it up in my lifetime. And like the MMO, it's cheap, it works and it's sold everywhere.

 

[hofferwood]

Marvel Mystery Oil air tool oil is great. I have air tools with 20 plus years on them and they work like new. Just spring for it and be done. You can't go wrong

Me too
Chuck

 

[Wrenches of Death]

Does anyone use any other kind of oil in their air tools instead of specially branded pneumatic tools oil?

I've been using ATF, usually Dextron, for well over thirty years.

I'm still using a CP 3/8" butterfly impact and an American made CP Zip Gun that I bought in the 1970's. Other than seals and socket retaining rings for the impact, all of the hard parts are original in both.

I worn out and broken a few of 1/2" drive impacts and no telling how many air ratchets, but none of the parts failures involved the air motor vanes or bearings.

Keep your air tools out of the parts washer. It's bad on the seals, and it'll kill air ratchet heads pretty quick. Ditto for air hammers.

ATF has worked for me and is dirt cheap. I'll continue to use it. I also use it in some firearms lubrication applications. Primarily muzzle loaders.

Keep your shop air drained too.

If you want to see some lubricants that you can really blow money on, look at some of the snake oil pedaled for firearms lubrication.

WoD

 

[Damian]

I use Lucas air tool oil. Works fine.

 

[Wrenches of Death]

My FAVORITE weapons lubricant is Mobil 1
10W 30 synthetic motor oil. At 7 bucks a quart from WalMart, I'll never use it up in my lifetime. And like the MMO, it's cheap, it works and it's sold everywhere.

Agreed! I think that when I bought the quart that I use, it was only about 3 or 4 bucks a pop. I guess that I need to replace it soon, the plastic container is starting to get a little mushy in a couple of places. It's got to be well over ten years old. I works well for my car and truck guns. It doesn't evaporate anywhere near as fast as most "gun oils" do when they bake during the summer. A dry gun can get you killed.

Commercially marketed overpriced weapons oils and greases are one of my pet peeves. Most of it is over hyped and over priced snake oil. They remind me of the old "engine rebuild in a box" kits. Pour this bottle in the gas tank. Pour this bottle in the crankcase, and then remove each spark plug and drop one of these "pills" into each cylinder. Wow! It runs like new. Yeah, right...sell me some magic beans while you're at it too.

Get the tar and feathers boys! We'll ride this snake oil saleman outta' town on a rail.

WoD

 

[gsport]

i use just regular old 3in1 oil...

 

[boro_boy70]

My grandfather worked at the CP plant in Utica NY for 30+ years. I have a couple of old cans of CP air tool oil. He told me that it was just rebranded MMO. He said at the factory they used MMO when they made them.

Most of my CP air tools are from the late 70's early 80's, and they all have always had MMO and have never failed

 

[mobetta]

umm- a big jug o paslode air tool oil is like $6. last me a decade or better.

 

[rodm1]

Air compressor oil

 

[Underdog]

"Any oil is better than no oil".

 

[Wrenches of Death]

"Any oil is better than no oil".

I suspect that you're probably right. I've worked with guys that wouldn't bother to lube one until it started to slow down noticably, or couldn't beak a fastener loose.

A shot of probably just about ANY kind of oil before you start using it each time probably prolongs the life of the air motor by a factor of 100 over just running it until it slows down before each lube.

After the first couple of air ratchet head kits, I started pulling the heads down every once in a while and regreasing them. Now, you can buy a complete new throwaway air ratchet for what a kit for the head costs. I need to rebuild the head on one of my little 1/4" IR's right now but can't find a decent price with shipping for the kit.

Keeping the air tank drained has got to have a big impact (pun intended) on tool life too. I worked one place where you'd get rusty water spraying out of your tools every once in a while. That was really great if you were using an air ratchet inside the vehicle.

WoD

 

[altec876]

Mmo is all I ever use in my tools

 

[RECox286]

Some of my air tools are 30 plus years old, and get lots of use, and

some PM. I use either transmission fluid or air tool oil. Not much

difference between the two. I would shy away from engine or compressor

oils as they are too viscous, and intended for a different set of conditions.

Uncle Bob

 

[karrbass4life]

Mercon LV ATF.

 

[bustdknuckle]

I've been using lucas for the last year and a half i do like how it seems like it stays in the gun during use better then the other thinner lubes alot of the other guys in the shop use atf or snap on lube but they seem to just "blow out " the exhaust as soon as the trigger is pulled

 

[ddo]

I'd use the proper oil. Stuffs not prohibitively expensive. There actually is a little bit of chemistry behind it. Purpose of the oil is not only to lubricate, but also to flush particulate from the tool. Viscosity and fluid properties are going to play a big part. Too thin of an oil and it wont last long, too thick of an oil and it will be hard to add and will stick around too long and not serve its flushing purpose.

My primary experience is with chipping guns in demo work used for long hours in hot environments. We probably have 15 nice IR chippers kicking around but 10 are toast from someone not using oil or taking the "anything will do approach".

It might be that air tool oil is a repackaged product sold at some markup. I buy it because I don't mind paying for someone to give it a second thought and throw some numbers at it.

As a chemical engineer I can tell you that little things make big differences chemically. Just because a product is used in the manufacture of another doesn't make the end product the same. Beer is over 90% water, but I'm happy paying extra for whats in the last little fraction.

 

[Drew_flux]

I have been told sewing machine oil and atf work well. I just tend to buy a 2pk from the tool truck every few months

 

[Thunderbisciut]

Last time I bought a quart it was like $5-6, small price to pay for something you know works.

 

[OveRReV]

after reading the threads here i started using ATF on my impact & air ratchets, seem to work pretty well IMO & they're easier to find than air tool oil which is almost non existent from where i am.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

That would probably work O.K. too.

Then again, what do I know? My FAVORITE weapons lubricant is Mobil 1
10W 30 synthetic motor oil. At 7 bucks a quart from WalMart, I'll never use it up in my lifetime. And like the MMO, it's cheap, it works and it's sold everywhere.

When it comes to weapons & tools... I love Kano labs producs...heck come to think of it, I love the Kano products on ANYTHING....I couldnt live without Kroil and I use the Microil they offer for my air-tools and when storing my "bang bang" tools

 

[theoldwizard1]

MMO, is just 10 wt. sewing machine oil with a small amount of oil of wintergreen added.

Not unless lard contains wintergreen oil !

From Wikipedia - "As of 2002, Mystery Oil is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard."

 

[Gert]

Whatever oil you use, ultimately the oil will be forced out of the gun. A spray of oil particles will float through the air. Air that you breath. Has anyone considered some oils will be more toxic than others when it enters in your lungs? Are oils specific made for air tools less toxic?

 

[Virgil Cain]

Not unless lard contains wintergreen oil !

From Wikipedia - "As of 2002, Mystery Oil is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard."

I wonder if the MM air tool oil as as much stoddard solvent in it? I would think that it would be less desirable than in the regular MMO applications.

 

[crewchief888]

"Any oil is better than no oil".

i've used about everything "oily" over the past 28 years.

eng oil, hyd oil, MMO, SO air tool lube, mac air tool lube, PB blaster, wd40, and even HF air tool oil.