Liquid Plus Gas

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I am running out of my stock of liquid Plus Gas. Searching seems to reveal that it is no longer available, only aerosols seem to exist! Anyone know if and where the liquid variety can be found?

I am not a fan of aerosols as it seems to be an uneconomic way of using the stuff!

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Search eBay for PlusGas 500ml

MichaelG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Andrew, Plus Gas 1 Litre you can also find some on Amazon if you use them.

Regards Nick.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

That’s a very decent price, Nick

MichaelG.

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 28/03/2022 21:39:22:

That’s a very decent price, Nick

MichaelG.

Not when you can buy 5litres of non-branded penetrating fluid for about £25…

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

If you say so, Nicholas

But I’ve been using PlusGas Formula A for at least 40 years now, and I doubt if I would bother changing

… I only use small quantities anyway.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 28/03/2022 22:46:04

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

I've used most of them over the last 35 years.

They all sort of work. The best one is whatever I can scrounge from work. Otherwise, I use whatever is on the shelf of the motor factor/engineering supply/Ebay when I need to get some more.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

I'm also in the situation of running out.

Unfortunately, I don't believe that Rapidtools have any in stock. I ordered two litres from them in February and the money was refunded the next day with no explanation…

I don't think the 1 litre tin has been available for some years. but the 500ml one is still out there for us stick in the muds.

[David-Clark 1Participant @david-clark1]

I used plus gas as a lubricant for pressing out zinc washers back in the 1960s.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

My understanding is that, as well as being a penetrating lubricant, real Plus Gas Formula A is able to draw out the included water from rust reducing its volume and hence the sticktion between a rusted in bolt and its nut or rusted shaft and its housing. Which obviously makes things easier to turn or move.

A pure penetrating oil merely lubricates the various surfaces, whether between rust and component or between prust particles to ease movement.

I have in the past seen several applications of Plus Gas A reduce the binding of a rusted in shaft from immobile with a hammer to stiff hand pull out levels so I'm inclined to believe the claims. But it does need time to work. Overnight is good.

WD40 is always to hand and gets used more than it should for all sorts of things despite being pretty crap at everything compared to the job specific special sauces.

Clive

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Several companies do a "penetrating oil" that goes by the name of DW-40.,notably Smith Allan and Westway Seems that these are genuine companies that blend some of their products. Just wondering if these are knock offs of WD 40 or are they any good as a penetrating oil? they are priced at £20 for 5 litres, which is a goodly bit cheaper than Plus Gas at £16 for 500 ml

I wonder if Nicholas has tried either of them?

Andrew.

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Don't forget that the makers of WD40 now market a whole range of products under the WD40 name, including a penetrating fluid.

Mind you, when we ran out of Plus Gas in the 1970s, Dad re-filled the tin with a 50/50 mix of light oil and paraffin. We used it for years and never noticed a difference.

George

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

I've just been told by another seller (Toolite) that they are out of stock of 500ml tins and their wholsaler is not expecting any until June.

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

I haven't got round to trying it myself yet, but Ferrosol from Bilt Hamber gets some very good reviews. Seems to be much more than just a penetrating fluid.

Ferrosol

I have used several Bilt Hamber products, mainly on the car, and they have all been excellent, so I would be surprised if this wasn't good as well.

Mike

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Just to confirm that Rapid Tools have no stock and don't know when they will get any.

Andrew.

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

I believe D&M Tools sell it . Always had good service from them in the past . No connection other than as a customer .

[Bob Unitt 1Participant @bobunitt1]

I just squirt the aerosol into a jam-jar, and use the resulting liquid, which seems to work as well as the old-style plus-gas did.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

A 50:50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid has a good reputation.

Robert G8RPI

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Nearly bought a gallon of WD40 years ago @£26 but was advised by a supplier to buy 'Duck Oil' @ £12 a gallon.

Worked for me.

Regards Ian.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I don't believe in the ATF and acetone mix. I have tried several brands of ATF and find that the two are immiscible. They separate out in seconds when you try to mix them.

Anyone actually used this mix? if so can they tell me which ATF is miscible in acetone?

Andrew.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Acetone will evaporate rapidly anyway. A penetrating oil is meant to stay as long as it takes – hours, maybe days.

Liquid Plus Gas ("Fast Release Dismantling Liquid" it says on the orange and black tin) IS available, in 500ml cans. Look on its own site:

http://www.plusgas.co.uk.

The site's stockist map shows my nearest is Screwfix, but there are others of course.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Screwfix's web site only shows the aerosols at the moment…

Got a response from D&M tools this morning. Tey can't get the tins and their supplier forcasts availability in the end of May.

The tins just aren't out there at the moment. maybe they are waiting for a container load of plastic spouts from China!

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Posted by Mark Rand on 30/03/2022 13:53:43:

Screwfix's web site only shows the aerosols at the moment…

snip

The tins just aren't out there at the moment. maybe they are waiting for a container load of plastic spouts from China!

Wot!! quality downhill, used to have it at the company I worked for years ago and although they did have a few quart size tins with the ally spout that you turned upside down into the tin and held in place with a sealing washer and the screw on cap, but they mostly had a drum in the stores which the storeman would fill your own container, which for most blokes was a tubular washing up squeezy bottle, which often had the name Fairy on it.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 30/03/2022 16:21:56

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 30/03/2022 13:17:08:

I don't believe in the ATF and acetone mix. I have tried several brands of ATF and find that the two are immiscible. They separate out in seconds when you try to mix them.

Anyone actually used this mix? if so can they tell me which ATF is miscible in acetone?

Andrew.

Wikipedia explains that ATF isn't a single consistent substance, so possibly some types won't dissolve in Acetone, or only in part. But as far as I know they're all oil based, and should.

Is your Acetone pure? Most oils dissolve in Acetone, I think, but so does water. Any water in the Acetone will come out of solution when the oil is added possibly creating the illusion that the ATF and Acetone aren't mixing. Nail Varnish remover is as much as 30% water.

Dave

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