Trefolex

[Bob Unitt 1Participant @bobunitt1]

Is Trefolex still available in small quantities ? I'm just coming to the end of a small pot (20 grams ?) of it I bought at an exhibition many years ago and, looking round, all I can find is 1/2 kilogram tins. Given how long the little pot has lasted for me, a tin that size might well outlast me, my children and my grandchildren !

Bob Unitt

[Bob Unitt 1Participant @bobunitt1]

Is Trefolex available in small quantites ?

[BizibilderParticipant @bizibilder]

No idea – which is not very helpful!! I got my little pot of it from GLR (now GLR Kennions) who used to buy it in bulk and make up smaller pots for us hobbyists. They no longer list it.

Just had a swift look on the web and it seems only the 500g tins are now available.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Not come across any for a long time, I am still working my way through a ten pound tin that must be coming up 40 years old, still seems to be ok, needs a bit of a stir up before use though. I inherited it half used from my old man, will certainly see me out, must bequeath it to someone when I croak.

[Roger WoollettParticipant @rogerwoollett53105]

I think 500g is the smallest tin.

I have been filling the little jam pots you get in hotels with it for the benefit of SMEE members (and society funds).

I have usually get free P&P by buying two tins.

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Cromwell Tools stock it. LINK

[colin branniganParticipant @colinbrannigan54160]

I bought a 500g tin of Tref off ebay (£20) in January to replace the one that came home with me when I retired in 2018, that's five years it lasted that's not bad, it is my go to cutting compound for tapping into steel and Dormer Super Cut for aluminium.

I love the smell of Tref, reminds me of college in 66, threading conduit in electrical practice and it was a lovely shade of green.

Colin

Edited By colin brannigan on 09/03/2023 15:39:06

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by Gary Wooding on 09/03/2023 15:32:15:

Cromwell Tools stock it. LINK

Ouch; Zoro on the other hand seem more reasonable @ £17.99
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/lubricants-and-chemicals/cutting-compounds/cutting-compound-500ml-500gm/p/ZT1035728X

Bill

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

Posted by colin brannigan on 09/03/2023 15:37:41:

I love the smell of Tref, reminds me of college in 66, threading conduit in electrical practice and it was a lovely shade of green.

Colin

I've heard it called "Dog's Breath".

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Gary Wooding on 09/03/2023 15:32:15:

Cromwell Tools stock it. LINK

I notice the tin specifies hand tapping but presumably it would also serve for machine work?

I am coming to the end of a tin of Rocol RTD and am wondering whether the Trefolex would be a suitable replacement.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I like Trefolex for tapping but tallow was was the stuff we used on conduit, I quite like the smell of Trefolex but not too keen on tallow. If I didn’t have a tin and a half to get through I would buy a new tin, it’s worth the expense I think. If you are a member of a club or men’s shed group it might be worth splitting a tin between a few people as a small pot does go quite a long way.

Mike

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

Bob , Blackgates sell ( sold ) it . I think it was something over £15 for a tub in 2021 . Assume they are Harrogate from tomorrow and there may be show offers on ? 

Also suggest Polly Engineering. 

Trevor

Edited By Trevor Drabble on 09/03/2023 17:39:49

[DaggersParticipant @daggers]

Don’t know if it helps but EKP sell a small tub of CT90 tapping paste, been using it for a while and it works well.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Bob,

You have a PM

Howard

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

Trefolex is ok for machine tapping ,I have both Trefolex and Rocol solid and liquid, my usual choice is Trefolex ,especially on BSP pipe threads, the grease like solid Rocol is very good on small threads eg 8 and 10 BA in all materials.

I suspect that trefolex consists of tallow plus some other ingedients and colouring, where I started work,a dark yellow goo was used I was told that it was tallow mixed with flowers of sulphur and and was shop practice to use it on all materials including cast iron.when machine tapping with an attachment in the Pollard 3 spindle drilling machiine it was practice to not to stop the drill ,just brush the swarf out of the flutes and then apply a dollop of goo with the same brush,and I still do this with Trefolex on the Meddings,

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Nigel McBurney 1 on 09/03/2023 18:02:52:

Trefolex is ok for machine tapping…

Thanks!

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I noticed that our pipe fitters seemed to use Templars Temaxol for pipe threading but jig fitters and toolmakers tended to use Trefolex on jig and die work.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 09/03/2023 18:27:49

[Joseph Noci 1Participant @josephnoci1]

I use Boelube 70200 solid lube and 70104 handheld lubricator ( liquid lube) – both work very well for drilling and tapping Ali,brass, mild and stainless steel. The 3oz solid lube is half used over 4 years… Maybe an option to Trefolex?

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Been using Tref for last 50 years. First bought it in a tin about the size of a Tate & Lyle treacle tin – 1lb? for 12/6d!

I dont use it when tapping small dias. in blind holes, e.g., M4 in mild steel, blind hole. Only use a liquid lube which is easy to wash out with paraffin. The liquid jollop was recommended by Guy Lautard – 3 parts Olive oil, 2 parts White Spirit and 1 part Genuine Turpentine, not Turps substitute. It works a treat and in my opinion, smells good. Part of the requirements for no busted taps, along with a sensible size of tapping drill followed by the tap without moving the work, so retaining perfect alignment. Always use a generous size of tap drill.

Going back to tapjollops, the small tubs of Tref, about the size of the old 35mm film containers, lasts ages and then some.

John

[VicParticipant @vic]

Temaxol is the stuff I’m using. Half a tin was left behind by the heating contractors at my last job. It has a very “organic” smell so I’m guessing it may be animal based. I’m not keen on the smell but the product does work well.

**LINK**

[NimbleParticipant @nimble]

Hi Bob,

I looked up the MSDS sheet for Trefolex and the constituents appear to be:-

Sulphur 10-30%

Talc! 10-30 %

Vegetable Oils !0-30%

Tallow less than 10%

Hydrocarbons 30-60%

Ethanol less than1 %

Methanol Less than 1 %

These figures were taken from two different MSDS data sheets.

Could it be the Vegetable oil would be Castor Oil?

I also see that Neatsfoot oil can be used as a cutting oil. (I Use it on The Cone Clutch of my Vintage Car)

Regards, Nimble Neil.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by Nimble on 09/03/2023 23:06:52:

Hi Bob,

I looked up the MSDS sheet for Trefolex and the constituents appear to be:-

……………..

Vegetable Oils !0-30%

……………………….

Could it be the Vegetable oil would be Castor Oil?

I also see that Neatsfoot oil can be used as a cutting oil. (I Use it on The Cone Clutch of my Vintage Car)

Regards, Nimble Neil.

I think the oil is Pine Oil

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 09/03/2023 23:41:01

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by ega on 09/03/2023 15:50:42:

Posted by Gary Wooding on 09/03/2023 15:32:15:

Cromwell Tools stock it. LINK

I notice the tin specifies hand tapping but presumably it would also serve for machine work?

I am coming to the end of a tin of Rocol RTD and am wondering whether the Trefolex would be a suitable replacement.

I have used Trefolex on machine reamers for as long as I can remember. I think we were taught that as apprentices.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Posted by colin brannigan on 09/03/2023 15:37:41:

I bought a 500g tin of Tref off ebay (£20) in January to replace the one that came home with me when I retired in 2018, that's five years it lasted that's not bad, it is my go to cutting compound for tapping into steel and Dormer Super Cut for aluminium.

I love the smell of Tref, reminds me of college in 66, threading conduit in electrical practice and it was a lovely shade of green.

Colin

Edited By colin brannigan on 09/03/2023 15:39:06

Very interesting! I also went to college doing electrical engineering in the 60's and there and at work threaded much conduit by hand, we had some stuff that gave off a strong smell of ginger when it was getting hot, and was absolutly the best thing for thread cutting, producing a perfect thread every time. Was that trefolex?

Phil

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Occasionally between college sessions I worked with the electricians at the local cardboard box factory and they were still using tallow for conduit threading. The fitters also used it for pneumatic pipe runs in black iron.

That was a very distinctive smell but strangely no unpleasant.

regards Martin

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