# Try Air tool oil for your chain..



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Dunno if this has been mentioned before.

Those of you who use oil on your chain..Try some of the oil used in air tools. A few years ago I was without specific bike type oil (I used to use Triflow) and my chain was getting pretty grungy while on a road trip. I had my carpentry tools along in the van, including my nail gun and some Senco air tool oil. I used some of that on the chain. Much better than Triflow or diluted motor oil or even specific bicycle chain lube...because it is just a couple a bucks for like a quart.(that will last me about 8000 miles) It usually has a drip type dispenser nozzle on the bottle and it supposedly has an anti-gumming and cleaning component to it..

I ain't a chemist so that could all be BS, but I've used it in my precision air tools for years, a couple of drops per day as specified by the tool makers and my tools always work.

I lube my chain with it every few days, just spin the back wheel backwards and drip some on as the chain goes over the cassette. Then I spin the crank backwards for a bit and then shift (forward) through all the gears a few times. I clean off the excess oil with an absorbent rag. The excess oil grabs a bunch of the dirt off the chain and the cassette and chainrings. Done every few days..or every day, it keeps the chain very clean, though if you carry your bike inside a vehicle, after a ride the lube and chain will stain stuff until you wipe it down.

A quart of this stuff is about the same price as a few grams of Pedros or any other 'designer' oil..You can find it at most hardware or builders supply stores.

Don Hanson


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Great idea that has been touched on before.
If you are going to use oil, probably any motor/synthetic oil is fine as well.
For penetration inside the rollers where you want the oil to go, most folks dilute it with a solvent like OMS. This carries the oil inside and then dissipates, leaving the oil behind. Called 'Home Brew', most use a ratio of 3-Parts OMS to 1-Part Oil. I have fiddled with the ratios, and prefer 1:1 ratio, and wipe down completely after applying drops to the rollers only.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Interesting thought. The light oil does help to keep it from collecting muck, though that's not the primary decsion factor for oil. I'd have to wonder if we wouldn't ideally want a more vicsous oil for the main job of lubrication.

Air tools tend to be a high-speed, low-load environment for the oiled parts, so the primary design considerations are for a thin oil that is non-volitile, so it doesn't 'diesel.' 

If looking for a generic hardware store replacement for bike-specific lube, chainsaw bar oil seems like it'd be the most obvious replacement. 


But to be honest, I think it's an overdebated topic. My chain is currently running on gun oil (Hoppe's diluted about 1:1 with OMS.) I've never had a quieter, smoother running drivetrain, but it's messy as hell. Just what I had around, and the bottle is convenient for refills and getting stuff onto the chain neatly.

One debate I find interesting is application method. There's some thought that gunk would tend to accumulate on the outside of the chain run, so the best way to apply lube would be on the inside - that is, dripping on the bottom run of chain as you back-pedal. The argument says that method flushes grit off the chain, while dripping on the top side would tend to drive it in. It probably makes no measurable difference at all, but it is something to ponder.


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## snosaw (May 30, 2006)

I currently use Air Tool oil as well. Mixed 3:1 with OMS. Works great!


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

I use Air Tool oil for all my bikes except the commuter. It's the only one that goes out in the rain and with the lamented death of Bull Shot Oil, Phil Wood Tenacious Oil is lasts longest in wet weather.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*I think about that*



danl1 said:


> Interesting thought. The light oil does help to keep it from collecting muck, though that's not the primary decsion factor for oil. I'd have to wonder if we wouldn't ideally want a more vicsous oil for the main job of lubrication.
> 
> Air tools tend to be a high-speed, low-load environment for the oiled parts, so the primary design considerations are for a thin oil that is non-volitile, so it doesn't 'diesel.'
> 
> ...


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## neil0502 (Feb 11, 2005)

Dinosaur said:


> danl1 said:
> 
> 
> > But to be honest, I think it's an overdebated topic.
> ...


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Just sayin' That air tool oil is inexpensive and convenient. No mixing, no spray can. Sure, about anything will work but that stuff is good, cheap and doesn't collect much dirt or gum up and you can find it at any hardware store or online. Everyone has their favorite.

For a long time I used parafin dissolved in unleaded gasoline. I also use the same mix as a floating agent for my dry fly fishing. Never tried air tool oil to float a dry fly though...(joke) The gasoline/wax mix worked great but it wasn't very easy to take on road trips or put in my bike tool box.


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

You can save money by going to the Home Depot or auto store, getting all the materials, mix it up yourself. OR, you could just go to the bike shop, but some lube, and save an ass-load of time and not get your garage all junked up. The time you save is like money anyway. So, what's the point of all the home-brew fluids?


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## gibbons (Nov 9, 2002)

What's OMS? O-Something-Mineral-Spirits, maybe?


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## glaucman (Feb 8, 2004)

gibbons said:


> What's OMS? O-Something-Mineral-Spirits, maybe?



odorless mineral spirits


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*All that trouble*



rook said:


> You can save money by going to the Home Depot or auto store, getting all the materials, mix it up yourself. OR, you could just go to the bike shop, but some lube, and save an ass-load of time and not get your garage all junked up. The time you save is like money anyway. So, what's the point of all the home-brew fluids?


Well, it takes me all of 30 seconds to pour some oil and OMS into an applicator bottle. How long does it take you to get to the bike shop?


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

Kerry Irons said:


> Well, it takes me all of 30 seconds to pour some oil and OMS into an applicator bottle. How long does it take you to get to the bike shop?



Good for you that you had some homebrew that was already made up. I mean great! All of 30 seconds, huh?! That's incredible. Not even a trip to the Home Depot or Auto store to get the parts and then all the mixing. I wish I had the stuff just lying around in my garage so I could just spend 30 seconds on it. :thumbsup:


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

*SEARS Air Tool Oil*



Gnarly 928 said:


> Just sayin' That air tool oil is inexpensive and convenient. No mixing, no spray can. Sure, about anything will work but that stuff is good, cheap and doesn't collect much dirt or gum up and you can find it at any hardware store or online.


Gnarly:
I have a Compressor and a shop full of air tools, but never thought of using my SEARS Air Tool Oil until this Thread. I put some in an empty Chain Oil Bottle with dripper spout. Wiped my Chain Clean and applied Air Tool Oil. It seems very thin and wipes clean. I road it today on my FG and it was very nice: smooth and quiet, and at the end of 45 miles the chain wiped clean with very little dirt/black.
I am normally a Home Brew guy, but may try this for a while.
Love the red color and neat smell.:thumbsup:
Thanks.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*All that stuff*



rook said:


> Good for you that you had some homebrew that was already made up. I mean great! All of 30 seconds, huh?! That's incredible. Not even a trip to the Home Depot or Auto store to get the parts and then all the mixing. I wish I had the stuff just lying around in my garage so I could just spend 30 seconds on it. :thumbsup:


All I have "lying around in my garage" is a bottle of oil and a can of OMS. Since that lasts a few years, I think I can stand a trip to the hardware store now and then. "All the mixing?" What the heck are you talking about. You put some oil in the applicator bottle, then put in some OMS, and shake. It's really not that hard! It sure seems like you're making this into a lot more than it is. There's nothing wrong with buying chain lube from a bike shop, but don't try to convince yourself or the rest of us that making up home brew is some sort of P-Chem lab final exam.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

One batch of Hb lasts forever. Air tool oil is basically ATF with a little bit of solvent to carry it.
I have had some of my air tools for 20 years of hard daily use. All they have ever seen for lube is ATF. I clean them whole in the solvent tank and run the lube through. Still working fine. No reason it wont work on a chain.


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

Kerry Irons said:


> All I have "lying around in my garage" is a bottle of oil and a can of OMS. Since that lasts a few years, I think I can stand a trip to the hardware store now and then. "All the mixing?" What the heck are you talking about. You put some oil in the applicator bottle, then put in some OMS, and shake. It's really not that hard! It sure seems like you're making this into a lot more than it is. There's nothing wrong with buying chain lube from a bike shop, but don't try to convince yourself or the rest of us that making up home brew is some sort of P-Chem lab final exam.



LOL! No prob Kerry. I was just messing with you because you were acting like it was going to only take you 30 seconds to do a home lube job compared to me taking longer than 30 seconds because I had to drive to the bike shop every time I had to lube my chain. You didn't factor in the time it takes you to drive to the Home Depot and make your own stuff. It's all good though! I know that the home brew way is really slow and messy. All that extra effort you spend is really worth it though because you get to have exactly the oily brew you want. So, good for you! :thumbsup:


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## Val_Garou (Apr 30, 2002)

rook said:


> LOL! No prob Kerry. I was just messing with you because you were acting like it was going to only take you 30 seconds to do a home lube job compared to me taking longer than 30 seconds because I had to drive to the bike shop every time I had to lube my chain. You didn't factor in the time it takes you to drive to the Home Depot and make your own stuff. It's all good though! I know that the home brew way is really slow and messy. All that extra effort you spend is really worth it though because you get to have exactly the oily brew you want. So, good for you! :thumbsup:


You're an unpleasant little fellow, aren't you?


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

Val_Garou said:


> You're an unpleasant little fellow, aren't you?


Dude. You need to chill buddy. it was a joke. Kerry has my total respect for doing what he does. Just because I am a lazy ass and do it the easy bike shop way does NOT mean what he is doing is stupid. So catch a freaking clue. I told him I was just messing around.

Kerry, you keep at it. One of these days, I'll run out of my bike shop lube and get to the home brew too. As for your Val, take a hike. It might be your sport.


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## dead flag blues (Aug 26, 2004)

Homebrew. Lately it's been Bardahl 20w-50 Motorcycle Racing Oil and Gamsol Mineral Spirits.


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