Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
RWL
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

The metalworking content is that I bought two old cans of brake fluid
for the metal cans. One will be used for Ed's Red - the acetone
evaporates through plastic, so for longer term storage you need a
metal can. I may modify the cap of the other one to become a
dispenser.

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


******* Recreate gaps in email address to reply *******
  #2   Report Post  
Richard J Kinch
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

RWL writes:

BTW, what's in brake fluid?


Various glycols and glycol ethers. You want incompressibility for
hydraulic performance, low vapor pressure to avoid evaporation losses, high
boiling point to handle hot brake systems, miscibility with water to
disperse water contamination instead of separating it where it could freeze
or boil, non-corrosive to metal, inert to elastomers, low flammability.
  #3   Report Post  
Ron Moore
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

It makes a great paint remover. Just spill some on the car.
Does work as a decent solvent.
Respectfully,
Ron Moore

"RWL" GeoLane_NOSPAM_ @evenlink.com wrote in message
...
The metalworking content is that I bought two old cans of brake fluid
for the metal cans. One will be used for Ed's Red - the acetone
evaporates through plastic, so for longer term storage you need a
metal can. I may modify the cap of the other one to become a
dispenser.

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


******* Recreate gaps in email address to reply *******



  #4   Report Post  
Gunner
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 23:11:02 -0400, RWL GeoLane_NOSPAM_
@evenlink.com wrote:

The metalworking content is that I bought two old cans of brake fluid
for the metal cans. One will be used for Ed's Red - the acetone
evaporates through plastic, so for longer term storage you need a
metal can. I may modify the cap of the other one to become a
dispenser.

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


******* Recreate gaps in email address to reply *******



You can always mix it with swimming pool powdered clorine..in the yard
of someone you dont like...really intensely dont like....

I believe that brake fluid is polyethylene glycol

Gunner

Confronting Liberals with the facts of reality is very much akin to
clubbing baby seals. It gets boring after a while, but because Liberals are
so stupid it is easy work." Steven M. Barry
  #5   Report Post  
Harold and Susan Vordos
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"RWL" GeoLane_NOSPAM_ @evenlink.com wrote in message
...
snip----

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


From my young years (early 50's), I was taught that it was made from alcohol
and castor oil. You can smell the alcohol----not sure about the castor
oil, but it makes sense.

Harold




  #6   Report Post  
Eide
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

what'll happen?

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 23:11:02 -0400, RWL GeoLane_NOSPAM_
@evenlink.com wrote:

The metalworking content is that I bought two old cans of brake fluid
for the metal cans. One will be used for Ed's Red - the acetone
evaporates through plastic, so for longer term storage you need a
metal can. I may modify the cap of the other one to become a
dispenser.

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


******* Recreate gaps in email address to reply *******



You can always mix it with swimming pool powdered clorine..in the yard
of someone you dont like...really intensely dont like....

I believe that brake fluid is polyethylene glycol

Gunner

Confronting Liberals with the facts of reality is very much akin to
clubbing baby seals. It gets boring after a while, but because Liberals
are
so stupid it is easy work." Steven M. Barry



  #7   Report Post  
Don Foreman
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:49:39 -0400, "Eide"
wrote:

what'll happen?


It's a delayed incindiary. Starts fires. Fire departments know all
about this arsonist's technique.
  #8   Report Post  
Newshound
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

From my young years (early 50's), I was taught that it was made from
alcohol
and castor oil. You can smell the alcohol----not sure about the castor
oil, but it makes sense.


Not any more (if ever). It's stuff like this:

http://www.chemicalland21.com/arokor...emical/DEG.htm


  #9   Report Post  
Harold and Susan Vordos
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"Newshound" wrote in message
...
From my young years (early 50's), I was taught that it was made from
alcohol
and castor oil. You can smell the alcohol----not sure about the castor
oil, but it makes sense.


Not any more (if ever). It's stuff like this:

http://www.chemicalland21.com/arokor...emical/DEG.htm



Thanks for the link! Nice to hear it from the horse's mouth.:-)

Harold


  #10   Report Post  
Kelley Mascher
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

Makes a good weed killer...

On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 23:11:02 -0400, RWL GeoLane_NOSPAM_
@evenlink.com wrote:

The metalworking content is that I bought two old cans of brake fluid
for the metal cans. One will be used for Ed's Red - the acetone
evaporates through plastic, so for longer term storage you need a
metal can. I may modify the cap of the other one to become a
dispenser.

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


******* Recreate gaps in email address to reply *******




  #11   Report Post  
*
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

Actually, if you were to smell the Girling brake fluid, you would
distinctly smell the castor oil.

Years ago, when I serviced a large number of older European and British
cars, we had to keep Girling fluid in stock for the British iron.

You cannot mix the two due to differing compositions of the brake system
rubber parts between the European and British cars.

Put the wrong fluid in either system, and you were headed for trouble.


  #12   Report Post  
Harold and Susan Vordos
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"*" wrote in message
news:01c5ce5f$135ffd40$f1a7c3d8@race...
Actually, if you were to smell the Girling brake fluid, you would
distinctly smell the castor oil.

Years ago, when I serviced a large number of older European and British
cars, we had to keep Girling fluid in stock for the British iron.

You cannot mix the two due to differing compositions of the brake system
rubber parts between the European and British cars.

Put the wrong fluid in either system, and you were headed for trouble.



Thanks for confirming what I had remembered. Brake fluid, indeed, used to
be made of alcohol and castor oil.

OK----I admit it-------I'm old. g

Harold


  #13   Report Post  
Richard Kanarek
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

X-No-Archive


Greetings,


PMBI, but I've been wondering how to get rid of some brake fluid (DOT
4), and this seemed like a great opportunity to ask.

I change the brake fluid in by bike (Honda, not Schwinn :-) every
year, and the stuff is starting to accumulate (a bit more than one
quart so far). Is it safe to flush, or does it require some sort of
special disposal? I asked at my local gas station, and they had no
idea what to do with used brake fluid!

Thanks in advance for the assistance!


Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


P.S. Having been stored out doors, in sealed, but probably not
hermitically sealed, bottles, I doubt it's still good for anything
now. Still, if there is someone in NYC who's keen on having used brake
fluid, feel free to reply! My e-mail address is obfuscated, but I
think you can figure it out!
  #14   Report Post  
Rudy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

I asked at my local gas station, and they had no
idea what to do with used brake fluid!


Dump it in with your "used" when you do an oil change, then drop it off at
the recyclers.


  #15   Report Post  
pyotr filipivich
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

Let the record show that "Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote
back on Mon, 10 Oct 2005 01:05:46 -0700 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

"RWL" GeoLane_NOSPAM_ @evenlink.com wrote in message
.. .
snip----

Before I discard the old brake fluid, is it useful for anything around
the shop? BTW, what's in brake fluid?


RWL


From my young years (early 50's), I was taught that it was made from alcohol
and castor oil. You can smell the alcohol----not sure about the castor
oil, but it makes sense.


Back in those days ...

"Why, when I was a boy, we had brake fluid made from real brakes!"
--
pyotr filipivich
Old farts these days - no like when I was a boy. We used to
have us Real Geezers in those days. Now, they'll let anybody
with a little gray hair be an old fart.


  #16   Report Post  
Meye5
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

well u can always drink it.

  #17   Report Post  
Richard Kanarek
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

Thanks for the reply.

AFAIK, contaminated motor oil is not only non-recyclable, but it makes
the oil it's mixed with non-recyclable, too. By non-recyclable, I
don't mean to suggest that it might be refused at the filling station
(although there was one guy at a Jiffy Lube who would sniff used oil
before accepting it, may he rest in peace g), but that it will just
muck-(no pun)-up things up later.

Of course, I'm not saying that brake fluid tainted used motor oil is
"contaminated" -- perhaps brake fluid is a swell and recyclable
additive? -- but I'd prefer not to take the chance.

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 02:07:48 GMT, "Rudy"
wrote:

I asked at my local gas station, and they had no
idea what to do with used brake fluid!


Dump it in with your "used" when you do an oil change, then drop it off at
the recyclers.


  #19   Report Post  
Harold and Susan Vordos
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"Richard Kanarek" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply.

AFAIK, contaminated motor oil is not only non-recyclable, but it makes
the oil it's mixed with non-recyclable, too. By non-recyclable, I
don't mean to suggest that it might be refused at the filling station
(although there was one guy at a Jiffy Lube who would sniff used oil
before accepting it, may he rest in peace g), but that it will just
muck-(no pun)-up things up later.

Of course, I'm not saying that brake fluid tainted used motor oil is
"contaminated" -- perhaps brake fluid is a swell and recyclable
additive? -- but I'd prefer not to take the chance.

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


I agree. Motor oil, in order to be properly recycled, should not be
contaminated with ANYTHING------especially gasoline or solvents. I keep
thinking of the hazards of using used oil for a furnace that has been so
contaminated. Could prove interesting!

Harold



  #20   Report Post  
Gerald Miller
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 09:43:40 +0100, "Ian R.Weeks"
wrote:

Dear Pyotr,
In the days before I built 5" gauge live steam ,I played with
HO railways. If I remember correctly Brake fluid was used to strip the
paint off commercial plastic locomotive body shells prior to re-painting
in a different livery. the plastic was left undamaged
Regards Ian

I have a small jar of brake fluid in which I soak rattle can nozzles
for a couple days, then blow them clean with compressed air.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada


  #21   Report Post  
Larry Jaques
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:09:01 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm,
Gerald Miller quickly quoth:

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 09:43:40 +0100, "Ian R.Weeks"
wrote:

Dear Pyotr,
In the days before I built 5" gauge live steam ,I played with
HO railways. If I remember correctly Brake fluid was used to strip the
paint off commercial plastic locomotive body shells prior to re-painting
in a different livery. the plastic was left undamaged
Regards Ian

I have a small jar of brake fluid in which I soak rattle can nozzles
for a couple days, then blow them clean with compressed air.


Good tip, Gerry, if you'll pardon my double entendre.


-------------------------------------------------
- Boldly going - * Wondrous Website Design
- nowhere. - * http://www.diversify.com
-------------------------------------------------
  #22   Report Post  
Diamond Jim
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...

"Richard Kanarek" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply.

AFAIK, contaminated motor oil is not only non-recyclable, but it makes
the oil it's mixed with non-recyclable, too. By non-recyclable, I
don't mean to suggest that it might be refused at the filling station
(although there was one guy at a Jiffy Lube who would sniff used oil
before accepting it, may he rest in peace g), but that it will just
muck-(no pun)-up things up later.

Of course, I'm not saying that brake fluid tainted used motor oil is
"contaminated" -- perhaps brake fluid is a swell and recyclable
additive? -- but I'd prefer not to take the chance.

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


I agree. Motor oil, in order to be properly recycled, should not be
contaminated with ANYTHING------especially gasoline or solvents. I keep
thinking of the hazards of using used oil for a furnace that has been so
contaminated. Could prove interesting!

Harold


Well you don't just burn used motor oil in a furnace without
treating/filtering it anyway. At least you don't if you know what's good for
you. Used motor oil is contaminated with all sorts of things, cadmium for
example (from bearings) which is bad for you when you get it into your
system. (This is why garages/service stations stopped burning motor oil for
supplemental heating. There used to be quite a market for stoves to burn
used motor oil.)

You burn the untreated oil, the contaminating products get into the air, you
breath the air, or touch a contaminated surface, eat something that has been
grown in contaminated soil in your garden, and wonder why you die or your
children are born with two heads etc..


  #23   Report Post  
Harold and Susan Vordos
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?


"Diamond Jim" wrote in message
. com...

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...

"Richard Kanarek" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply.

AFAIK, contaminated motor oil is not only non-recyclable, but it makes
the oil it's mixed with non-recyclable, too. By non-recyclable, I
don't mean to suggest that it might be refused at the filling station
(although there was one guy at a Jiffy Lube who would sniff used oil
before accepting it, may he rest in peace g), but that it will just
muck-(no pun)-up things up later.

Of course, I'm not saying that brake fluid tainted used motor oil is
"contaminated" -- perhaps brake fluid is a swell and recyclable
additive? -- but I'd prefer not to take the chance.

Cordially,
Richard Kanarek


I agree. Motor oil, in order to be properly recycled, should not be
contaminated with ANYTHING------especially gasoline or solvents. I

keep
thinking of the hazards of using used oil for a furnace that has been so
contaminated. Could prove interesting!

Harold


Well you don't just burn used motor oil in a furnace without
treating/filtering it anyway. At least you don't if you know what's good

for
you. Used motor oil is contaminated with all sorts of things, cadmium for
example (from bearings) which is bad for you when you get it into your
system. (This is why garages/service stations stopped burning motor oil

for
supplemental heating. There used to be quite a market for stoves to burn
used motor oil.)

You burn the untreated oil, the contaminating products get into the air,

you
breath the air, or touch a contaminated surface, eat something that has

been
grown in contaminated soil in your garden, and wonder why you die or your
children are born with two heads etc..

I'll give you all of that, but my concern was more of the nature of a
storage tank that has an atmosphere ready to explode. Maybe not much of a
concern, though, when you consider gasoline is stored in tanks without
problems. Just thinking out loud.

Harold


  #24   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

Maybe someone should tell my local body shop. Well they have stopped
using used motor oil for supplemental heating. They use it for all
their heating. Their tip for me was turn off the heat in the storage
tank during the summer. They forgot and it turned some oil into coke.

Dan


Diamond Jim wrote:

Well you don't just burn used motor oil in a furnace without
treating/filtering it anyway. At least you don't if you know what's good for
you. Used motor oil is contaminated with all sorts of things, cadmium for
example (from bearings) which is bad for you when you get it into your
system. (This is why garages/service stations stopped burning motor oil for
supplemental heating. There used to be quite a market for stoves to burn
used motor oil.)


  #26   Report Post  
Bruce L. Bergman
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

On 19 Oct 2005 20:14:16 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:

In article .com,
says...

Maybe someone should tell my local body shop. Well they have stopped
using used motor oil for supplemental heating. They use it for all
their heating. Their tip for me was turn off the heat in the storage
tank during the summer. They forgot and it turned some oil into coke.


LOL. The gas station across the street was using a waste oil heater
for a while. I went over there one night because the haze inside
the building was *intense*. The two young guys working inside
were just about keeled over from the fumes.

The new owner said that it never did work right, so they took the
waste oil heater out.


If thy can't get the flue to draw on a waste oil heater, I would be
rather leery about having them fix my car. Heat rises, and cool air
follows it in the draft diverter. If the heat isn't rising, either
the flue or the fresh makeup air is restricted.

Though the 'drip' style waste oil burners seem rather hit-and-miss
to me - gas stations have compressed air, so a Babbington style oil
burner should be trivial to kit-bash.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.
  #27   Report Post  
jim rozen
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

In article , Bruce L. Bergman
says...

If thy can't get the flue to draw on a waste oil heater, I would be
rather leery about having them fix my car. Heat rises, and cool air
follows it in the draft diverter. If the heat isn't rising, either
the flue or the fresh makeup air is restricted.


LOL. These were the kids who worked there during the day, but they
were allowed to stay on at night and work on their own cars. I
made sure the owner worked on my car. That was a long time ago,
and the proprietor is long gone. He was the last local guy I would
trust to work on a car or truck of mine, so for the time being
I'm doing all my own work now.

Though the 'drip' style waste oil burners seem rather hit-and-miss
to me - gas stations have compressed air, so a Babbington style oil
burner should be trivial to kit-bash.


Apparently not, at least for them. This was the type fed with
compressed air.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================
  #28   Report Post  
Ron Thompson
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?



Well you don't just burn used motor oil in a furnace without
treating/filtering it anyway. At least you don't if you know what's good for
you. Used motor oil is contaminated with all sorts of things, cadmium for
example (from bearings) which is bad for you when you get it into your
system. (This is why garages/service stations stopped burning motor oil for
supplemental heating. There used to be quite a market for stoves to burn
used motor oil.)

You burn the untreated oil, the contaminating products get into the air, you
breath the air, or touch a contaminated surface, eat something that has been
grown in contaminated soil in your garden, and wonder why you die or your
children are born with two heads etc..

This sounds like alarmist thinking to me.
The EPA allows burning a waste motor oil for heat as an accepted way to dispose
of it.


Ron Thompson
On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

http://www.plansandprojects.com
My hobby pages are he
http://www.plansandprojects.com/My%20Machines/

Severe stupidity is self correcting, but mild stupidity is rampant in the land.
-Ron Thompson


  #29   Report Post  
Jon Danniken
 
Posts: n/a
Default Brake Fluid - Alternative Use?

"Ron Thompson" wrote:


Well you don't just burn used motor oil in a furnace without
treating/filtering it anyway. At least you don't if you know what's good

for
you. Used motor oil is contaminated with all sorts of things, cadmium for
example (from bearings) which is bad for you when you get it into your
system. (This is why garages/service stations stopped burning motor oil

for
supplemental heating. There used to be quite a market for stoves to burn
used motor oil.)

You burn the untreated oil, the contaminating products get into the air,

you
breath the air, or touch a contaminated surface, eat something that has

been
grown in contaminated soil in your garden, and wonder why you die or your
children are born with two heads etc..

This sounds like alarmist thinking to me.
The EPA allows burning a waste motor oil for heat as an accepted way to

dispose
of it.


Mother Earth News thinks it's a good idea also:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_...th/me4.html#mw
oh


Jon

Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Sears Lawn Tractor Brake Repair Pavel314 Home Repair 0 June 25th 05 01:51 AM
Metal Working Machinery New and Used in Australia and for Export [email protected] Metalworking 0 February 23rd 05 03:54 AM
Broke my Metal Brake :0 James Lerch Metalworking 8 January 1st 05 07:48 PM
hydraulic fluid Wwj2110 Metalworking 6 September 19th 03 03:24 AM
Fluid Drive variable speed query A MacAulay Woodturning 1 August 25th 03 03:26 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:04 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"