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 *******
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.
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
snip----
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
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.
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!
Let the record show that "Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote
back on Mon, 10 Oct 2005 01:05:46 -0700 in rec.crafts.metalworking :
Back in those days ...
"Why, when I was a boy, we had brake fluid made from real brakes!"
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 ), 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
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
In article , pyotr filipivich writes
>Let the record show that "Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote
>back on Mon, 10 Oct 2005 01:05:46 -0700 in rec.crafts.metalworking : >>
>>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!"
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
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
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