Air tool oil - 3 in One??

California · Jul 31, 2008

For hobby use, is 3 in One oil suitable for air tools? (Their website shows air tools as a recommended application, FWIW.)

Out in the barn I have a lifetime supply of 3 in One; numerous old tins of the stuff.

There's also WD40 (the old stuff you can start engines with), and Liquid Wrench. Are those suitable? I'll never use up all this stuff (Dad's yard sale finds!) until I find some application for them.

The manual for the tool (HF needle scaler) just says light non-detergent oil. I was thinking about using compressor oil since it's non-detergent, but it may not be thin enough. Or does that make any difference?

This isn't heavy use where I will wear the tool out, I'm more concerned about lube in use plus not gumming it up, rotting the seals, or letting the insides rust.

Any comments? Thanks!

Blagadan · Jul 31, 2008

I've been using 3 in 1 for the last 10 years in all my air equipment and it works fine for me. Make sure you dont load up with too much oil though. A couple of drops each time you use the tool and you'll be fine.

ToadHill · Jul 31, 2008

I think the oil is generally for dissipation of moisture from the air as much as lubrication. The air tools I've had apart had sealed bearings.

Danno1 · Jul 31, 2008

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I use Marvelous Mystery Oil. Dunno about "light" or "detergent; I just like the smell!

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Bird · Jul 31, 2008

The air tools I've had apart had sealed bearings.

Having been in the air tool repair business, I've had about a thousand air tools apart, and some had sealed bearings, but the majority did not.

Make sure you dont load up with too much oil though.

You CANNOT harm the tool with too much oil in through the air intake. The excess will simply be blown out the exhaust. But of course that can be messy so a few drops is sufficient. A few drops and one short burst of air AFTER use will help prevent corrosion and lenghten the life of the tool.

I use Marvelous Mystery Oil.

You're certainly not alone in that, but did you know that they also make Marvel Air Tool Oil specifically for air tools, which is what I used when I was repairing air tools.

For hobby use, is 3 in One oil suitable for air tools?

Any oil is better than no oil

and I don't think 3-in-One oil will hurt your air tools. Genuine air tool oil is a "gum solvent" oil and it's so cheap that I'd use it, although it probably isn't a big deal.

Now of course we're talking about the oil that's applied into the air intake of the tool to lubricate the air motor or piston, as the case may be. Some tools, such as some impact wrenches, also use oil in the front end instead of grease to lubricate the impact assembly. The recommended oil for that is either 20-W or 30-W non-detergent motor oil.

Sully2 · Jul 31, 2008

California said:
For hobby use, is 3 in One oil suitable for air tools? (Their website shows air tools as a recommended application, FWIW.)

Out in the barn I have a lifetime supply of 3 in One; numerous old tins of the stuff.

There's also WD40 (the old stuff you can start engines with), and Liquid Wrench. Are those suitable? I'll never use up all this stuff (Dad's yard sale finds!) until I find some application for them.

The manual for the tool (HF needle scaler) just says light non-detergent oil. I was thinking about using compressor oil since it's non-detergent, but it may not be thin enough. Or does that make any difference?

This isn't heavy use where I will wear the tool out, I'm more concerned about lube in use plus not gumming it up, rotting the seals, or letting the insides rust.

Any comments? Thanks!

You can buy the "right stuff" at places such as HD and Lowes because they sell air nauilers..etc. If you cant get the proper lub...then the air tool people recommend a straight 10 wgt...NON detergent oil. WD-40..etc..etc..cause the o-rings to swell and go to pieces.