RotoMetals2Lee PrecisionTitan ReloadingInline Fabrication
Reloading EverythingWidenersMidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad Data
Repackbox
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 48

Thread: Modified Ed's Red

  1. #1
    Boolit Master slughammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    SE PA
    Posts
    786

    Modified Ed's Red

    I am wanting to make up a batch of Modified Ed's Red and I want to leave out the Acetone (to protect the finish on wood).

    What I have is one gallon each of ATF, Kerosene, and Oderless Mineral Spirits

    Since the original recipe is only 25% ATF I was wondering if I should increase the amount of Kerosene and/or Oderless Mineral Spirits to keep the same ATF percentage.

    something like
    1 part ATF
    1.5 parts Kerosene
    1.5 parts Oderless Mineral Spirits

    or to keep the smell down a little more
    1 part ATF
    1 part Kerosene
    2 parts Oderless Mineral Spirits

    Any thoughts from the chemist out there?
    Happiness is a couple of 38's and a bucket of ammo.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    772
    Just leave the acetone out.

    1 Part Dexron III ATF
    1 Part deodorized K1 kerosene
    1 Part odorless mineral spirits (Not the water based)

    Works just fine for me. Even better than Hoppe's No. 9.
    Some times it's the pot,
    Some times it's the pan,
    It might even be the skillet,
    But, most of the time, it's the cook.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

    MBTcustom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    6,994
    Honestly, I have noticed no ill effect on gunstocks from the acetone in the mixture. I don't know if it's because the rest of the ingredients saturate it so that it's too preoccupied to attack the stock finish or what, but Ive been using the stuff professionally for years now, and I have seen no damage to wood finish whatsoever.

    Would you mind telling me what finish you have experienced damage to?
    Precision in the wrong place is only a placebo.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Blanco's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cowtown / Ft. Worth
    Posts
    626
    my modified recipe
    in 3rds
    Valvoline universal ATF (lowest odor)
    low odor mineral Spirits
    10 Wt compressor oil
    Then I add a shot of orange oil cleaner (LPS)
    Cleans like gangbusters, leaves a light oil film behind and the orange oil has degreasers and smells good to boot.
    I tried using it with acetone bit never liked it besides acetone will cause condensation on metal... Not good.
    I never purposely put mine on wood but what got there never hurt anything.
    Do, or do not.
    There is no try.
    Yoda

  5. #5
    Boolit Master slughammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    SE PA
    Posts
    786
    Quote Originally Posted by goodsteel View Post
    Honestly, I have noticed no ill effect on gunstocks from the acetone in the mixture. I don't know if it's because the rest of the ingredients saturate it so that it's too preoccupied to attack the stock finish or what, but Ive been using the stuff professionally for years now, and I have seen no damage to wood finish whatsoever.

    Would you mind telling me what finish you have experienced damage to?
    No experience with damage to finishes, just going off what I've read several times.
    Happiness is a couple of 38's and a bucket of ammo.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,158
    I just leave the acetone out. Original purpose for the acetone was to cut plastic wad fouling in shotguns. opr to speed the action of the cleaner if you clean at the range between match stages. Don't add it if you don't need it. If you are patient and let it soak a while it does the job.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  7. #7
    Grouchy Old Curmudgeon

    shooter93's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    1,795
    Tim...acetone is poison to a number of finishes. Many varnishes and oil varnish finishes even some catalyzed lacquers. I leave it out of Ed's Red myself. I've never tried to see if it hurt the finish my Gunmaker uses but I'm not about to gamble either. I do finish a huge amount of wood and have used numerous types of finishes and I keep acetone away from them just to be safe unless I'm stripping the finish. Lacquer thinner will harm a fair amount of finishes also.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    563
    I use it with the acetone. I have not noticed any damage but I don't leave it on the wood for long, if I get some on. Acetone is a great solvent. Hatcher's original recipe, that Ed Harris updated, used acetone, long before plastic wads. No doubt the acetone does work fine on their fouling though. Next time I mix a batch, I am going to put some lanolin in it.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    usa
    Posts
    508
    I made my first gallon just this year and have been cleaning every thing I can get my hands on prepping for a busy shooting season. Glad I made it b.c. my mosins and other military rifles would have broke the bank on purchasing cleaner.

    Only problem I see is the newer gas tanks have "child" proof contraptions on them and orings. The oring started to dissolve a little, but found a nice all metal gas can at my brothers and it will be easier to pour. Have been using the ATF bottle for everyday use.

    Curious what others are using for storage purposes?

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    563
    I just used the metal can that the mineral spirits came in when I made it the first time. I already had everything I needed. Finished that bottle of mineral spirits so I just put it in that can. I only mix quarts though. But when I bought kerosene at the hardware store, it came in a gallon metal can. For my quart can, I just measure 8 oz of each, pour it in the can and give it a shake or two.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Thomasville North Carolina
    Posts
    4,695
    Just made a new batch this past weekend, with acetone, for the wifes shotgun. Also, with my switching to PC I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to leave it in.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    Blanco's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cowtown / Ft. Worth
    Posts
    626
    Harbor freight has a 3 Pk of clear pint squirt bottles for about $2~$3
    perfect for gun cleaning.


    Quote Originally Posted by DeadWoodDan View Post
    I made my first gallon just this year and have been cleaning every thing I can get my hands on prepping for a busy shooting season. Glad I made it b.c. my mosins and other military rifles would have broke the bank on purchasing cleaner.

    Only problem I see is the newer gas tanks have "child" proof contraptions on them and orings. The oring started to dissolve a little, but found a nice all metal gas can at my brothers and it will be easier to pour. Have been using the ATF bottle for everyday use.

    Curious what others are using for storage purposes?
    Do, or do not.
    There is no try.
    Yoda

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    usa
    Posts
    508
    My main concern was if plastic was suitable for storing this mixture in, especially since I saw what it did to the o-ring on gas can. I have not noticed any issues with the plastic qt. of ATF that I am using. Assuming it is a different material able to with stand the mixture.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

    MBTcustom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    6,994
    I keep my Eds red in a plastic jug, and I squirt it out of a plastic spray bottle. I've only been using these two containers for two years though. Maybe one day they'll fall apart all of a sudden.
    Like I said, I wouldn't expect either of those containers to last for more than an hour if I poured straight acetone in there.
    Im trying to tell you that when mixed in the solution, it's not as aggressive as it is in its raw form. I've been using this stuff since I started Gunsmithing, and I have not damaged a single stock with it. I consider water to be more hazardous to wood finish than eds red.
    I don't go just wiping my stocks down with it, but if I bought there was even a snowballs chance that it would harm wood finish, it would not be allowed in the shop. Especially when I've got stocks here with 20 coats of finish hand rubbed into them!
    I tested this on my own firearms by wiping them down with fresh Eds red with a cotton rag, freshly wet with the stuff. No effect at all (except maybe making them look a little shinier).

    So please, if anyone can give me an example of a stock that was ruined by this cleaner, please post here.
    Precision in the wrong place is only a placebo.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    East Arkansas where I55 & I40 come together and then split
    Posts
    689
    From what I've been told by a chemist is that the acetone will evaporate out of the solution, the last time I made a batch I just left it out.
    I couldn't tell the difference.

    Besides acetone comes in a plastic bottle. At least the time or 2 that I have bought it.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
    Shiloh's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Upper Midwest
    Posts
    6,763
    What C.F.Plinker said about the acetone. Leave it out.

    Shiloh
    Je suis Charlie

    "A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves."
    Bertrand de Jouvenel

    “Any government that does not trust its citizens with firearms is either a tyranny, or planning to become one.” – Joseph P. Martino

    “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert , in five years there would be a shortage of sand.” – Milton Friedman

    "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns; why should we let them have ideas?" - J. Stalin

  17. #17
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    southwest Louisiana
    Posts
    983
    Acetone will, over time, migrate through most plastics that it doesn't attack outright.

    If you make the acetone version of ER use metal or glas containers and pay attention to the sealing methods, You can research the suitability of plastics with acetone on the Internet.

    dale in Louisiana

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,239
    Ed's Red doesn't require an exact formula. Anywhere close and the stuff will work pretty much as designed. Concerned about acetone? Just leave it out...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master slughammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    SE PA
    Posts
    786
    Quote Originally Posted by Blanco View Post
    my modified recipe
    in 3rds
    Valvoline universal ATF (lowest odor)
    low odor mineral Spirits
    10 Wt compressor oil
    Then I add a shot of orange oil cleaner (LPS)
    Cleans like gangbusters, leaves a light oil film behind and the orange oil has degreasers and smells good to boot.
    ....

    I made up a batch and used 16 oz each of ATF, K1 Kero and Oderless Mineral Spirits

    The ATF I used was Castrol DEX/MERC and it sure has some stink in it. I added most of an 8oz bottle of Goo Gone and it had little if any positive effect on the smell.

    I'm temped to make up another batch using your recommendation of the Valvoline Universal ATF.
    Happiness is a couple of 38's and a bucket of ammo.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

    MBTcustom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    6,994
    You know, I'm looking at this the wrong way. The question is not weather or not the acetone will attack gunstocks or not. It's weather I want to pay good money for that component when so many here say it works just fine without it!
    OK, you have convinced me to try it. Next time I'm going to whip up a batch, I'll make it without first and see if it works as well as the regular formula. If it does, then you guys just saved me some $$$ and I appreciate it.
    Following that logic, if it works as well without the acetone as it does with, then why not play it safe and leave a potentially harmful chemical out of the mix?
    That makes perfect sense to me.
    Precision in the wrong place is only a placebo.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check