# Marvel Mystery Oil



## limr (Apr 18, 2016)

There's this corner of my garage that I just can't stop photographing. I've captured it with several different cameras and films, and even on paper with a pinhole camera. It seems to have been waiting, however, for IP film and an SX-70.




rMarvel Mystery Oil by limrodrigues, on Flickr


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## tirediron (Apr 18, 2016)

Is there any Marvel oil left?  My tin ran out a few years ago... wonderful!


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## limr (Apr 18, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Is there any Marvel oil left?  My tin ran out a few years ago... wonderful!



I can check and send you some


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## tirediron (Apr 18, 2016)




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## pgriz (Apr 18, 2016)

What I want to know, Lenny, is where did you find the keys to the time machine?  There is not a thing in that shot that's younger than 80 years or so.  C'mon.  fess up.


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## limr (Apr 18, 2016)

pgriz said:


> What I want to know, Lenny, is where did you find the keys to the time machine?  There is not a thing in that shot that's younger than 80 years or so.  C'mon.  fess up.



 I'll never tell!







(PS - Yay, Paul is back!!   )


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## pgriz (Apr 18, 2016)

There is a plan afoot for some Canadians (no, not Cruz - you keep him) to invade your area.  Probably September-ish.  I'll let you know and see if we can find a spot to meet.  Because I am a fan of time-machines.  And people who have keys for them.


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## limr (Apr 18, 2016)

pgriz said:


> There is a plan afoot for some Canadians (no, not Cruz - you keep him) to invade your area.  Probably September-ish.  I'll let you know and see if we can find a spot to meet.  Because I am a fan of time-machines.  And people who have keys for them.



Yes, yes, please let me know...or I can just take a quick ride in my time machine and let YOU know!


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## DarkShadow (Apr 19, 2016)

What better way to shot old stuff with Old school.It just has that character that Digital can't compete with.Nice


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## Didereaux (Apr 19, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Is there any Marvel oil left?  My tin ran out a few years ago... wonderful!




Still available.  I am never without it   Rather amazing stuff.


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## DarkShadow (Apr 19, 2016)

Its a Mystery how its so Marvel but it is. Love the stuff.


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## pgriz (Apr 19, 2016)

I thought that perhaps WD-40 supplanted it.  But then, not having had the original, I may be comparing apples and oranges.  Looks like I might have to explore the hardware store located in upstate Vermont, near my cottage.  I don't think anything in that place is newer than 30 years old, but everything they sell works well and lasts forever.  Quite possibly the kind of place that stocks Mystery Marvel Oil.  At least now I know what to look for.  Because everyone needs a little mystery in their lives.


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## Dagwood56 (Apr 19, 2016)

I absolutely love this image!


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## Gary A. (Apr 19, 2016)

Good stuff Leo.


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## limr (Apr 19, 2016)

Well, it doesn't come in that cool tin anymore, but you all may be happy to learn that Marvel Mystery Oil is still in production  Amazon.com: Marvel MM12R Mystery Oil - 16 oz.: Automotive


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## limr (Apr 19, 2016)

DarkShadow said:


> What better way to shot old stuff with Old school.It just has that character that Digital can't compete with.Nice



Thanks  That corner gets really great light in the afternoon and every time I see it at that time of day, nostalgia hits fast and hard. I agree that digital would just be too sharp, too detailed, too smooth to express that kind of strong-but-fuzzy-memory feeling. The softness and subtle color shifts of the IP film through that lens are, for me, what creates he visual match to the feeling.



Dagwood56 said:


> I absolutely love this image!





Gary A. said:


> Good stuff Leo.



Thanks, you two!


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## tirediron (Apr 19, 2016)

Didereaux said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > Is there any Marvel oil left?  My tin ran out a few years ago... wonderful!
> ...


 Yeahbut... the new stuff isn't the same.  It's gotten all safe and non-cancer-causing...


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## Braineack (Apr 19, 2016)

nice pic.  I cant believe that snake oil still exists.


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## Didereaux (Apr 19, 2016)

pgriz said:


> I thought that perhaps WD-40 supplanted it.  But then, not having had the original, I may be comparing apples and oranges.  Looks like I might have to explore the hardware store located in upstate Vermont, near my cottage.  I don't think anything in that place is newer than 30 years old, but everything they sell works well and lasts forever.  Quite possibly the kind of place that stocks Mystery Marvel Oil.  At least now I know what to look for.  Because everyone needs a little mystery in their lives.



WD-40, and Marvel share nothing other than they started out as mostly crude oil.


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## vintagesnaps (Apr 19, 2016)

Oh yeah, that picture is nice!


I already have a Canadian invasion of sorts, watching TSN online. If Lenny's on the receiving end of a real life in-person invasion I hope she knows how to make poutine.


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## limr (Apr 19, 2016)

vintagesnaps said:


> Oh yeah, that picture is nice!
> 
> 
> I already have a Canadian invasion of sorts, watching TSN online. If Lenny's on the receiving end of a real life in-person invasion I hope she knows how to make poutine.



I don't, unless there is a vegetarian variety


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## weepete (Apr 19, 2016)

Lovely shot, I really like the oil cans too. Takes me back to my apprenticeship cleaning out and oiling a 1960's Hardinge lathe on a Friday so it was clean for the weekend. Ach, they were cracking machines those wee lathes.


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## annamaria (Apr 19, 2016)

Nice film shot I like it.


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## pgriz (Apr 19, 2016)

limr said:


> vintagesnaps said:
> 
> 
> > Oh yeah, that picture is nice!
> ...



Gravy and cheese are vegetarian, right?


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## pgriz (Apr 19, 2016)

Didereaux said:


> pgriz said:
> 
> 
> > I thought that perhaps WD-40 supplanted it.  But then, not having had the original, I may be comparing apples and oranges.  Looks like I might have to explore the hardware store located in upstate Vermont, near my cottage.  I don't think anything in that place is newer than 30 years old, but everything they sell works well and lasts forever.  Quite possibly the kind of place that stocks Mystery Marvel Oil.  At least now I know what to look for.  Because everyone needs a little mystery in their lives.
> ...


Good to know.  The way some people use WD-40, you'd think it was a miracle in a can.  I wouldn't be surprised if some enterprising soul made it into a men's perfume.


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## tirediron (Apr 19, 2016)

pgriz said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > vintagesnaps said:
> ...


Yep...  but you really have to get the chopped smoked meat on it.


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## jcdeboever (Apr 19, 2016)

Very nice. Love it. Nominated April POTM

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## limr (Apr 19, 2016)

tirediron said:


> pgriz said:
> 
> 
> > limr said:
> ...



I thought the chopped meat was always part of poutine, but I guess it's just a variation. In that case, then yes, I'll make a nice poutine! 



jcdeboever said:


> Very nice. Love it. Nominated April POTM
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk



Awww, thank you, darlin'!


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## KenC (Apr 20, 2016)

@limr - missed this somehow until now - wonderful shot - love the trees in the window


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## limr (Apr 20, 2016)

KenC said:


> @limr - missed this somehow until now - wonderful shot - love the trees in the window



Thank you, Ken   The window is all smeared so trees through it always look kind of ghostly.


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## pez (Apr 25, 2016)

A very nice image! I still have my old SX-70. Hmm. Where can I get that film? You have got me interested in shooting with it again!


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## limr (Apr 26, 2016)

pez said:


> A very nice image! I still have my old SX-70. Hmm. Where can I get that film? You have got me interested in shooting with it again!



Impossible Project film is available in a lot of places - I'm even starting to see it more often in brick-and-mortar stores. My suggestion is to buy it from The Film Photography Project (Film Photography Project | An Internet Radio Show & On-Line Resource for Film Shooters Worldwide). It's usually a few dollars cheaper than everywhere else (generally $25 and FPP sells it for $22 - still pricey, but I've gotten quite fond of it, and even when Amazon has it at the lower price, I prefer supporting FPP. Plus you get a cool sticker  )

If you do decide to give it a try, definitely get the frog tongue (which they don't have at FPP): Amazon.com : Impossible PRD2776 Frog Tongue for Folding SLR Cameras (Black) : Camera & Photo  (This is the one for the folding SX-70.) Oh, and it's rated at 160 but practically speaking, I think it's a bit faster. If I'm shooting outdoors, I turn the exposure dial all the way to darken. 

IP film is VERY sensitive to light for several minutes after exposure, so when it shoots out of the camera, you are essentially further exposing the emulsion, and if you're outdoors, you're almost sure to end up with a yellow, over-exposed image. The tongue made a HUGE difference. I still am really careful - after the print is ejected and while still under the frog tongue, I'll turn the camera over and press it against my body so I can slide the print out from under the frog tongue, keep it pressed face-down against my body, and slide it into a pocket or my camera bag to finish exposing (it takes a while. I usually peek at 30 minutes - it's close to the final image and it's much less sensitive at that point.)

It's definitely a process! And there's only 8 shots, so you really want to make them count. It might take a pack or two to figure out how your camera responds and what are good "IP shots." The trick is learning what kinds of subjects and lighting go well with the film characteristics.


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## pez (Apr 26, 2016)

Thanks, Leonore! Sounds like a fun project, and I'll check out the Frog Tongue as well. 



limr said:


> pez said:
> 
> 
> > A very nice image! I still have my old SX-70. Hmm. Where can I get that film? You have got me interested in shooting with it again!
> ...


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## KmH (Apr 27, 2016)

Neat photo with the Marvel Mystery Oil tin in the background.

WD-40 is mostly Stoddard solvent with about 15% by volume of light weight mineral oil.

Marvel Mystery Oil was created by the Marvel Carburetor Company after WWI.
Company owner Burt Pierce formulated Marvel Mystery Oil to clean and maintain carburetor jets.

My go-kart engines burn a mix of racing gasoline and castor oil. Castor makes the exhaust smell nice too.
Castor oil (a vegetable oil made from castor beans) provides better high-temperature lubrication than petroleum based oils do making it desirable as a lubricant in go-kart and other 2-cycle racing engines.
The castor oil lubricates the engine instead of having a separate engine oiling system, but the castor oil tends to form gums in a short time.
I rev my kart engines to 14,000 rpm.
Castor oil isn't inexpensive @ about $15 a quart. A gallon of my racing gas, with 80z of castor oil mix, runs me about $12 a gallon.

After racing each day I run my kart engines for a couple of minutes on a blend of gasoline and MMO (instead of castor oil) to clean out left over castor oil to minimize the formation of castor gum. That lets me get my kart engines rebuilt after 13 hours of run time instead of after 10 hours of run time.


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## limr (Apr 27, 2016)

KmH said:


> Neat photo with the Marvel Mystery Oil tin in the background.
> 
> WD-40 is mostly Stoddard solvent with about 15% by volume of light weight mineral oil.
> 
> ...



Go-karts are fun !

My father was a mechanic and I can't tell you how he used the Marvel Mystery Oil, but he always had a tin. I have a suspicion that it was what he put in all those oil cans. I always loved the name. Speaking of funny names, I'm reminded, too, of the massive container of Goop that he had to clean his hands after working in the garage all day. Even had the crank handle dispenser near the garage door. 

I love reading about all the MMO stories


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## nycphotography (Apr 27, 2016)

If you go to estate auctions you can buy almost infinite amounts of old interesting more or less useless stuff on the cheap.


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## Braineack (Apr 28, 2016)

KmH said:


> After racing each day I run my kart engines for a couple of minutes on a blend of gasoline and MMO (instead of castor oil) to clean out left over castor oil to minimize the formation of castor gum. That lets me get my kart engines rebuilt after 13 hours of run time instead of after 10 hours of run time.



omg, you actually know how the product is supossed to be used!


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