.............WD40?

I just saw an interesting TV bit on how WD40 was developed.

==========================
The Story
"WD-40, everyone's favorite lubricant, came into being in 1953 at San
Diego's Rocket Chemical Company, when rocket scientist Norm Larson strove to
create a degreaser and solvent that would guard the rockets of America's
budding space program from rust and corrosion. Larson tried 39 different
combinations of chemicals before stumbling upon the one that would later
become WD-40, an abbreviation signifying the 40th combination of water
displacement. "

http://travel.discovery.com/fansites...oods/wd40.html
============================

WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?

I have squirted in the key slot and the lightbulbs in the cabin and deck. I
read somewhere that this will displace the water and minimize any corrosion,
I don't know if it helped, but I never had any problems.


"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:34:01 -0400, "*JimH*" wrote:

............WD40?

I just saw an interesting TV bit on how WD40 was developed.

==========================
The Story
"WD-40, everyone's favorite lubricant, came into being in 1953 at San
Diego's Rocket Chemical Company, when rocket scientist Norm Larson strove
to
create a degreaser and solvent that would guard the rockets of America's
budding space program from rust and corrosion. Larson tried 39 different
combinations of chemicals before stumbling upon the one that would later
become WD-40, an abbreviation signifying the 40th combination of water
displacement. "

http://travel.discovery.com/fansites...oods/wd40.html
============================

WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?


I've never found but two good uses for the stuff..... dispersing water
(WD), like in a distributor cap and as a starting fluid.... that stuff
is *really* flammable....

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:34:01 -0400, "*JimH*" wrote:

............WD40?

I just saw an interesting TV bit on how WD40 was developed.

==========================
The Story
"WD-40, everyone's favorite lubricant, came into being in 1953 at San
Diego's Rocket Chemical Company, when rocket scientist Norm Larson strove
to
create a degreaser and solvent that would guard the rockets of America's
budding space program from rust and corrosion. Larson tried 39 different
combinations of chemicals before stumbling upon the one that would later
become WD-40, an abbreviation signifying the 40th combination of water
displacement. "

http://travel.discovery.com/fansites...oods/wd40.html
============================

WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?


I've never found but two good uses for the stuff..... dispersing water
(WD), like in a distributor cap and as a starting fluid.... that stuff
is *really* flammable....

In it's liquid state it is no more volatile than ordinary cleaning solvent
as you would find in a parts washer and with a FP over 100F, technically
making it a class 2 combustible liquid. However, when atomized, it's
surface area is increased in relationship to available oxygen, making it
highly flammable when exposed to flame or a source of ignition.

"*JimH*" wrote
when atomized, it's surface area is increased in relationship to available
oxygen, making it highly flammable when exposed to flame or a source of
ignition.

It's a reasonably good potato gun fuel, when there's no cheap hair spray
handy. http://users.adelphia.net/~blizzard3.../potatogun.htm

"Joe Blizzard" wrote in message
...
"*JimH*" wrote
when atomized, it's surface area is increased in relationship to
available oxygen, making it highly flammable when exposed to flame or a
source of ignition.

It's a reasonably good potato gun fuel, when there's no cheap hair spray
handy. http://users.adelphia.net/~blizzard3.../potatogun.htm



Duct tape may have more uses.......not sure though. ;-)

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 21:59:01 -0400, "Joe Blizzard"
wrote:

"*JimH*" wrote
when atomized, it's surface area is increased in relationship to available
oxygen, making it highly flammable when exposed to flame or a source of
ignition.

It's a reasonably good potato gun fuel, when there's no cheap hair spray
handy. http://users.adelphia.net/~blizzard3.../potatogun.htm

You just had to make me go look! I found some proof of your wild assed
assertion.

http://platinumchromatography.com/potato.htm

Thanks for the humor!

--
John H.
On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD

*JimH* wrote:

WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?

I don't, it sux & is basically marked-up Stoddard solvent. There are
far better penetrants as well as cleaners, and calling it a lube is
almost a joke.

wrote:
*JimH* wrote:

WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?

I don't, it sux & is basically marked-up Stoddard solvent. There are
far better penetrants as well as cleaners, and calling it a lube is
almost a joke.

Under the right circumstances, it's a fairly good lubricant, as is
water.

wrote:

wrote:

*JimH* wrote:


WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it. http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?

I don't, it sux & is basically marked-up Stoddard solvent. There are
far better penetrants as well as cleaners, and calling it a lube is
almost a joke.


Under the right circumstances, it's a fairly good lubricant, as is
water.

A good few years ago I remember reading an article about some testing
done on various lubricants. This would probably have been in an
electronics magazine. Basically, the tests (IIRC it was an inclined
plane test with metal on metal and plastic on metal) showed that
although the friction was lower with freshly applied WD40 than when dry,
it was significantly higher than with just about any commonly available
oil or grease and that adding WD40 to *ANY* other lubricant resulted
in *MORE* friction than either that lubricant or WD40 alone. YMMV, but
its the *LAST* thing I reach for if I want lubrication.

I keep a minature can on board for de-watering my Seagull's carb and
ignition if it ever goes for a swim, but otherwise its strictly a
workshop convenience for sticky label remains, drilling or cutting
Aluminium, cleaning up small parts etc.

There are a couple of spray cans on the shelf and the oldest one (which
I try to use up first unless I've left it somewhere stupid) is still
about 1/3 full and has been there about 20 years. Its not a jumbo can
either. A friend used to rent the garage and I 'inherited' it and a few
tools from him so I am certain how long I've had that can. The other
can he had on the go lasted me till the late 90's. He loved the stuff
but was very much a 'hammer' mechanic.

Good marketing though . . .
--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.

"Ian Malcolm" wrote in message
...
wrote:

wrote:

*JimH* wrote:


WD40 has become a versatile fluid for lubrication, cleaning and water
proofing. This site gives 2000 uses for it.
http://www.twbc.org/wd40.htm

How do you use it on the boat?

I don't, it sux & is basically marked-up Stoddard solvent. There are
far better penetrants as well as cleaners, and calling it a lube is
almost a joke.


Under the right circumstances, it's a fairly good lubricant, as is
water.

A good few years ago I remember reading an article about some testing done
on various lubricants. This would probably have been in an electronics
magazine. Basically, the tests (IIRC it was an inclined plane test with
metal on metal and plastic on metal) showed that although the friction was
lower with freshly applied WD40 than when dry, it was significantly higher
than with just about any commonly available oil or grease and that adding
WD40 to *ANY* other lubricant resulted in *MORE* friction than either that
lubricant or WD40 alone. YMMV, but its the *LAST* thing I reach for if I
want lubrication.

I keep a minature can on board for de-watering my Seagull's carb and
ignition if it ever goes for a swim, but otherwise its strictly a workshop
convenience for sticky label remains, drilling or cutting Aluminium,
cleaning up small parts etc.

There are a couple of spray cans on the shelf and the oldest one (which I
try to use up first unless I've left it somewhere stupid) is still about
1/3 full and has been there about 20 years. Its not a jumbo can either. A
friend used to rent the garage and I 'inherited' it and a few tools from
him so I am certain how long I've had that can. The other can he had on
the go lasted me till the late 90's. He loved the stuff but was very much
a 'hammer' mechanic.

Good marketing though . . .
--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.

I agree that it is not a great lubricant when compared to common grade oil
or grease. It can, however, be used as a light lubricant, although perhaps
not as effective as light machine oil.

It is sometimes specifically noted as an acceptable light lubricant in
certain cases and by some manufacturers:

http://www.custombrackets.com/Scripts/wd40.asp

http://www.cobramotorcycle.com/docs/...nersmanual.pdf

http://www.truth.com/TechnicalSuppor...menu=homeowner

On the other hand, some manufacturers specifically recommend against using
it.

Go figure.

Heck, some folks use it on their lures as a fish attractant as well as on
their joints as a relief to arthritis. ;-)