The Medway Handyman wrote:
wrote:
OK... version 2:




===WD40===
WD stands for 'water displacer.' Water displacers are of limited use
in DIY today, primarily used
* to reduce rusting of tools in damp storage
* to start wet power tools.

I'm not with the last bit? Start wet power tools?

Machine oil is the temporary coating of choice for preventing rust,
and is widely used as a rust preventing coating on imported steel
tools.

But that doesn't mean WD40 won't do the job - and again where is the
evidence?

WD40 also acts as a penetrating oil, though there are cheaper and in
some people's opinion better brands out there, such as plusgas.

Its not sold specifically as a penetrating oil, its a multi purpose product.

And thats the point you are missing. One can of WD40 can replace half a
dozen cans of specific products.

WD40 is not recommended as a lubricant as it contains more solvent
than oil, and becomes gummy.

Not reccommended by whom? There is an insignificant amount of anecdotal
evidence against, and an even smaller amount in favour. That doesn't prove
the case. Its advertised as a lubricant & made in the USA - I'm pretty sure
there would be law suits flying about if that claim wasn't (at least in
part) true.

WD40 can be used as a cleaner in some situations since it contains
Stoddard's solvent. Paraffin is a much cheaper alternative that doesnt
leave the sticky residue.

Arrrggggh!!! What sticky residue? I've been using it for donkeys years &
never come across any shape or form of residue - sticky or otherwise.

SNIP

Many appliances have been ruined by the indiscriminate application of
WD40. It is not a cure-all and there are common products and materials
to which it should not be applied. These include rubber products, some
plastics,

You simply can't say that without some kind of evidence. I've just e-mailed
WD40 to ask if its safe on rubber & plastics - lets see what they have to
say.


I've seen things ruined by it, someone else in this thread has, and
this chap has come across the problem as part of his living:
quote:


Arfa Daily wrote:

It's not so much that WD40 won't do the job in this case, Fred - it
probably
would. However, once people get the idea that WD40 works on one part
of some
electronic equipment, they will try to use it to cure everything from
a
blown fuse to a slipping belt, and trust me when I tell you that in
the 35
years that I've been mending electronic equipment every day for a
living, I
have seen many an otherwise servicable item, wrecked beyond
reasonable
recovery, by the use of WD40. The smell is so characteristic that as
soon as
an item thus treated arrives on your bench, the response is "Oh no,
it's
been WD40'd ...". Once in there, it has a tendency to 'creep' around
and
seek out and wreck anything that is vaguely related to rubber, and
the
'waxy' deposit that it leaves behind, is nigh-on impossible to
remove.

That's why I would recommend using the proper stuff. It's easily
obtained,
cheap, and won't do damage to other components if you get a bit
liberal with
it. Right stuff for the job. You wouldn't run your barbecue stove on
acetylene, would you ? :-)


Arfa


end quote
NT