WD-40 to clean electric contacts?

Trop gras.

You might just be the only one who does.

sorry, kids ... neither subtlety nor irony ... just a bit of exaggeration, really. i find the stuff very helpful for freeing up stubborn automotive fasteners (this comment will itself will bring out a completely different breed of haters ... rave on haters, i didn't say it was the BEST). it is also REALLY good for removing sticky goo.

WD-40 is very good for blasting dirt and fine sand out of the clockwork timers used to stop the engine and dethermalise competition free flight model aircraft after they've landed in mud or dust piles, but there are drawbacks:

- if you've cleaned the timer with WD-40 after one flight, its a very good idea to repeat the the treatment after every following one.

- remember to strip the timer and clean it thoroughly before the next competition or trimming session.

Failure to do both of these is very likely to cause the timer to run slow or stop next time you fly the model. The likely result in case is a crash or losing the model upwards in a thermal.

IOW, WD-40 is useful stuff but you *must* know its side effects and take steps to mitigate them every time you use it.

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Martin    | martin at 
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

...meant to add that Sony's ICF-SW7600 was an excellent radio to take on holiday, but bit the dust in 1993. The Sangean ATS-909X seems like a current-day equivalent. Neither is cheap, though either would be miles better than having to fix a semi-defunct 3rd party receiver or buy a stopgap from the bazaar.

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Martin    | martin at 
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

That sounds like an argument to find a better product. Obviously the WD is gumming up the works and now you have to use it to enable the solvents to loosen up the goo.

Clean out the WD-40 residue I assume. There are much better aerosol lubricants developed for the electronics industry that a spray to prevent rust. Why not use one of those? MG Chemicals for one makes a variety of lubricant cleaners that leave no residue to seize up the works...

Because the WD-40 is gumming up the works.

Why not use salad oil, or anything else that is a liquid when warm but congeals later?

WD-40 should only be used when you don't have access to better products, then wash it out carefully and use the correct product. I have fixed enough games gummed up through the use of WD-40 that I would prefer to never see that gunk again.

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup) 
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        "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

No hate here... I am with you on this. :)

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 * SLMR 2.1a * DALETECH - for all your home security needs!

No argument here. WD-40 was about all there was in spray bombs back in the day, so we used it and, of necessity understood or soon learnt about the consequences of using it. Reality being that WD-40 was about the only waterproofing (hence sticky) penetrating oil available at the time, so all that there was available at the time.

That the habit of using it has persistent can be put down to the fact that it does the job provided you understand the side-effects and know how to do with them.

I'm uncertain what replaces it - switch cleaner? - since blasting grit out of a timer that has sat behind an engine burning 20:80 oil:methanol needs WD-40's penetrating oil properties but without the dried-on, sticky water-repelling coat it leaves behind.

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Martin    | martin at 
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

Try Kroil. That is often hard to come by. Maybe PB Blaster will work.

Even some home brew mix of Ed's Red.

Perhaps if you used it for it's intended purpose. A water displacement. Not a lubricant, not a cleaner.

** WD-40 is specified as being "multi purpose' Like many similar products, it's a lubricant, cleaner, grease solvent and a good penetrant.

WD-40 haters are all lunatics.

.... Phil

You are correct. It is listed as multi use nowadays. There are also many other product types that use the name WD40.

Try to clean dishes with it !!!

Here we go again!

WD-40 is not:

A lubricant. A contact cleaner. Sticky or gummy.

It is a 100% volatile light solvent, mostly ultra-refined kerosene, designed to displace water so that whatever it is may be cleaned or lubricated with something designed for the purpose.

A sticky, gummy mess is what happens when existing skunge dissolves into WD-40 and is then distributed throughout whatever it is - for which the WD-40 is then blamed.

The stuff is a cheap rinse, quite useful for removing and loosening skunge, rust and other detritus *IN PREPARATION FOR* the correct permanent treatment.

One useful purpose - spray on snow-blower tines prior to use. It helps to keep things moving. Similarly lawn-mower blades and pan. Less build-up.

Cleaning audio controls - Not so much unless followed up with the correct permanent solution thereafter. But, if it is between that and landfill - have at!

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

That looks promising. Thanks.

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Martin    | martin at 
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

Advertising. If you go to their site and read the FAQs it says quite clearly that the original WD-40 is a water-displacing anti-corrosion product.

They also make a range of other products which are carb cleaners, penetrating oils, etc., but these are all sold under the "WD-40 Specialist..." label.

I think you're referring to "WD-40 Multi-use Product" rather than the original WD-40.

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Martin    | martin at 
Gregorie  | gregorie dot org

WD40 - it is a desert topping...no, its a floor wax....Hey, its BOTH. LOL - liberally borrowed from an old SNL skit... Which pretty much sums up my feeling about WD40

Truly, WD-40 is very successful Troll Bait in s.e.r.

A spectrum test reveled an amount of bug juice. Can't say what bug, might be a Variation of stink bug LOL.

Greg