From cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Tue Apr 27 20:31:40 1999 Return-Path: Received: from sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil (sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil [132.250.84.38]) by mc.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1-mod) with SMTP id UAA29104 for ; Tue, 27 Apr 1999 20:31:40 -0400 (EDT) Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 21:48:58 -0400 (EDT) From: Nicholas Bodley Reply-To: Nicholas Bodley To: Paddy Duncan Cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: WD-40 as a lubricant In-Reply-To: Message-Id: Although I'm not really sure of my info, I believe WD-40 was originally a Water Displacer, hence "WD". Fairly sure it was meant to displace water from mechanisms made of metal. It's possible that its lubricating properties were secondary. As a semi-amateur mechanical technician, I gather that it's not intended to be used as a long-term lubricant. Used as intended, it seems to be a very good product. As to compatibility with plastics, I once was cleaning the inside of a computer printer that had a clear plastic rack which engaged a gear on the print head drive motor (which, amazingly enough, was on the print head itself; no kidding). I was using rubbing alcohol, as I remember. Whether it was the alcohol itself, or an adiitive to dilute it, I don't know, but the rack crystallized, cracked, and fell apart in only a few minutes. Astonishing to watch. Alcohol is usually a safe solvent for electronic work, but apparently not for some plastic mechanical parts! Of course, I had knowingly ignored the warning not to use any solvents for cleaning. Lesson from this is that there's some risk in applying liquids of unknown compatibility to some plastics. HDPE won't be bothered by any liquid you're likely to apply. Silicones (not spelled "silicons") should be safe, very likely, and Teflon powder would be. (Just don't get that powder near a cigarette or flame; decomposition products are very poisonous.) |* Nicholas Bodley *|* Autodidact & Polymath * Electronic Tech. (ret.) |* Waltham, Mass. *|* ----------------------------------------------- |* nbodley@tiac.net *|* |* Amateur musician *|*