MennoR Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 I need some input/help: Chemistry wasn't my forte at school (sorry Professor Pete) so I need to ask here. As many (some) of you know, I'm knee-deep into sailing. Most materials on a boat are non-corrosive or it takes a lot of time before 'oxidation (rust) gets a grip on parts. Here's the problem: on a sailing-related forum someone wrote: Quote Since then I have been super finicky with my masts, always cleaning them and ensuring that they are corrosion-free, rinsing them with fresh water after every sail and giving the stainless steel/aluminum junctions a coat of WD40 oil to try prevent corrosion for as long as possible. 2 Then today, someone commented: Quote It's a cleaning product, it has paint thinner in it (solvent) and has very little lubricant. It's good to de-grip rusted screws but it'll generate more rust than before.It's not meant to protect the surface, actually, it's the other way around.For galvanic corrosion (two different metals in contact) use tefgel or similar, for metal protection I use an amazing french product called Mecacyl, but I'm pretty sure there are others just as good... 2 Well, I never noticed the corrosive result of using WD40. Surely, most of us here are 'heavy users' or all sorts of anti-corrosive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtuckunder Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 I have noticed many time that a cleaned metal item sprayed in WD40 does tend to start showing rust way quicker than I would have expected, I never use it any more other than as a release agent, and then I find that PlusGas works better. I now use either a silicon spray or a fine grease spray if I want some temporary corrosion resistance. I have no idea of the chemistry of WD40 though. NB Silcon spray is shit if you intend to subsequently paint the part though, as to remove it completely takes more effort than getting the part clean in the first place. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB|W Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 What is the hull / deck made from ? I wouldn't use WD40 any where near wood where it will penetrate varnishes and seams. Why not use PTFE spray which is a similarly priced, has good anti-corrosion properties and will not stain. A squirt down the luff will allow the main to slide nicely along the mast. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zetecspit Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 The thinners part makes sense, but I would think even a small amount of oil content would give some protection. I feel an experiment coming on.... I like chain lube as protection/grease or whatever. A bit sticky, but seems to work well. I also by cheap toolstation aerosol wax protect stuff which is reasonable at its job (but use dinitrol for proper protection) Apparently Plusgas sent Guy Martin a box of cans to try, with a view to sponsership. Some time later he refused on the basis it was not as good as WD40... (I have some cans of plusgas, agood friend works for Norton Abrasives, a sister company so he gets some samples, but they tightened up on freebies a couple ofyears ago, so I actually have to buy discs now) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Plus gas or super de grippant for rusty bolts, WD40 do a version, not sure if you can get that in your island. For bolting thinks together at sea then it's aqua lube you need, sticky messy stuff but been using it for 30 years and it works, they now call it aqua shield but it's the same stuff. RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Oh and for a spray protector, Rocal Z30 lovely stuff and smells of bake well tart for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Menno, I'm no chemist ! The safty data sheet https://cdn.wd40company.eu/wd-40/en-GB/uploads/2018/01/22135517/WD-40-MULTI-USE-PRODUCT-Non-Aerosol.pdf shows 80% is solvents and the rest unspecified mineral oil and paraffin wax. No silicone oil it seems. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 But it's got shelack in it, which is the 40th try at water proofing, basically a very fine varnish, don't use the stuff on your Purdy 12 bore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerH Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Hi Menno, when you ask people what they use WD40 for many of the answers circle around some form of cleaning. Its high solvent content obviously do the cleaning. If you have two dissimilar metals in contact the last thing you want to do is clean off any oil deposits Put more oil on not WD40. Ideally any Ali in contact with other metals needs to be Anodised. This gives a non-conductive coating to the Ali. Indeed wash off the salt water with fresh water. Apply oil/grease, Keep the WD40 safely in the dustbin. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 1 hour ago, PeterC said: Menno, I'm no chemist ! The safty data sheet https://cdn.wd40company.eu/wd-40/en-GB/uploads/2018/01/22135517/WD-40-MULTI-USE-PRODUCT-Non-Aerosol.pdf shows 80% is solvents and the rest unspecified mineral oil and paraffin wax. No silicone oil it seems. Peter I know, but you're the highest educated in (more or less) this field I know of. @ Roger: that underlines the second of the two quotes I posted. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Duck oil..... for preservation Plus Gas for rusty fasteners WD40 for wet wiring, especially HT leads. WD is for Water Dispersant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 I had a bare metal Vitesse bonnet on the car in a damp lock-up for twelve years. The only thing protecting it was coating's of WD40, I maybe gave it another coating once a year, max. Often the bonnet was covered in droplets of water from the leaky roof. Over time layers biuld up and it does discolour to a light rusty brown colour, but if you scrape the layers of WD off the surface with your nail there is shiny metal beneath. Finally degreased and resprayed last month. Used a pressure washer with degreser and couple of wipeovers with thinners, came back to shiny metal with little effort and no signs of rust, and no issues when paint spraying. Used the same process years ago on a bare metal Vitesse tub restored out in the open over a year. After repairing a section I just gave it a couple of coates of WD40 and left it until the next time with no issues. This is on mild steel, not used it to protect any other metals. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richy_rich Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 It's also quite good at removing chewing gum from carpets (Usual disclaimers apply, test on a small area first etc..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 As said above, WD stands for Water Dispersant. I use it routinely after cleaning parts in degreaser. Spray of WD, blow off the water with the airline, store. I needed to get out some conrods recently, that were in a previously failed engine. I had lightened them by grinding and polishing, had them shot peened before use. The only protection they had was WD, and after some years in store, they had no rust at all. On chewing gum etc, the advertising blurb for WD40 goes on about the thosuands of uses people have found for it. I am reminded of the veneration that is shown across the Atlantic for "Marvel Mystery Oil", which will clean your engine, improve perfomance by better ignition, or else by reduced friction, be best damper oil in your carburettors and stop leaks in your gearbox! Some incompatible claims there, but never mind. In America, "Seafoam" has a similar evangelical following. WD is, of course, American, but they invented snake oil too. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR5tar Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 21 hours ago, zetecspit said: I feel an experiment coming on.... Perhaps one for Project Farm ... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2rzsm1Qi6N1X-wuOg_p0Ng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 I sent them an email with the same question I posted here. Sit back and wait! Menno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 UPDATE: Hey presto: an answer within 60mins after posting my email! Quote Hi Menno, Thank you very much for this information. This is very interesting and does indeed give me something to work with. Thanks again and best regards, Todd Menno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR5tar Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Nice that you got a quick and positive reply Menno. I'm hooked on Project Farm videos, so I'll be watching with interest to see if Todd does one on WD40 and rust. Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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