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Hints, Tips and Solutions (Do NOT post requests for help here) If you have any useful general hints and tips for vintage technology repair and restoration, please share them here. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 20th Oct 2010, 9:50 am   #41
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: Wd40!

You'll probably shrink in horror, but in CTV field service in damp houses, a wipe around the CRT EHT connector, and same on the plastic insulator stopped the fizzles and crackles for longer than all the other favourites like silicone grease.

I use it as a cutting oil here for drilling and turning.
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Old 20th Oct 2010, 11:30 am   #42
HamishBoxer
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Default Re: Wd40!

Like any form of chemical solvent,respect!

David
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Old 22nd Oct 2010, 6:40 pm   #43
Neil Purling
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Default Re: Wd40!

How about with cotton wool buds cleaning mucky wax from a radio chassis?

I got the tip about a wipe with WD40 in order to read waxed paper capacitor values from the forum.
I have used tiny drips to free off grub screws.

I used it as a EMERGENCY hand cleaner once only after changing the clutch cable on my Enfield Bullet in the midst of the Yorkshire Dales. It beat having the stink of petrol on one's hands.
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Old 26th Oct 2010, 9:46 pm   #44
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Default Re: Wd40!

For removing labels I use ordinary white spirit. It costs a lot less than WD40.

I would never use it near electronic equipment. Spray some into a dish and leave it for a few days until the white spirit has evaporated. It leaves behind a gooey mess that I would never allow on any electronics. In the 70s I was involved with Automatic Test Eequipment. I introduced WD40 as a cleaner for the many contacts between the ATE and the fixtures. It soon became apparent that it was a law of diminishing returns as the pass rates fell because of bad connections I banned it soon after.

Potentiometer that dont respond to switch cleaner with no added lubricant are on their last legs and need to be replaced.
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Old 27th Oct 2010, 7:24 pm   #45
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Default Re: Wd40!

Quote:
Originally Posted by geofy View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcaines View Post
when I've got dirty oily hands after a job on the car, a quick spray and most of dirt has gone.

John
It will clean hands just like petrol does but could lead to getting dermatitis. Swafega is better. WD is good on plated parts to stop rust pitting.
Swarfega was withdrawn from our stores items as carcinogenic!

Bob W
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Old 27th Oct 2010, 7:45 pm   #46
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Default Re: Wd40!

Wow.
That takes some believing! Just about every place I went to and the place I worked up till recently used good old Swarfega, I have used it in enormous quantities since I got my first car at 17, 39 years later I still have my hands!

I do believe that "Deb" the manufacturer of Swarfega was sold off in March but I know of no reference to skin cancer!
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Old 28th Oct 2010, 11:40 pm   #47
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Default Re: Wd40!

I would never, ever use WD40 on carbon tracks and electronic equipment as i've found it leaves an oily semiconductor.
If I need to clean and lubricate pot's, switches, etc I always use "Deoxit faderlube" now. Excellent stuff, but quite expensive.
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Old 29th Oct 2010, 11:48 am   #48
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Default Re: Wd40!

Swarfega,wow that takes me back! Is it still available?It certainly cleaned my hands after working on old cars.

David
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Old 29th Oct 2010, 2:30 pm   #49
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Default Re: Wd40!

I was told you can make your own Swarfega from paraffin and concentrated washing up liquid.

One of the neighbours was a Swarfega rep. He said that they advised a barrier cream, Swarfega then an after-work cream to replace skin oils. What you definitely shouldn't do is rub your hands with Swarfega then add sand and rub, like a lot of people did.

The barrier cream seems to stop the dirt getting ground into the finger patterns and lines on your hands.

WD 40 isn't a great idea as an after work treatment or hand cleaner come to that.
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Old 30th Oct 2010, 3:54 pm   #50
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Default Re: Wd40!

You should always use a barrier cream before dirty work involving mineral oils to block the skin's pores and any cuts. Latex gloves are best avoided as they merely cause the skin to sweat and leach its protective oils, causing skin cracks in due course.

Swafega releases the barrier cream and puts lanolin back into to skin; it is nowhere near as effective a skin cleanser if the barrier cream wasn't first used as it causes people to scrub their skin red raw. Personally I have found Swarfega has got less efficient over the years - it is still available but the trendy stuff now is the 'Orange' type with fine polystyrene grit abrasives.

Personally you can't beat good old Coal Tar soap. Coal Tar soap is now made in Turkey.

WD40 - I have never been impressed with it! It promises to do too much and as water repellent is only briefly effective - the trouble is people believe it will work for years and thus neglect proper maintenance! As for it being a penetrating oil - the waxes stop serious penetration. You need a proper penetrating oil - but that is now difficult to find as people believe WD40 does it better! Fools!

The best solution to solvent based adhesives on labels is lighter fuel (ie: 100% pure refined petrol!) as it is the perfect solvent!


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Old 31st Oct 2010, 5:11 pm   #51
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Default Re: Wd40!

I think I'd agree with many of the posts here. WD40 is OK for pots & switches as long as it is applied very sparingly and is not allowed to drip and run onto nearby plastics, which WILL crack and decompose after prolonged exposure.

We used to get cassette decks and record players brought in for repair that reeked of the infernal stuff. The complaint was usually something like 'it won't play', but when questioned about the strong smell of WD40, the customer would say 'oh, it was squeaking and I think my brother/son/uncle may have squirted it'.

So a simple 'sqeaking' repair (strip, clean and lube) priced at about £20 became a marathon strip, remove all rubber components, clean, replace all rubber components and soak test at a cost of around 60 quid. Often the customer would baulk at this!

I tend to stick to 'proper' Servisol, which seems to work well.
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Old 1st Nov 2010, 3:03 pm   #52
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Default Re: Wd40!

Hi
One thing we always used to do when a VCR came in for repair was to sniff the machine. Any smell of WD40 meant it went back with the customer. We had spent too many hours cleaning the stuff off every moving part in a machine, only to have it turn up on the new idlers minutes later after replacing every rubber part (like Andy above).
So maybe I'm biased against it but the smell fills me with dread!
Glyn
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Old 2nd Nov 2010, 2:46 pm   #53
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Default Re: Wd40!

Does the forum think it might be a substitute for Hellerine fluid. My stock has finally expended and I need some fast, (buying it on-line is so expensive!)
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Old 2nd Nov 2010, 7:05 pm   #54
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Default Re: Wd40!

It might be worth a try. I don't know how it would affect the rubber though.

I have used olive oil in the past, although it doesn't have the authentic "Hellerine" smell it works well enough.
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Old 2nd Nov 2010, 7:48 pm   #55
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Default Re: Wd40!

Quote:
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Does the forum think it might be a substitute for Hellerine fluid.
The universal standby when you've no Hellerine fluid is saliva. I suspect WD40 would be worse than that. Since Hellerine fluid smells vaguely of bananas why not squeeze a banana or two and see how that works. That's not a joke, it's a serious suggestion.
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Old 2nd Nov 2010, 7:58 pm   #56
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Quote:
ppppenguin; Since Hellerine fluid smells vaguely of bananas why not squeeze a banana or two and see how that works. That's not a joke, it's a serious suggestion.
Not a bad idea seeing as how bananas are pretty slippery customers
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Old 3rd Nov 2010, 10:08 am   #57
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Default Re: Wd40!

I find silicone grease makes a good Hellerine substitute at home.
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Old 3rd Nov 2010, 10:31 am   #58
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Default Re: Wd40!

When a Citroen 2CV lost all its geabox oil in an Aftrican safari race, they filled the gearbox with banana skins. They are oily when mashed!


SEAN
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Old 4th Nov 2010, 2:19 pm   #59
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Default Re: Wd40!

I've been recently renovating my bathroom and after five failed attempts at sealing the bath with standard silicone I tried Evo-Stick's "Serious stuff wet grab" which is brilliant - it is advertised as even sticking under water.

I can confirm this as I got a big blob of it stuck to my tongue! The way I found to remove it.....WD40, tastes b*****y awful though!

Seriously though if you need to remove silicone based glues from baths and I've even had a radio that had been bodged up with silicone: WD40 does the trick.

I have to say I'm a big fan but mainly on motors...

Dom
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Old 4th Nov 2010, 10:35 pm   #60
Sean Williams
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Default Re: Wd40!

WD40 - wouldnt be without it, mind you I also use brake cleaner after - especially on switches...

However, most of the things I have used it on electronically have been Military in origin, so can probably cope better.
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