[TheForge] routine maintenance with WD40?

[Thomas A. Troszak]

> From: "Catherine Jo Morgan" <cjmorgan@hemc.net>
> Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 09:52:50 -0400
> Subject: [TheForge] routine maintenance with WD40?
 
> I used to follow Francis Whitaker's prescription of spraying just about
> everything in the shop with WD40 every Monday morning. What do other people do
to keep things like post
> vise, cone mandrel, swage blocks, and small tools from rusting?

Dear CJ,

Years ago in my shop I was using WD-40 for rust prevention, and was
continually frustrated by having everything rust anyway. I finally did some
controlled tests with freshly ground mild steel surfaces:

1. Ground and left "as handled"
2. Ground and degreased
3. Ground and WD-40ed
4. Ground and coated with 10w oil
5. Ground and coated with Vaseline

The results after one week:

1. Rusty fingerprints where handled.
2. NO RUST
3. Rusted all over
4. Mild discoloration
5. NO RUST

After two weeks:

1. Spreading patches of rust where handled
2. Still NO RUST
3. Badly rusted all over.
4. Moderate discoloration
5. Still NO RUST

After six months:

1. Flaky rust where handled, spreading patches of rust elsewhere.
2. Mild discoloration all over.
3. Even More Badly Rusted All Over.
4. Moderate discoloration all over
5. Still NO RUST

Conclusion:

Vaseline wins. I now have tools that have been stored for more than three
years with no rust. Tools that get handled get recoated. No more rust.
Vaseline comes right off with any common solvent, and there is NO health
hazard.

WD-40 CAUSES RUST, probably by attracting dirt and/or moisture which
encourages rust. I banned it from my shop after the one week point.

The degreasing was a highly effective rust prevention, OK for dry storage,
but is useless for things that will be handled.

This is my true experience, I hope the info is helpful.

Tom Troszak