Cost of Deoxit?

[Chad Hauris]

We do not use WD-40 for anything...it is not really a lubricant but more of a solvent, like kerosene or paint thinner with a little bit of oil-like characteristics. Have found that real penetrating oil (S'Ok!, Kroil, etc) works much better where a spray lubricant or stuck bolt loosener is needed (not for potentiometers, etc.)

There is a product called Cailube MCL that can be used to safely lubricate pots after cleaning with a cleaner like Deoxit.

[bgadow]

In a radio club newsletter a few years ago it was reported that someone fixed an old radio for a customer & after they had it back it caught fire. WD-40 turned out to be the culprit. I seem to recall that some phenolic was soaked with it causing a short.

I had used it prior to reading that but no longer do for those purposes. I do keep a can on the bench, for removing adhesive or some lubricating jobs.

[Chad Hauris]

GOO GONE is the best for removing tape/adhesive residue. It is pretty non-aggresive and is based on citrus oils.

[fotno]

I think Goo Gone is a excellent product, when nothing else will do, Goo Gone will take the stickest crap right off just about surface.

[andy]

Naptha / zippo lighter fluid works very well for removing sticky glue. I've used it for years and never had any problems. I wouldn't use WD-40 because it leaves an oily residue. Naptha evaporates completely. I've even used it on paper (like when someone puts a price tag on a book cover).

I used to used WD-40 for removing price tags from used CDs, but I got some Goo Gone last year and prefer it -- Foe

[EchoWars]

Originally Posted by bills

i don't sell any of my stuff any way so what.
could be a flame naaw not a flame .
bills

WD-40 dissolves the carbon tracks of many styles of potentiometers, rendering them useless, of course. Perhaps you've been lucky thus far, but a professional knows better and would never consider using the stuff for the aforementioned reason and many others that I see no point in covering.

[drh4683]

Is there actually some proof that WD40 can cause pot damage? When I was a kid, I used it all the time to fix noisy pots in TV's. Years later, I still have alot of these sets, not a problem. Ive done it to antique radios as well. The hundreds of pots if shot with it, they are still dead quite and functioning well 15+ years later.

I currently use cyclo electronic contact cleaner which works well. I havnt used WD40 in years as I know there are special lubricant cleaners now. I always liked doing things right the first time, and make sure everything that gets taken apart goes back together the exact same way. When you are a kid, you really dont know better but to experiment and see what works. But I must say, WD40 did the trick everytime and I havnt had to clean contacts in any of the sets Ive had for so many years.

[RobV]

But I did use WD-40 recently to help loosen an oxygen sensor that was rusted into my car's exhaust manifold. Then used anti-sieze compound of the threads of the new one. There is a proper chemical for each application.

WD-40 is good for cleaning tools, too, but not my Sansuis!

[EchoWars]

drh4683, those old pots could have been wirewound, rather than carbon track. Also, some styles of carbon track don't seem to suffer any ill effects from WD-40, other than getting gummy after a bit and needing cleaning with something designed for this purpose.

Bottom line...you don't reach for a hammer when what the job calls for is a screwdriver. There's always a proper tool for the job, and for pots and switches it isn't WD-40. As far as what's the right tool, there are a few good products out there...I just use DeOxit and CaiLube.

[bills]

Originally Posted by EchoWars

WD-40 dissolves the carbon tracks of many styles of potentiometers, rendering them useless, of course. Perhaps you've been lucky thus far, but a professional knows better and would never consider using the stuff for the aforementioned reason and many others that I see no point in covering.

so far i have not run into this problem
most of the stuff i work on is 50 or more years old maybe the newer stuff can't handle it.
i will keep this in mind when i work on new stuff.
thanks for all the input we can all learn something new.
bill

[3Guncolor]

We used to buy this stuff called tun-o-power buy the case to clean the contacts on tuners. As I remember it used to leave a messy green film all over the tuner but it worked. I used to buy trichloroethane in gallon cans to clean tuners, we used to dip the whole tuner in it. I no longer use WD-40 on pots myself but I did 25 years ago. I never remember having a pot go bad because I used it.
There were not as many choices back then as today. Any body that used so much to cause a fire used too much anyway.

[JCFitz]

I have never used WD40 on anything electronic.Have used it to free up frozen mechanical things but got it all off and used the proper grease afterward.A couple of years ago it did prove quite handy in getting the old grease out of a completely frozen record gripper mech in a Rockola jukebox.The grease was really hard and stubborn.The WD40 got it to move without using heat or force.The WD40 got it all off including the stubborn brown residue from it.Afterward I had it completely disassembled and removed all the WD40 with brake cleaner and reassembled with new grease.

[bills]

Originally Posted by JCFitz

I have never used WD40 on anything electronic.Have used it to free up frozen mechanical things but got it all off and used the proper grease afterward.A couple of years ago it did prove quite handy in getting the old grease out of a completely frozen record gripper mech in a Rockola jukebox.The grease was really hard and stubborn.The WD40 got it to move without using heat or force.The WD40 got it all off including the stubborn brown residue from it.Afterward I had it completely disassembled and removed all the WD40 with brake cleaner and reassembled with new grease.

i have found it to be a great solvent (ain't worth a dam for a lube)
i to have been using wd-40 for about 30 years.
so far i haven't broke any thing with it yet.
bill

[bills]

Originally Posted by EchoWars

WD-40 dissolves the carbon tracks of many styles of potentiometers, rendering them useless, of course. Perhaps you've been lucky thus far, but a professional knows better and would never consider using the stuff for the aforementioned reason and many others that I see no point in covering.

has this happened to you?
what brand of pot did it dissolve?

thanks
bill