My grandfather used to spray some WD-40 into the either the volume or tuning knob of his radio to stop the crackling and static. Is there any point in buying a product made specifically for the job, or is WD fine?

I have purchased Caig Faderlube for controls as it is designed for those. And it specifies that it is safe for plastics etc. Lot of people on here swear by the WD stuff though. I will let them sell you on it. I don't know how well it works very long term. As you know that stuff may tend to evaporate over time. Like for rust, once it vanishes there is not much protection for that. It was designed to displace water in missiles or something, not be a long term lubricant. But it seems to work satisfactory on tools and stuff that is not exposed to alot of direct moisture contact. The only issue is applying it so it does not get all over the place.

Cleaning carbon pots (potentiometers).
viewtopic.php?p=3483601#p3483601

I use WD-40 on my squeaky garden wheelbarrow.

Greg.
oh... it's good for cleaning stainless steel digging spades too. lol

I use WD-40 all the time to lubricate controls and switches, mainly because it's on hand, and I'm too cheap to buy expensive control cleaners that do virtually the same thing.

Here in the Southwest desert, BTW, we don't really have a moisture problem in the atmosphere.

Walmart sells CRC electronics cleaner for $5 per can. It seems to work ok.

My opinion is that WD-40 has a great duct tape type reputation of being a fix all, but that there are much better products for most jobs. WD-40 was designed to displace water and inhibit rust (the 40th water displacing formula they tried). As such it was not designed as a cleaner, penetrating oil, or lubricating oil. I've heard quite a bit that WD-40 will leave a gummy residue after a while, but can't say I've experienced this myself.

I have a can of CRC machine oil that I use quite a bit. I got the food safe version (safe for incidental contact with food) that I can also use in kitchen (espresso machine, wet stone, etc). The CRC works great for me, but if it ain't broke don't fix it for whatever works for you.

Been using WD-40 for years. The stuff is harmless. Its just kerosene with a little lubricant that mostly evaporates.

I sprayed some tools with WD-40 that are in the tool box on my tractor, this sat for 3 or 4 years, the WD-40 had turned into a gummy sticky product.

DM

This has been my experience with WD-40 on firearms and other mechanical stuff. I choose not to use it on electronic controls for this reason.

The naysayers can do so all they want,but the only product I found that would quiet the volume control on my GE console was WD-40.As far as I'm concerned,WD is a pretty useless product for anything else,but it's been a good six/seven years and the VC is still quiet.I used it on the VC of my Rad-Shack DX440 a couple of years ago-same result.YMMV.

also works well for removing those pesky stickers that won't come off any other way and it's a lot cheaper than the stuff specifically made for it. I have also used it for cleaning pots and stuff but that is my personal choice. Some like it and some don't and I respect that.

If he did it and it worked for a while, you can do it.
I use it on volume controls all the time too.

WD-40 was created as a water dispersant but it is a crappy lubricant.

If you spray it into your various shafts and volume controls you will find the shaft soon won't turn.

It also coats the resistance element such that it can't make contact.

Tektronix recommended it to shine up the blue cabinets on scopes and I used it on an AK metal cabinet.

I have a Pilot TV a friend lubed up the pots on the back of the chassis. They will never adjust again.

Jim

WD-40 is: 50–60% naphtha (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy. <25% petroleum base oils. <10% naphtha (petroleum), hydrodesulfurized heavy (contains: 1,2,4-trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-trimethyl benzene, xylene, mixed isomers) 2–4% carbon dioxide.

I love WD-40. Great for removing grease from hands, polishing and removing fingerprints on stainless steel kitchen appliances, light coating on outboard motor engines to prevent corrosion and to displace water, freeing sticky padlocks, penetrant for frozen fasteners and lots of other uses around the home and garage. But I will continue to use CAIG products, like DeOxit and Faderlube, on my radios because they were specifically designed for electronic use and they work great.

Also, I have never used duct tape on any radio either, lol. And I love duct tape too!

Jeff

https://www.radioshack.com/products/rad ... 236d&_ss=r


Personally, I would use nothing but Radio Shack Cleaner and Lubricant (Cat No. 6400148).

I used to use WD-40 on noisy pots until the day I quickly destroyed one. The problem is some old pots have a resistive coating that a petroleum based product like WD-40 quickly dissolves. Deoxit is also a petroleum based product but contains a lot less than WD-40. Whatever is used, a drop is better than a blast. One time I blasted pieces of a pot's resistive coating off its base. My preferred method is to take the pot apart, gently wipe off the resistive surfaces with a dry cotton swab and then use a swab to apply a little bit of wet silicone lube.

That hasn't been my experience whatsoever.

As an example, I have a five G.E. model 675's, which use a special dual supply battery, producing 4.5 and 13.5 volts.

Consequently, the switch on the back of the volume control has four contacts. A very common problem with these is that invariably one set of switch contacts doesn't make a connection. I have successfully used WD-40, and rapidly repeated operating the switch on and off, to eventually cause contact to be made. If what you posted were true, then this couldn't possibly occur.

I guess the take away here is, to each his own, based on their experience.

Been using WD-40 to clean controls for years. Works great and lasts.

RRM

WD-40 does not play well with other oils and lubricants. Perhaps you had some residual oils or grease involved. We spray out machines with a light coat of WD-40 for overnight or for over the weekend but we wipe it off the next day. I have seen the gummy sticky stuff if it comes in contact with certain oils and greases. For long term storage of machines we use Yak Fat (A.K.A> Cosmoline)

Regards,
Scott

WD-40, like any other lubricant or chemical, must be used taking in account, its weakness or strengths.

WD-40 sprayed on automotive chrome, exposed to strong sunlight, will turn into a hard to remove varnish in about a week. If it is sprayed on objects that are kept in the dark, like switches and volume controls, it serves for a much longer time.

If WD-40 (or Hoppes No 9) is used on stored firearms (kept in the dark) it protects, but gets gummy after a short time. It is best to remove these oils and apply synthetic oil on firearms. I use Mobile 1, 0w-20, since a quart of it is cheaper than a few ounces of synthetic gun oil.

We used to oil Tektronix 545 and 547 etc. scope fans, every six months, with a govt. supplied oil that had a Federal Stock Number and several times a year, we would have to replace a gummed up, stalled fan motor. After we started spraying a little WD-40 on the motors bearings, probably thinning the “gummy oil�, the need to replace ended.

Today fan motors would get lubed with 0w-20 synthetic oil.

I don’t know if it is still being made but, I used many gallons of LPS-25 and LPS-3 (and WD-40) on various parts of my motor bike, to protect against rust from the salt air.

At that time, boat marinas stocked many gallons of LPS lubricants/products.

Charlie