Why is it that...

[PaulT]

yes it is Zaphod

The answer to Life, the Universe, and Boondocking.

Paul.

ps. Now where did I put my towel......

 

[ntsqd]

Anyone who has worked in the firearms or bicycle industries will tell you that WD-40 is not a lubricant and is just about the worst thing that could be used for that purpose. The NLA GM Heat Valve Lubricant & Penetrant is the best penetrator I've ever used for getting stuck/seized/galled things loose. In its absence PB Blaster works fairly well.

Iowahiker put it the best I've seen it stated yet. Without all of the constraints being listed the answer is always that "it depends" on what those constraints are.

 

[Bill D]

Iowahiker put it the best I've seen it stated yet. Without all of the constraints being listed the answer is always that "it depends" on what those constraints are.

I did mention that a simple question was being asked.
That being said, perhaps questions to determine "those restraints" should be asked, in an effort to simplify the answer.


BTW, every drilling rig I've ever worked on uses WD40
Perhaps we are not "engineer types" but we get the job done.

 

[Happyjax]

The answer is always 42 when you condense it down to it's most basic.

Drat...I got 41....I suck at math

 

[iowahiker]

The example simple question was door lock lubricant. The post was an interesting topic but when I went looking for the recommended lubricant I had a difficult time finding the recommended lock lubricant. So a simple question turned into a tough problem for me. I did not post on the door lock lubricant. Is there actually a simple question concerning campers?

 

[Bill D]

The example simple question was door lock lubricant. The post was an interesting topic but when I went looking for the recommended lubricant I had a difficult time finding the recommended lock lubricant. So a simple question turned into a tough problem for me. I did not post on the door lock lubricant. Is there actually a simple question concerning campers?

Yes, that was the example question I used. It seems like a pretty simple question.

If a customer walked into an RV supply store and asked a staff member "what should I use to lubricate the deadbolt on my FWC". The staff member would likely walk them up to 1 product and say, "this is what the guys in the shop use" and hand them the lubricant. Done.

 

[ntsqd]

For a simple to prepare and very effective penetrant try 1/2 ATF and 1/2 Acetone. I've seen enough damage done or extra work caused by by WD-40 that I only use it as a low buck cutting fluid for aluminum. I'm sure others have had different experiences, but I can only comment on mine.

On low-leverage devices where a build-up of gunk isn't tolerable I tend to go with dry graphite or a teflon spray with a fast evaporating carrier. I recall a locksmith years ago telling me that dry graphite was the only thing that should be used in locks. I consider that the voice of experience, but don't think it's the last word.

On higher torque/leverage devices I've become quite enamored with aersol motorcycle chain wax. I use Maxima because its easy for me to locally source, but I'm sure there are other options out there. I've even used it on motorcycle and bicycle chains. One application would last a semester on my commuter bicycle while at college in Chico, CA. That bike sat out in, and was ridden in all sorts of weather Fall and Spring.

 

[Bill D]

I've seen enough damage done or extra work caused by by WD-40

I did a Google image search on damage caused by WD40. I didn't find anything. Does anyone have a photo of damage caused to metal by it.

 

[craig333]

For a simple to prepare and very effective penetrant try 1/2 ATF and 1/2 Acetone. I've seen enough damage done or extra work caused by by WD-40 that I only use it as a low buck cutting fluid for aluminum. I'm sure others have had different experiences, but I can only comment on mine.

On low-leverage devices where a build-up of gunk isn't tolerable I tend to go with dry graphite or a teflon spray with a fast evaporating carrier. I recall a locksmith years ago telling me that dry graphite was the only thing that should be used in locks. I consider that the voice of experience, but don't think it's the last word.

On higher torque/leverage devices I've become quite enamored with aersol motorcycle chain wax. I use Maxima because its easy for me to locally source, but I'm sure there are other options out there. I've even used it on motorcycle and bicycle chains. One application would last a semester on my commuter bicycle while at college in Chico, CA. That bike sat out in, and was ridden in all sorts of weather Fall and Spring.

Reminds me, I want to try that on my hi lift jack.

 

[CougarCouple]

I thought the question was why complexity in the answer to what might be just a simple answer when you ask an intelligent person.

Found this on WD-40

http://gizmodo.com/5932262/10-surprising-uses-for-wd-40-and-5-places-it-should-never-be-sprayed

Russ

Edit added when you ask an intelligent person.

 

[ntsqd]

I did a Google image search on damage caused by WD40. I didn't find anything. Does anyone have a photo of damage caused to metal by it.

The damage done that I have seen was to plastic parts, either from chemical incompatibility or from wear due to it being a poor lubricant and/or it's build-up reducing operating clearances. I can not recall any damage done specifically to metal.

I'm not saying don't use it. I'm saying know what you're using and where it is a good idea and a bad one.

 

[JaSAn]

When you ask an intelligent person (engineer type) a simple question, that you never get a simple answer?

I'm serious when I ask this.

Typically a new person will visit a forum like this and ask a simple question.
e.g. What lubricant should I use to lubricate the deadbolt on my FWC?

By the end of the day there are about 10 replies. Each reply is progressively longer than the previous to the tune of about 3/4 of a page, often without a consensus.

By the time the OP gets back to their computer that evening to find out the answer to their simple question, they end up more confused than they were before they asked the question.

As a mechanical engineer I'll give a long complex answer to your simple question: for me it is a combination of culture, training and mindset. I worked for 40 years on design teams that included Physicists, Mathematicians, and other engineering disciplines. To answer a general, imprecise question as the one you posed would be seen as blowing the person off.

Culture: my fellow workers expected a complex answer. First to have confidence that I knew what I was talking about. Second, to know that I understood their question. And third, because they realize that the answers to most of those kinds of questions are not simple (unless you are asking the question about 'Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything').

Training: it was drilled into us to 'show your work', so others could follow how you got the answer you gave.

Mindset: I am detail oriented (I hate the term anal), I think all good engineers are.

So to answer your simple question I would need to ask a couple of follow up questions: is it the original deadbolt or a different one and what environment do you mostly camp (and live) in. I would probably give a different answer to someone who spends most of his time in the Pacific Northwest, as to someone who spends most of his time in the Utah desert, as apposed to someone who camps mostly in Alaska. And I would like to explain how using a lubricant designed for wet environments would be effected if taken into a dusty environment or a very cold one.

I give complex answers to simple questions because they usually aren't simple and I don't want to be rude. 40 years behavior is hard to break.

jim

 

[Happyjax]

I work in an electronic shop and we often deal with electro mechanical items. Where any rubber wheel or bushing/belt is involved WD-40 is a big no no. It was eating our rubber things up and we had a guy who was crazy about it. We had to ban it from the shop to stop him from destroying the equipment...lol

 

[UHAULER]

I work in an electronic shop and we often deal with electro mechanical items. Where any rubber wheel or bushing/belt is involved WD-40 is a big no no. It was eating our rubber things up and we had a guy who was crazy about it. We had to ban it from the shop to stop him from destroying the equipment...lol

That just brought back memories of a young , new worker we had years ago. He was obsessed with WD40. He would always spray the outside of the carberator on the chainsaws and weedeaters, not sure why , it made a crusty mess.

 

[PackRat]

Graphite or white lithium grease come to mind....depending on it it is the lock mechanism itself or the mechanical bolt/stop assembly.

 

[Bill D]

Good answer jaSAn.

I think what we often fail to do is ask some of those qualifying questions, prior to giving an answer. I think the nature of a forum, sort of dictates this to a degree, because of the delay time in communication. We want to best answer the question in one reply.

I recently worked in Apple computer sales for 5 1/2 years. Customers would often come in and ask, "which is the best computer?".
Knowing the product line inside out, there is no simple answer to that question.
A simple answer might be "the most expense model".
Of course customers are looking for the best computer to meet their needs.
Budget, weight, battery life, screen size, storage space, processing speed, graphics processing, ports

I would have to ask a lot of questions to determine their needs. The more experience I gained as a sales person generally meant I had a much bigger arsenal of questions to draw from.

I think "engineer types" are critical thinkers "the process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion". Because of this there are no easy questions or answers.