To: headsethair
Mr Zuckerman: The process using WD40 is recommended by Robinson for use only on the R22 blade and only in the manner they proscribe. I would suggest that you don't post on this subject unless you have RHC approval - and I'm sure the manufacturers of WD40 would love to have a word with you.
Sometimes manufacturers recommend products without fully testing them with their minimal research being based on what they do on their car or in the machine shop.
WD-40 was developed by Convair Astronautics to displace water on the skins of Atlas missiles that were exposed to a severe salt-water environment at Vandenberg AFB. I know because at the time I was a techrep on the Atlas based at Vandenberg. The process engineer that developed the product got manufacturing rights and set up Rocket Chemical Company based in San Diego, CA. From the time that WD-40 was placed on the commercial market new uses were found for it other than dispersing moisture. Many people used it as a penetrant while others used it as a lubricant. Very few people used it for what it was designed for. It is the penetrating capability that I was addressing as it really does this very well. While it is penetrating the petroleum distillates will act on any bonding material that is present and cause the chemical bond to fail.
As far as the manufacturers of WD-40 taking exception to my comments I would suggest that they be contacted by Robinson and they should fully explain their application of the product and give them engineering documentation showing where the product is to be used. If they do or did this and WD-40 usage for the specified purpose is approved then I will shut up. As far as my getting approval from Robinson prior to posting I would never have come on this forum if that was the case.
To sum it up I add this WD = Water Dispersal
