Vorticey
I didn't ask about which surface was debonded, I'll ask the owner when I see him on Friday.
I do know that I'm buying a longer ladder so I can check the top surface as well.
The problem occurred in R44s and the AD was only for the 44 series but I think it would be prudent to be vigilant with R22 blades as well. The blades are different though (apart from their size) The R22 has alloy D spar and the R44 stainless. I don't know if they use different bonding agent but the fact that one side of the bond is different metal might make a difference. I couldn't be that lucky though
The owner keeps all the local machines at his rural property (he has a fleet of them) and he is fastidious about his machines and does most of the cleaning, washing etc himself. He's the chief pilot so he's with them all the time and the LAME is doing something with one of the machines pretty frequently.
Beyond that who could say. As far as is known they don't use it.
I hope having bare metal leading edges isn't the cause because every Robbo I've seen with over about 500 hours on the blades has no paint on the outer leading edges. Again I think it would be a case of, if that were the cause every blade here would have delaminated.
Mr. Zuckerman
Unfortunately as I said Robinson gave a very general answer to a specific question. Their reply was a page from a manual which just said automotive wax. No type or quality specified. Not much help.
Where did you get the information that Robinson do not approve the use of WD-40? I haven't been able to find that sort of specific information but if its available, officially, I would like to get it. Though they didn't say so, I got the impression from their brief reply and attachment that they weren't too keen to actually name names. Maybe again for fear that an apparent endorsment might prove to run against them if a problem ensued.
But they also did't say what you could NOT use either.
My LAME rang around operators and distributors here in OZ and came up with carnuba automotive wax. If I recall carnuba is some sort of organic oi l /wax from a tree or plant (though I am delving back into the dark recesses of my memory there.
CorrosionX doesn't seem to be available here in this part of OZ.
Now, Mr. Zuckerman, you wouldn't be trying to baffle and impress us with lots of big words would you?
Something something Meta Silicate penta hydrate - sounds a bit glassy to me.
Alkaline agents having free hydrogen
Don't you mean acids have free hydrogens and alkalines accept hydrogens.
Free hydroxyl (Free Hydrogen)
MonoButyl Ether in a detergent (mmm, maybe, though the ether linkage would would render it very insoluble in ionic solution like detergent and probably defeat its purpose. If one end of the chain were a butyl what's on the opposite end of the ether bond?
Whoops, just remembered you are right...some of the short chain aromates are included in engine degreaser types to help dispersion into water when you wash off the stuff.
I take that bit back.
Ah well doesn't matter its all one up-manship isn't it.
Some of us Robbie drivers have more letters after our names than in them
Now with regard the falling sky. I do recall - I checked the posts -and that it was your good self who first saw the waxy shadow of debonding and cried that it proved the sky was falling on all users of such evil unauthorised stuff. And it was your own post which revelled in the call that WD-40 in sheeps clothing caused the problems (of course - self protected by the little insertion at the start it could be a "manufacturing anomoly" but.......)
If I recall I mentioned a few lines indicating perhaps there might be more to it, as lots of blades gets lots of WD 40 and lots of blades (in fact all except 2) don't debond every time they turn.
Now I DO agree with you that if the manufacturer doesn't endorse then we shouldn't use it. I have written back to Robinson for a more specific answer and again I'll post it when I get an answer.
Till then I'm off to buy a bigger ladder and some maybe some carnuba wax
