Community Stories

No expensive service costs when you have WD40

Wat-1
Posts
257
Likes
73
Picked up this as spare and repair with very little information and two pictures, after receiving I noticed two small what looked like droplets of water on the dial that I didn’t/ couldn’t see in the picture after opening the back cover there was like all this grease liquid everywhere under the battery on the back cover on some parts of the movement after removing the movement out of the case it was all around the outside of the dial and the droplets where Also this substance on the dial which smelted exactly like wd40. Unknowing how much has wd40 the previous owner as sprayed all over the movement probably thinking that it was the best thing to do to try and get it working I cleaned as much off as possible without pulling the movement apart to much,I rotated the small coil wheel to check for any small metal fragments magnetised to it 3 other non working watches was fixed just because of this. The smell of wd40 still lingers but after replacing the battery it jumped into life and as been ticking away all afternoon lol . I haven't seen may versions of this day date quarts Seamaster before and it’s actually in amazing condition with original crystal. What are your thoughts ?
IMG_0059.jpeg IMG_0058.jpeg IMG_0057.jpeg IMG_0056.jpeg
 
Archer
Posts
27,252
Likes
69,495
Yep - the smell is unmistakable when you open the case. I had a Panerai come in years ago that had been sprayed liberally with WD40:





Drops on the back of the date indicator:



It was all over:











I cleaned up as much as I could before putting the movement through the cleaning machine, because if I eft it with all that present, I would have had to change the cleaning solutions right away...
 
sheepdoll
Posts
2,330
Likes
3,715
Well, at least it will not rust.

I'd worry about residual abrasive. Probably clean it several times, and consider the batch of cleaning machine fluid defunct.

WD-40 stands for water displacement formula 40. I wonder how long it remains fluidity replacing the water since it has the same density.

Does make a nice coolant when machining aluminum.

Still have the old cuckoo clock what got sprayed with WD-40. Actually looked at it the other day. We cleaned it and replaced the worn winding wheel. Small brass filings remain on the bottom of the case embedded in the wood. The music box missing the speed governor. Sometime I should see about restoring it. Was a fancy one with the dancers what spin around on a platform. Used a lot of plastic injection molded parts.

looks like Timesavers is still in business. Looks like the deer antlers are a popular item. They even have a small selection of watch parts and tools listed.
 
Canuck
Posts
14,043
Likes
40,295
I often run into clocks that have been doctored with WD40. I have found that attempting to clean a clock like this in L & R 677 (mineral based clock cleaner) instantly renders the solution useless! My solution is to dismantle the clock and clean it in soap and water to effectively remove the WD40. Rinsed in water, air dry, then clean in L &R 677. If you value the Omega, I’d suggest you have it attended to. The WD40 will eventually turn to a substance with the consistency of tar, effectively gluing the watch together, rendering it irreparable! Last experience I had like this was a Waltham 23-jewel Vanguard with winding reserve indicator. This would be a nightmare for a novice to service properly. So they shot it with WD40. You’d have had to see the mess to believe it!
 
Wat-1
Posts
257
Likes
73
Archer Archer
Yep - the smell is unmistakable when you open the case. I had a Panerai come in years ago that had been sprayed liberally with WD40:





Drops on the back of the date indicator:



It was all over:











I cleaned up as much as I could before putting the movement through the cleaning machine, because if I eft it with all that present, I would have had to change the cleaning solutions right away...
What must though peoples minds to pick up a can of wd40 and think it’s a good idea lol haha
 
Fallout Boy
Posts
2,060
Likes
4,358
Wat-1 Wat-1
What must though peoples minds to pick up a can of wd40 and think it’s a good idea lol haha
because: invented under the name: rocket-chemical-company 😂
voilà
 
Wat-1
Posts
257
Likes
73
Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
because: invented under the name: rocket-chemical-company 😂
voilà
Was definitely and older gentleman that owned it before me. I bet he said something like ( I know how to fix this either banging it on the table or drowning it hahahaha
 
Larry S
Posts
12,875
Likes
51,520
I have a buddy who’s solution to every problem is WD40.
 
Wat-1
Posts
257
Likes
73
Larry S Larry S
I have a buddy who’s solution to every problem is WD40.
Bet he loves tie wraps and silicon glue also hahah sounds like our fitter at work
 
Archer
Posts
27,252
Likes
69,495
sheepdoll sheepdoll
Probably clean it several times, and consider the batch of cleaning machine fluid defunct.
Although I can't recall for sure as this was 11 years ago, what I typically do with watches like this, or even just very dirty, I wait to clean them until I'm ready to swap out solutions. I still clean up the movement as much as possible before putting it into the cleaning machine, but when it's been run through I change the solutions. I don't even unload the parts baskets - once I have the jars cleaned and new solutions, I run the movement through again.

If you do enough work you usually don't have to wait long before the solutions are due to be changed anyway...
 
NotJackson
Posts
199
Likes
149
sheepdoll sheepdoll
"If it moves duck tape it, If if does not move use WD-40."
LOL … I used to work with a guy whose description of his time in the service was, “if it moves, salute it. If it don’t move, paint it.” He got out as a master sergeant, so he must’ve been onto something.

As for WD40, I have to admit I usually have the stuff on hand. It’s a mediocre oil, but a pretty good solvent. For stuff like cleaning up dirty bearings (e.g. bicycle hubs), it works great. I knew a woman who cleaned houses for a living and she swore by it to clean stainless steel. I just wouldn’t ever trust it as a lubricant.
 
sheepdoll
Posts
2,330
Likes
3,715
NotJackson NotJackson
I just wouldn’t ever trust it as a lubricant.
It never was intended as a lubricant. Never. ever. A friend of mine knew the inventor. Was designed as an antifreeze with the same density as water. (I think so there is no expansion, as water expands when if freezes and can crack things.) No where was it ever promoted as a lubricant.

Duck is a form of canvas. Often used by the military. Also used by artist to paint pictures on. So the waterproof tape used to patch the canvas was called duck tape. Does not really work on ducts as they tend to get quite hot, which renders the tape useless. Gaff tape is designed to no pull the hairs out of carpets.

Still, on the other hand, I have learned to never argue with a good urban legend.
 
hen
Posts
1,907
Likes
5,529
sheepdoll sheepdoll
It never was intended as a lubricant. Never. ever. A friend of mine knew the inventor. Was designed as an antifreeze with the same density as water. (I think so there is no expansion, as water expands when if freezes and can crack things.) No where was it ever promoted as a lubricant.

Duck is a form of canvas. Often used by the military. Also used by artist to paint pictures on. So the waterproof tape used to patch the canvas was called duck tape. Does not really work on ducts as they tend to get quite hot, which renders the tape useless. Gaff tape is designed to no pull the hairs out of carpets.

Still, on the other hand, I have learned to never argue with a good urban legend.
Learned something here today. I was under the impression that it was named "duckt tape" and that "gaffer tape" was named after the movie workers.

As for why people use WD40 for everything, maybe a mix up with CRC 5-56 and this tired old meme is to blame.

1_68FeXAbzqwRYymXEzoL55w.jpg
 
JimInOz
Posts
16,065
Likes
33,928
Duck tape - Probably the original cloth backed (duck fabric) adhesive tape, much used by the military. Now a brand name of Duck Tape, which still uses the original style of tape with modern improvements.

Duct tape. Used by HVAC technicians to seal joints in ducting. No cloth backing, but flexible vinyl or plastic to effect a proper seal at varying temperatures.

Gaffer Tape - Used by gaffers/riggers etc in the entertainment/film industry. Like Duck tape, it has a cloth backing allowing durability and a lesser adhesive bond to enable quick rip up changes to cables etc on stage or film sets.

WD-40 - A water displacing fluid (WD = Water Displacing) used for removing/displacing water from vulnerable electrical components like ignition points in car distributors (remember them?). Used often by the military to get water damaged/flooded electrical equipment back up and running.

All of the above is based on my personal experience of using this stuff and finding out the differences for various applications as I've needed them.
 
speedb
Posts
286
Likes
289
A lot of people have conflated its use as a penetrant (of which wd40 does a pretty average job) with lubricant
 
Archer
Posts
27,252
Likes
69,495
JimInOz JimInOz
Duct tape. Used by HVAC technicians to seal joints in ducting. No cloth backing, but flexible vinyl or plastic to effect a proper seal at varying temperatures.
Or, there's real duct tape...

Duct tape.jpg Foil duct tape.jpg
 
NotJackson
Posts
199
Likes
149
speedb speedb
A lot of people have conflated its use as a penetrant (of which wd40 does a pretty average job) with lubricant
FWIW, the WD-40 people advertise their “multi-use product,” which is the original formula, as a lubricant (among other things). See here, for example:

https://www.wd40.com/products/handy-can/

“WD-40 Multi-Use Product protects metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates stuck parts, displaces moisture and lubricates almost anything.”

(emphasis added)
 
sheepdoll
Posts
2,330
Likes
3,715
... and Rolex was the first watch worn on the summit of Mount Everest. Duct taped to Tenzing Norgay's Parka. (edit) lubricated with WD-40 to prevent icing of the movement.

Pointless arguing with urban legend. People only listen to what they already want to hear.
 
12 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

CanberraOmega

Stupid things to do when you have a $500k watch on your wrist

CanberraOmega Open Discussion
citizenrich
citizenrich
Posts
10
Views
1K