WD 40 on rotor blades

[scottessex]

I went back and re read the posts on polishing rotorblades, I cleaned my blades yesterday, I usually try to keep them pretty clean. I had alot of bug guts that wouldn't come off, So I used an auto detailer trick........WD 40, removes bug guts pretty well, it doesn't do much to shine up the aluminum. It does give them a slick feel.
Went flying and MAN, SMOOTH! I couldn't believe how smooth they flew, performance was very good and NO stick shake at all. :D

Why? who cares! :D

[Airone]

Hey Scott

I took a Corrosion Control Class many years ago when I worked on Jets in the Marine Corps and they told us that WD-40 will cause on aluminum.

I would use some Bug remover from your local auto store.

Jon P. Gardner

[devon532]

I took a Corrosion Control Class many years ago when I worked on Jets in the Marine Corps and they told us that WD-40 will cause on aluminum.


I think a word was left out because I'm not exactly sure, but do you mean it will cause corrosion or some other bad thing on aluminum?

[Airone]

sorry..... Will cause corrosion on aluminum

[bartc150]

I use what Ernie suggested. Plain old rubbing alcohol. Works like a champ. Then I use this cool spray wax in an aerosol can. Spray it on, let it sit, them wipe it off. It is almost effortless.

[Jazzenjohn]

I've been using the purple power cleaner that Ron Awad recommended for removing bugs. It works great for me. I don't have any polish or anything on the blades and I don't know if it would take wax off though I suspect it would.

[GyroRon]

NO!!!!! I don't think i would have said to use purple power on your blades!!!! It is harsh stuff, and I know it would be harmful to the aluminum over time. I use purple power on alot of stuff but never blades.

I found that a damp towel is all you need to wipe off the bugs if the blades have a good polish on them. If you need a cleaner, maybe Formula 409 would be okay...

[gyrodude]

I use Purple Power all the time. It has an acid in it that will eat the skin off your hands if you don't wear rubber gloves. I use Windex, works great.

[gyrodude]

I use Purple Power all the time. It has an acid in it that will eat the skin off your hands if you don't use rubber gloves. I use windex, works great.

[DBerke]

WD-40 should be great as far as I can tell. The company made it for cleaning and protecting missiles. Here is some info from the company web site.



"In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California.

It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40—which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home."

Dennis

[KenSandyEggo]

I think 409 and similar cleaners are harmful to aluminum.

[skyguynca]

We use 409 to clean and wash our planes every week, boss was doing it years before I got here, no corrosion problems that I have see. WD40 should not corrode aluminum either, been using it for 20 years as a penetrant for stubbon screws and such, no corrosion problems that I have see.

[Canadian Rhino]

Spray 9, Fantastic, etc are all caustic and will attack aluminum imediately. ;) WD-40 is just fine! We use it here for storing metal outside aluminum included!

[REDHORSE556CES]

I've always been warned that WD-40 will absorb slight amounts of moisture and that was the reason it was no good as a preservative. My personal experience would lead me to believe this is true; In my early years as a traffic signal technician I tried using WD-40 to prevent corrosion. It didn't do much good.

I'll agree periodic waxing is probably the best procedure. The grit, grime, dust and squashed bugs stick to the wax making it easier to remove them when cleaning.

[drifter57]

Pledge furniture polish works great. Spray it on, wait a minute, the bugs wipe right off. Leaves some wax behind that makes it even easier the next time.

[Jerseywing]

Honda makes a cleaner/polish that will take off bugs etc and leave a silky surface. Best is that you can use it on plastic windshields without damaging them. Any standard household cleaner will eventually "fog" a plastic windscreen. I spray it on and wipe it off, for the nasty bugs I give 'em a little extra squirt and off they come. It's a little pricey but my windshield has lasted 3 years and is clear as when it was new.
BTW if you clean a windscren use up and down strokes not side to side or circles. It will minimize the haze encountered at night when it gets a little road grime on it.

[scott heger]

I use Pledge furniture polish on my painted blades. Really takes the bugs off easily, and leaves a slick surface that makes the bugs hard to stick. On clear plastic, Plexus is hard to beat. Pricey, but so are new windshields if you scratch them.

Scott Heger, Laguna Niguel, Ca N86SH

[KenSandyEggo]

As mentioned before, I prefer to coat my blades with Redi-Whip and then just lick it off. You get some protein from the bugs and your dessert, all at the same time. Now I'll have 3 blades to enjoy.

[RockyMeLad]

Damn-it Ken... I just had breakfast!

[KenSandyEggo]

If you followed my advice, you could have skipped it.

[lanichol]

WD-40 should be great as far as I can tell. The company made it for cleaning and protecting missiles. Here is some info from the company web site.



"In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California.

It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40—which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home."

Dennis

WD-40 is a form of diesel. It is non-conductive and originally used to get water out of distributor caps.

[SamL]

Here's one more, I have been using Windex ( Glass cleaner ) and just a simple spray and wipe, removes bugs and all.
Even makes them shine like new.
Just my 2 cents worth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards Sam. :D

[Cobra Doc]

I'm just curious why nobody has mentioned Mother's Aluminum cleaners polishes and waxes? As bikers and hotrodders as there are this forum, it just seems like a natural.

[scottessex]

Mothers works great! But I don't want to spend hours polishing, just to remove bugs after flying. Maybe every couple of months.

[Butch S.]

Lanolin wool oil we use it on bare alluminium & Fglass painted blades it stops bugs sticking for up to 2 months it also stops corrosion as we fly/land on the beach almost every flight. "brag brag"

[rotor]

geez butch .... biggendens a long way of the beach .... your not flying from Rob's place again are you ;)

[Butch S.]

Gday Ding
nah up at winfield
Butch

[Caribean_gyro]

use lemon pledge orks great and smell better

[david holmes]

Scott,
where did you find the threads on polishing rotor blades?
I've found that I can get a MIRROR finish on my DW's but it took far too much work with Mother's.

[gyropilot]

Scott,
where did you find the threads on polishing rotor blades?
I've found that I can get a MIRROR finish on my DW's but it took far too much work with Mother's.David,

Was this what you were looking for?

REPORT - Polishing Aluminum Rotor Blades (http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=67117&postcount=1)

John L.

[david holmes]

john L.

yes, thanks

[RayAR3]

I've been washing airplanes for a long time (too long), and up in the great New England where I grew up, most of the mechanic shops swear by lemon pledge sprayed on over the normal 1-2 time a year wax job. Any leading edge or forward surface smells nice and stays bug-free.