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Is it ok to dissolve rust preventative oil on ER collets with WD-40 before use?

FrodoLoggins

Plastic
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Hey, so I just learned that WD-40 isn't actually a lubricant. Instead of using isopropyl alcohol/kerosene to degrease my stored collets for use, is it ok to use WD-40 and just spray the inside bore with a little air? or will this actually increase the likelyhood of a tool pulling out?
 
I use as for that purpose. I just wipe them with wd40 to prevent rust and clean. Was doing 90ipm 7000rpm .625 doc full woc with a 3flute carbide in 6061 aluminum. I thought is was some pretty decent cuts. (That’s what happens when you set your offsets wrong) and no tool pull out. In an er32 collet.

Most my tools are in er16 or 32 and while I’ve broken lots of tools I have yet to have one pull out. Just torque it correctly and it will be fine.

Wd40 is like a solvent. Works great for cleaning.
 
Try to avoid breathing in airborne WD-40, it's not great for your lungs. But I use it for collet and toolholder cleaning when changing out tools, just make sure they're blown or wiped off well to avoid leaving a heavy coating behind. I like to twist the tool in the collet before tightening to help wipe off remaining WD.
 
I used to use WD-40 heavily for cleaning just about everything like this. These days I use it very rarely for anything at all.

I use two products for collet systems. Clean everything with flushing solvent, fast evaporating no residue, everything meaning holder, collet, collet nut, and tool. Then I spray aerosol silicon oil inside the nut and in the collet seat and on the threads of the holder. No oil on the collet or the tool. This means that every interface is lubricated except between the collet and tool, which has no oil at all.

I have two rules for collets in the shop that everyone follows - assembling them this way, and never using the collapse range of the collet except for drills. This way holders and collets stay in good condition and we haven't had a tool move in a collet in several years.
 
Hey, so I just learned that WD-40 isn't actually a lubricant. Instead of using isopropyl alcohol/kerosene to degrease my stored collets for use, is it ok to use WD-40 and just spray the inside bore with a little air? or will this actually increase the likelyhood of a tool pulling out?

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many rust preventatives are a spray of mineral spirits and asphalt tar which gives in general a non sticky wax like coating. usually dont want any or not much oil in a rust preventive cause it sticks to fingers when touched
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some (better than WD40) sprays are actually mineral spirits, mineral oil and asphalt tar giving a oily coating that eventually dries with a extremely thin wax like coating for rust prevention and lubrication. obviously mineral spirits will help again dissolve asphalt tar that has dried
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paraffin wax often used instead of asphalt tar. its often considered a dry or drier type lubricant compared to oil
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petroleum jelly usually doesnt dry. its a sticky lubricant. sense it doesnt dry its messy if applied all over stuff as a rust preventative. and if warm or hot storage conditions its more likely to melt or drip off
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grease which is soap and oil eventually dries as oil drips and evaporates. dried grease can act like a glue at times
 








 
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