Well the title says it all! :o

The operators out on the floor have some rather dirty jobs and the calipers tend to get gummed up just from thier hands, I use WD-40, wipe them down and gently blow the crud out. Is this wrong?

Thanks for your input... :thanx:

Well the title says it all! :o

The operators out on the floor have some rather dirty jobs and the calipers tend to get gummed up just from thier hands, I use WD-40, wipe them down and gently blow the crud out. Is this wrong?

Thanks for your input... :thanx:
In a machine shop environment, we just used mineral spirits (comes in everything from pint cans to five-gallon plastic carboys set in protective metal can to 55 gallon drum - MUCH cheaper than WD-40) in spray dispensers charged with pressurized shop air to clean and flush gunk from a variety of tools and instruments, including calipers, micrometers, gages, and CNC machines themselves. Wipe with lint-free wipers and lubricate as necessary.

For more difficult "gunk" we used other solvents, such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), always in well-ventilated areas. MEK works well on soiled clothing, too, as a "dry-cleaning" fluid.

:mad: Never use wd-40 on gauges!!!!! It forms a film and will end up sticking.

To clean dial calipers: Use alcohol (methanol 2A works fine) with q-tips and clean wipes to wipe down. You can gently blow chips out of the rack but watch for chips getting stuck in the teeth. You Can use a light grade tool oil (Starrett makes a decent one) to coat the gear rack. A few tiny drops are all thats needed.

FYI: Never use WD-40 on mics either. The only place you would put oil on a mic is on the thread of the spindle (and even then all you need is 2 drops)

gaugefixer

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely change this procedure immediately!

:thanx:

I would recommend the alcohol for cleaning as it leaves less of a residue. Instead of using shop air for blowing them off, get one of those vacuums that are made for keyboards and quality bristle brush.

As for lubricants, I tend to prefer dry lubricants. While "wet" lubricants like WD-40 will reduce friction on the moving parts, it will also cause dust and possibly fine metal particles to stick to the lubricated surface. This is real concern if there is an abundance of grinding dust.

Wayne