Old machinist told me to stop wiping down my ways with WD-40

Ran into a retired guy at a tool swap last weekend. He said WD-40 leaves a film that attracts grit over time and eats away at the surface. Said to use a light way oil instead. I've been doing it wrong for like 8 years. Anyone else get told something simple that ended up being a big deal?

3 comments

3 Comments

alex_johnson21d ago

Hold up though, I've been using WD-40 as a quick clean and protect on my lathe ways for years without any issues. All it really does is displace moisture and leave a very thin, dry-ish layer that wipes off easy before next use.

brown.gavin21d ago

wait, did he say why the film attracts grit? like is it something specific about the WD-40 or just that any leftover film is bad

william_henderson21d ago

Yeah, that kind of advice always sticks with you huh? I had a similar thing happen with an older guy at the shop who told me to stop using paper towels on my surface plate. Said they leave tiny fibers that mess with readings over time. I switched to a clean microfiber cloth and it made a real difference. Sometimes the little things from old timers end up saving you a lot of headaches down the road.