At 02:52 PM 08/10/1999 -0400, Bob Denton wrote: > Do not use petroleum anything on >plastic or rubber! Definitely a no-no on latex, and probably not too good for any other "natural" rubber. There are a whole spectrum of synthetic rubber compounds out there, most of which are not going to be greatly troubled by a little KY jelly or even clean automotive grease. The gaskets and O rings in Elaines watch are most likely a Buna N synthetic rubber as it is one of the least expensive, hence most commonly used O ring materials. Buna N gets along just fine with petroleum grease. Obviously, a great deal depends on the specific plastic, but right offhand I can't think of any commonly used thermoplastic material that would be particularly offended by petroleum jelly. When in doubt, try a dab on an unexposed corner. >Be advised that not all silicone grease is food grade. True enough. To have the FDA certify something as "food grade" requires a lengthy and exhaustive (read expen$ive) battery of tests, which the manufacturer is unlikely to perform on a product destined to lubricate an O ring or whatever. As a whole however, silicone compounds are inert, insoluble in water, and relatively non-toxic. Even so, check the label for dire warnings before using it in your water filter. I mentioned the Dow Corning DC976 High Vacuum grease because it is fairly inexpensive, and because I have used it for many years for many different applications, including the O ring in the pump of my water filter. Ain't dead yet, but your mileage may vary. If anyone wants a source for this (IMHO) fine product, try the Kurt J. Lesker Co. 1-800-245-1656, www.lesker.com. Their catalog number is DC976VF, cost is $11.30 (may be a bit more, my catalog is a couple years old . . .) for a 5.3oz tube that ought to last a long time unless ya gots a real bushy moustache. ByeBye! S. Oh, PS: Common silicone sealant, or RTV gives off acetic acid during the cure (the sharp odor you gagged at the last time you used it. Remember?) that can and will corrode some metals, particularly bare aluminum. Use with due discretion. Somewhere there exists a silicone sealant that doesn't give off acetic acid, but alas, I can't remember any details. I'd appreciate a fill from anyone familiar with such a product. TIA! S. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Aug 10 1999 - 15:49:40 PDT
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