Refillable WD40 From Junk

I go through a lot of spray on lubricants, and they always run out, or the can loses its pressure, when the shops are shut.

I looked at my latest can that had no pressure and a saw an disposable fire extinguisher in the bin and had an idea, combine the two and make something useful.

You can fill the can with what ever you want and pressurize it with a compressor or bike pump. You can buy WD40 in a 20 liter can if you want, but for undoing rusty bolts or lubing squeaky things I use biodiesel.

Step 1: What You Need

You don't need much,

• An old empty fire extinguisher (the one i use is not able to be refilled as it is disposable)
• An empty can of your favorite lubricant
• A Schrader valve from a bike tube or car tire
• Some basic hand tools and solder
• A tool to remove the core from the Schrader valve

Step 2: Prepare Your Schrader Valve

The valve I used was also junk it was remove from a car wheel, when the tire was changed. You will have to remove the rubber with a sharp knife and I found the last of it could be removed by putting it in a cordless drill and sanding it off.

If the valve still has the core inside it it will also need to be removed before soldering as the heat will damage it. There is a special tool to do this.

Step 3: Remove the Gauge and Fit the Valve

Next on the list is removing the gauge, fitting the valve.

• The gauge is very tight but will unscrew (the extinguisher is empty right?)
• The gauge can then be pried off the fitting
• Drill the fitting out to accept the Schrader valve I used a 5.5 mm drill yours may be a different size I used a lathe to do this but you could drill it out with a drill if you don't have access to a lathe
• Make sure everything is clean as solder will not stick to dirt or oxidized metal
• Solder the valve to the fitting
• Cut off any excess so the fitting seats properly when screw back in
• The valve can then be fitted to the extinguisher
• The core can now be fitted

Step 4: Harvesting the WD40 Can

First on my list is the cool bendy nozzle hose pipe thing on the WD40, I found that it kind of unscrewed, just twist it and it came right out.

• Next remove the nozzle from the fire extinguisher it just unscrews
• I drilled out the nozzle to accept the bendy nozzle, 3.2mm drill
• I also cut the end of the nozzle off, but it would probably be better just to fill up the cavity with silicon after the bendy nozzle is glued in
• Super glue the bendy nozzle hose into the fire extinguisher nozzle, and refit to the extinguisher.

Step 5: Saftey and Packaging.

When I asked the fire extinguisher service guy about refilling the cylinder, he pretty much said it was not a problem but you must make the extinguisher look like something that could not be mistaken for and extinguisher.

In an emergency people do some silly things so it needs to at lest have the label removed and painted any color but red.

• The top unscrews from the cylinder (make sure its empty first)

• The label can be remove by heating the cylinder up, it softens the glue and can be pealed off.
• I sanded the paint with scotch bright and painted it blue.
• The (empty) WD40 can had the ends cut off with tin snips then cut up the middle.
• I cleaned the inside of the can of any oil, then slid it on the cylinder glued it to stop it coming off.

Step 6: How to Fill and Use

To fill it up you just unscrew the to and about 1/2 fill with your choice of penetrating oil or diesel, you can buy WD40 in a drum if you want, or mix up your own secret sauce

Screw the to back on and pump it up with a compressor or bike pump, I found about 30psi was more than enough pressure, to blast those rusty bolts.

Comments

[cirena]

Clever! Thank you:)

[manicmonday]

Are you aware that you can make your own penetrating oil? There are at least several recipes that you can make to meet your own needs.

[mmerwarth]

WARNING: NFPA 30 (National Fire Protection Association Code 30) states that only inert gas (not air) should be used to transfer Classes I, II & III combustible/flammable liquids. See NFPA 30, Chapter 18, Section 4. When dealing with any combustible/flammable liquid caution should be used to avoid introducing air into the container. Avoid the fire triangle (fuel + oxygen + ignition) at all costs. Here are links to more information: https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/apparatus-accessories/articles/what-is-a-fire-triangle-4HSY7X5xagWZR5KQ/
...and the National Fire Protection Association
NFPA.org
WD-40 MSDS https://tchristy.com/wp-content/pdf/specsheets/15029SS.pdf

[liquidhandwash]

Oh you mean like this? (click on the photo) see that little CFA logo asking for a donation? thats the country fire authority https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/home
Can't be very well enforced since every paint spray gun ever made works by introducing high-pressure air into a flammable liquid. Sometimes people writing these "laws" have no idea.

[jimvandamme]

I'll use a propellant with a 78% nitrogen content. And be careful not to drop a match into the tank.

[not.sure.dojo]

Very cool build. The repurposing of what were items destined for the land fill is a great idea.

In the final pictures, is that a pair of Star Wars underwear? Repurposed shop rag or drying your laundry on a rusty engine block? 😂

[liquidhandwash]

Thanks for pointing that out, it helps with rusty nuts if I use the force

[not.sure.dojo]

Nice, lol.

[Daboke]

Remarkable! Great job! I knew I was saving those old fire extenquishers and schrader valves for something. Ought to be good for other lubes, as well.

[liquidhandwash]

thanks, I was thinking gasoline for hard to start engines and BBQs

[charlessenf-gm]

Brilliant mate!

I get something called Blaster by the gallon. They
sell it (from time to time) with a free refillable can replete with spray thing
that fits nicely. The first time I bought one such set, however, the spray
thing did not like the Blaster liquid - I wrote them a letter and they sent a
new can and sprayer mechanism. Easier than repurposing an expired extinguisher
- just not anywhere close to the Cool Factor the latter provides!

Love the recycling of the Schrader Valve!

Years ago I worked in an Auto Parts store that
sold and (I) installed tires. If I 'sold' the customer a BALANCE, I earned
extra, If I 'sold' the customer a Valve Stem, I got another bonus.

When changing tires, the 'pros' don't dig out the
little tool to remove the valve in order to quickly deflate the tire, they
simply rip it out (there's a special tool for that, too!)

So, whenever I bought tires and they tried
charging me for a fresh set of tire valves, I demurred. I tell them they are in
great shape or were just replaced with the last set of tires.

The mechanic doesn't hear any of this and will
simply rip them out regardless (in most instances) but I don't pay that freight!

Now, most don't itemize the process and simply
charge a fee for 'Mounting' your tire. This Tire Mounting often includes
balancing - necessary 'cause the tires they sell are not 'balanced' - try as
they might.

And, that fee has grown up as tpms module maintenance
- twelve bucks a wheel!

[DavidE341]

Best mix for penetrating rust is 50/50 automatic transmission fluid (ATF) and acetone (look in the paint department).

[JamesA41]

Going to comment so I can find this later. Haven't gotten around too yet, though have a Robins 9HP engine that is seized and from what i can tell so far... might be the piston. I guess is common with some of the Kohlers and I've read and been told to use ATF & Acetone and soak overnight before persuading. Technically, I still need to make certain the pull starter recoil assembly isn't stuck. I've been pleasantly surprised to find that the fingers and whole assembly just needing some cleaning, is all the issue more than once.

[GoFish]

The original mix was ATF & Kerosene. Around the late 1980's an American put it out as ATF & Acetone.
The problem is ATF & Acetone are immiscible. Test this by mixing some up in a jar and letting it stand overnight.
A superior mix is ATF: Kerosene: No. 2 Diesel at a 1:1:1 ratio.
I know that Kerosene and Diesel are very close,(Kerosene used to be sold as No.1 Diesel at one stage),but the Diesel adds extra lubricity. Add up to 10% Isopropyl Alcohol by volume for faster penetration or dampness. Best mix I have been able to come up with.

[ivak245]

Another vote for this. And it looks like you work on 80 year old engines (like me), this stuff works a treat, just needs shaking before use as the ATF settles out of the acetone after a while.

[liquidhandwash]

I've not tried that combination, will give it a go thanks

[bpark1000]

There is another player in this game. WD-40 is now available in hand-pump-spray cans (like common window cleaner). The can looks like an aerosol can, but it is not pressurized. It has a screw-on lid, but built-in ratchets forbid removing the cap to refill after it is used up. I chewed up the bottom edge of the screw-on lid, where the ratchet teeth are, with diagonal cutters, allowing removing the cap, and re-filling from bulk container.
I prefer the pump-spray to pressurized spray because you can control the amount delivered to the drop, versus the "fire hose" delivery from pressurized containers. The only thing I lose is the tube.

[AussieF1]

This is a good tool, BUT, take note of the comments about what you must use in it. Get the message !
I have had the experience with the trigger in a Remington 700. I bought the 2nd hand rifle very cheap because it had stopped working.
Short of dismantling the trigger, which I was not about to attempt. I had to remove the trigger, then immerse for a full 2 days soaking in acetone to get the dried gunk clear enough to allow it to work again. Then another day of soak rinse - soak - rinse repeatedly every hour before the acetone was clean. Now it is perfect again.
Just use liquid paraffin instead. Thin it with mineral turpentine if you need to.

[ljgordon]

Here is why I don't use WD 40 for anything except removing stickers. I was in the aviation industry for 31 years. If our mechanic found corrosion inside aircraft wings he would spray it with WD-40. It went thru three phases. 1. Liquid which lubricated and sealed. 2. Sticky. 3. Hardened and sealer. No more corrosion. I use to use it on locks until I couldn't get a combination lock to to open. I had to soak it in acetone for two days and swish it around a few times a day to get rid of the WD-40. It was in the 3rd stage.

[GoFish]

When I was 18, eight foot and bulletproof I lubed up my prized .308 with fish oil before going off to basic training. A few years later I got it out for a clean as I wanted to go hunting. Took over a week to strip it for cleaning! Live and learn aye?