A nice-to-have to prevent squeaking and rust.
See full version: 7 Things Everyone Ought To Know About Silicone Lubricant Grease Before Applying To O-Rings
A nice-to-have to prevent squeaking and rust.
You put grease on the mower wheel axles. You put oil in your Honda mower small engine.
When watchmakers or tinkerers are putting together the watch, silicone grease is used on the gaskets to aid reassembly and help prevent them tearing. here
Examples BoatLife Life Seal, more
Marine Caulking Products Guide will help you understand the difference and properties of the caulking options available and where to use the. Leaks can be just annoying, or cause structural damage and even lead to sinking. Despite this leaks are very common and can be found on new boats and old boats alike.
Without proper surface prep any caulk will not live up to its potential. Surface preparation; Clean well to remove dust, wax oil and all contaminants. In some cases you could sand with 180 or 220 paper. [links]
Polyethers PE; 3M 4000 is an example and are new and have very good UV resistance. Their lack of solvents minimizes shrinkage. [links]
In our upcoming test of marine sealants we looked at ways to develop bonds between common polyurethane sealants and polyethylene plastics-the kind of plastic used in a variety of marine products ranging from fuel tanks to baseplates. Starboard is one of the most common brand name high-density polyethylene materials, and it is notoriously difficult to develop a good bond with Starboard using conventional sealant/bedding compounds.
But there is a partial solution to using an adhesive sealant with polyethylene. While the chemistry of polyethylene is stable, it will burn. If exposed to flame, the surface layer undergoes chemical changes that dramatically improve bonding. In what is known as flame treatment, a propane torch is played across the surface of the plastic until the appearance changes from reflective to dull. It is important not to overheat as the material will melt. You need just enough heat to take away the shine. A more certain way to judge the effectiveness of the treatment is to pour a little water on the surface. If the water beaded instantly, bonding will still be difficult. However, if the water sheets out for at least a few seconds, as it would on a well-prepared fiberglass or metal surface, it should hold a bond. more
Polyethylene derives many of its best characteristics from its completely inert character. Complete chemical resistance makes it a great choice for tanks, including gasoline, potable water, and holding tanks. There is nothing to leach from the plastic, since plasticizers (phthalates) are not used. Ultra-violet resistance is reasonably good when treated with UV inhibitors. It is completely resistant to corrosion, and it is easy to machine. The downsides are that polyethylene creeps under sustained load and it cracks-making it no good for backing plates and most structural applications. Also, it can only be reliably bonded by thermo-welding. Although Sudbury and some other companies have developed sealants specifically for sealing polyethylene, most adhesives and caulks will not work with the material. This is why the tips of caulking guns are polyethylene; even un-cured caulk barely sticks.
Next, open up your container's lid and remove the protective foil from the top, along with the included silica gel packet. Don't discard either of these things, as you'll need them later. Grab a putty knife, a spatula, a trowel or some similar tool, and scoop a portion of paste from the container without digging down deep.
Once you and your work area are fairly clean, replace the foil on your paste container, making sure that you press it against the edges extremely tightly. Otherwise, the paste could dry up and become less useful. Replace the silica gel packet you removed at the beginning of your first job, too, and finally, put the plastic lid back on. more
Once you've got some paste on your spatula (or whichever tool you've chosen to use), begin applying it gently and smoothly to the surface you need to treat. Only apply it around the hole, gap or crack, and not to the rest of the object or area you're treating, or else you'll end up wasting some. You may only need one coat, but if you think you'll need more than one, wait 15 to 30 minutes before dipping your applicator into the container again to get another portion.
Butyl Tape is a non-hardening, elastic rubber that is great for bedding applications on boats. It can be used to waterproofing holes made for bimini and dodger frame fittings, snaps, awning track installation, stanchions and much more. Butyl tape is a soft, malleable material that can be easily trimmed, pressed and formed to create a water and airtight seal. It also increases adhesion with age after it’s applied, so it creates a long-lasting seal. Go ahead and really tighten your screws; you won’t squeeze out all the butyl no matter how hard you tighten the fittings. here
When installing hardware on the deck of your boat or when you’re adding new portholes, hatches or windows, it’s important to properly bed the hardware to ensure that water can’t get into your screw and bolt holes and cause rot and other problems. Bedding is the process that seals water out of the hole in your deck by using a silicone or rubber sealant. Today we’re going to compare and contrast the two most popular sealant options: marine silicone and butyl tape.
Silicone has a mediocre shelf life. Once a tube has been opened it will last for a year or two before drying out. A 3 oz. tube of marine silicone is comparable in cost to a 45-foot long roll of butyl tape. more
Silicone does have a few drawbacks that you’ll want to consider. Many sailors find silicone messy and difficult to clean off your boat. To make matters worse, your boat’s gelcoat is prone to absorb leftover silicone that squeezes out from under the hardware and then the silicone attracts dirt. To prevent this, the best way to clean up the silicone is to wet sand it off, rinsing your sandpaper frequently to prevent grinding the silicone deeper into the gelcoat. If your hardware ever needs to be changed out, you’ll need to completely remove all of the old silicone before re-bedding, which can be a lot of work.
Butyl tape is easily removed from hard surfaces without damaging the surface, even after years in the application and the same roll of butyl tape will last for years and years on the shelf.