pjs@uw-june (Philip J. Schneider) (01/03/86)
Earlier this summer, there was a bit of discussion regarding various
methods of cleaning/lubricating bicycle chains. I recall a posting (from
someone who sounded like they knew what they were talking about) covering
the details of how one goes about using paraffin on the chain. Would that
person (or anyone else who knows) please send me the instructions (e-mail,
please) on how to do this? I thank you and my bike thanks you.
Phil Schneider
--
Philip Schneider
University of Washington Computer Science
pjs@{uw-june.arpa,washington.arpa}
{ihnp4,decvax,cornell}!uw-beaver!uw-june!pjs becky@cylixd.UUCP (Becky Bates) (01/04/86)
> > Earlier this summer, there was a bit of discussion regarding various > methods of cleaning/lubricating bicycle chains. I recall a posting (from > someone who sounded like they knew what they were talking about) covering > the details of how one goes about using paraffin on the chain. Would that > person (or anyone else who knows) please send me the instructions (e-mail, > please) on how to do this? I thank you and my bike thanks you. > > Phil Schneider > -- > > Philip Schneider > University of Washington Computer Science > pjs@{uw-june.arpa,washington.arpa} > {ihnp4,decvax,cornell}!uw-beaver!uw-june!pjs Well Phil I was the one who posted the detailed article of how to use parafin to lubricate a chain. Here goes again. Supplies: *2 or 3 cakes of canning parifin *clean coffee can *pan with water *new chain *rivit tool (I think that is what the chain removal tool is called) *paint thinner *glass jar *newspaper *(tongs or pinchers) to remove the hot chain from the wax You let the new chain sit in the cleaning solution (paint thinner) for about a week or two to let allow all the oil to be removed. Stir the chain within the glass jar every few days or so to break up and move the cleaning solution around the new chain. After the chain has soaked for a while remove and beat on a plastic garbage can or let the chain dry for about 2 days to be sure all is clean and dry so that the wax will adhere to the chain well. Melt the wax in the coffee can, enough to cover the whole chain, by putting the can in the pan of boiling water. This acts as a double boiler and you do not have to worry about ruining a good pan. Put new clean and dry chain in the hot wax solution and stir about every 10 minutes, I let it stay in for about 20 or 30 minutes. Make sure that when you remove the old chain you put it into the cleaning solution for the next change of chains. Also make sure that you bike is dry and clean before installing the newly waxed chain. Remove the chain from the wax but be careful to use a tong so that you do not burn yourself and lay the chain onto the newspaper to cool. After the chain has cooled work each link in the chain until the excess wax is removed and the link flex all about the same. Now you are ready to install the chain onto your bike. You can store the wax for the next chain change out by putting a lid on the cooled wax in the coffee can. and you can reuse the paint thinner by letting the sediment and gunk settle to the bottom of your glass container and then pouring the good stuff into another clean jar and wasing the gunk out of the old jar. This kind of bike maintenance is cheap and you can recycle your cleaning sollution and wax for quite a while. I would not suggest using your cleaning solution over 3 times though because there might be a breakdown in the chemical makeup of the solution and there is a chance that more gunk will get into what looks like clean solution. FOr the first 10 iles your chain will feel wonderful and then begin to settle after the extra wax is (cycled off). The waxing of a chain makes it cleaner to handle the bike, dirt and grit do not get into delicate parts as easily because the wax repells most dirt more than oil or bike grease, and it is a clean way to maintain your bike chain and make bike parts last longer by not attracting snad and grit that wear on bike parts. You should wax every month if your heavy duty about cycling. If it rains you should rewax the chain also or if you live near the ocean you need to protect the chain from the salt air. If you have any questions I am at: !ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!becky Becky Bates
rein@milano.UUCP (01/04/86)
We've used paraffin instead of oil on our chains for several years with
great success--the chain stays cleaner longer. The method we use is:
1. Clean chain thoroughly in mineral spirits.
2. Place paraffin in a container (we use an empty coffee can) and
then place this container in a large pan with water on the
stove and heat until paraffin melts.
3. Submerge the chain in the melted paraffin for several minutes
(we use a paper clip on the end of the chain as a hook or handle
so we don't burn fingers in the hot paraffin).
4. After the paraffin has penetrated the links, remove the chain
and wipe off excess paraffin with a cloth. Sometimes you need
to loosen the links slightly by moving them back and forth.
You can buy paraffin in most grocery stores, and the it is reuseable
almost indefinitely if step 1 (cleaning chain) is done carefully.
We store the paraffin in the coffee container and reheat whenever we
want to relubricate the chain.
--
Gail L. Rein
MCC Software Technology
9430 Research Blvd., Austin, TX, 78759
512-834-3303
rein@mcc.arpa ut-sally!im4u!milano!reinwagner@uw-june (Dave Wagner) (01/06/86)
In article <315@milano.UUCP>, rein@milano.UUCP writes: > > We've used paraffin instead of oil on our chains for several years with > great success--the chain stays cleaner longer. The method we use is: > > 1. Clean chain thoroughly in mineral spirits. > 2. Place paraffin in a container (we use an empty coffee can) and > then place this container in a large pan with water on the > stove and heat until paraffin melts. The importance of the double boiler approach cannot be overemphasized: ******** PARAFFIN IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE!!! ******** In fact, if you have a stove with real flames (i.e. gas) make sure the flames aren't turned up so high that they are coming up around the sides of the pot you are using. While I'm on this subject, I might also point out that certain chain lubrication methods advocate soaking the chain in a moly-disulfide or teflon lubricant, then heating the chain to drive off the carrier oil. To do this safely, FIRST you heat up the oven; THEN you turn off the heat (including blowing out the pilot light as well) and throw the chain in for awhile. Dave Wagner University of Washington Comp Sci Department wagner@washington.arpa {ihnp4,decvax,ucbvax}!uw-beaver!wagner "Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do." - Bertrand Russell
richk@uw-beaver (Richard Korry) (01/07/86)
Just a comment on using paraffin... it was my experience that you need to do this on a very regular basis for it to work well. I didn't do it for 3 months in the middle of a Boston winter and began to get rust on the chain. My feeling was that if you are somewhat lazy then dirty messy oil/ grease works best. I just bought one of those Vennin chain cleaners on sale from Bike Nashbar (~$10) and hope that since it is so easy to clean my chain now that I will get around to more often than I do now. richk
sorensen@amdcad.UUCP (Sorensen David) (01/07/86)
In article <224@uw-june>, pjs@uw-june (Philip J. Schneider) writes: > > Earlier this summer, there was a bit of discussion regarding various > methods of cleaning/lubricating bicycle chains. I recall a posting (from > someone who sounded like they knew what they were talking about) covering > the details of how one goes about using paraffin on the chain. Would that > person (or anyone else who knows) please send me the instructions (e-mail, > please) on how to do this? I thank you and my bike thanks you. > > Phil Schneider > -- > > Philip Schneider > University of Washington Computer Science > pjs@{uw-june.arpa,washington.arpa} > {ihnp4,decvax,cornell}!uw-beaver!uw-june!pjs The use of paraffin wax apparently got started because of a mixup in what is ment by the word paraffin. In the UK, the word paraffin is used for what we in the US call kerosene, which is a good cleaner for chains. However, people here mistakenly started using paraffin (wax) for lubrication. It turns out to be a poor lubricant, breaking down under high stress; the only benefit is that it tends to fend off dirt and water, keeping the chain clean. It is not, however, a good cleaner or lubricant. I would recommend cleaning with kerosene followed by lubricating with "Bull Shot." -- Tim Olson Advanced Micro Devices ihnp4!amdcad!sorensen