Lanocote-What to use for a diluter?

[delmarrey]

You riggers out there?

I have a 4 oz. container of Lanocote that I bought about 3 years ago to seal my shroud/stay fittings. I pulled it out today to use some more to lube a valve but the stuff is almost hard now (real tacky). Does anyone know what solvent is used in it, so to thin it down a bit. It has a bit of a diesel or petroleum smell.

I've bothered Forespar too much already, I'm sure they don't want to hear from me again.

[MidLandOne]

I'm not a rigger but I will have a go as Lanocote is used widely in a number of industries . The Lanocote I've bought here (and as far as I know it is made here) has always been real tacky. That has been the case with both the amber rigging grade and the darker industrial grade so maybe yours is ok.

Anyway, I believe (but not authoratively) that the main ingredient apart from the lanolin is fish oil (together with inhibitors of some kind).

If it is too tacky for a particular job a little warmth gets it to flow if you need it more liquid.

[DeepFrz]

It probably is just Lanolin.

Lanolin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[hugosalt]

Has anyone used Lanolin/grease to coat prop for extended period of non use
with any success?

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

The Lanocote I've bought here (and as far as I know it is made here) has always been real tacky.

Humm! That maybe the case. It's been 3 years and it seemed EZer to work. Maybe it's the cold weather. It does seem to be softer now that it's been in the house all night.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by hugosalt

Has anyone used Lanolin/grease to coat prop for extended period of non use
with any success?

Yeah! That's mentioned in some other threads. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...erm-13320.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ling-4445.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rop-12961.html

[Cheechako]

I always carry a tub of pure lanolin. It works great for lubing seacocks and will never go away! (just put some on your hands try to wash it off!) Works great for lubing anchor shackle threads so they dont freeze up. Nothing works better to lube stainless screws that are threaded in aluminum, and eliminates corrosion. It is sticky, warm it up. I tried various things on the blades of my max props, the lanolin probably worked as good as anything, just rubbed it on thouroughly with my hands before launching.

[David M]

The riggers I have talked to use Tef-Gel for all that kind of stuff now....threading stainless into aluminum, displacing moisture, lubrication etc. These are riggers that have worked on Ellison's ACR's and on large modern maxi racers...so they do know what they are talking about.

Lanocoat to them is old technology...because it does harden and wash off over time.

I put some Tef-Gel on about 20 machine screws threaded into aluminum 8 years ago below the waterline that holds a fairwater plate over an array of sounders. I pulled the screws when I was recently hauled out. The Tef-Gel is still there and still the same consistency as if I had applied it yesterday. There was no electrolysis either because the Tef-Gel was still over the bare aluminum right at the edge of the threaded holes.

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Humm! That maybe the case. It's been 3 years and it seemed EZer to work. Maybe it's the cold weather. It does seem to be softer now that it's been in the house all night.

Been trying to think of a way to describe the consistency of the Lanocote I have always had. The following just to try to give an idea of that -

Up until around 20C at least if one draws a screwdriver through it in the tub it won't flow into the groove unless it is warmed. Maybe like a firm honey that has been in a refrigerator. We very rarely get temperatures over around 25C here and those are not enough to cause the Lanocote to flow back into the pits I've dug into the surface of it in the tub between uses.

It softens to real runny when warmed - to watery liquid at skin bearable temperature.

I think it also comes in small tubes (small compared to the tubs) but I've never used them - it may be runnier in those so's it can be squeezed out but I wouldn't know.

[skipmac]

Will not address whether Lancote is the best tool for the job but will try to answer the original qustion. Could not find an MSDS for Lancote but I believe it is mostly or totally composed of lanolin. In fact I deal with the producer in South America that sells lanolin to Forespar so know for certain that at least part of the formula is lanolin.

If your goal is just to make the Lancote less viscous to make it easier to use or apply then warm it slightly. You could put the sealed container in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. If you really want to thin it out for some reason (making a thinned solution to pour into a socket for example) it should dissolve in denatured alcohol. Of course the alcohol will evaporate leaving a deposit of Lancote behind unless sealed in a container.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by David M

The riggers I have talked to use Tef-Gel for all that kind of stuff now....threading stainless into aluminum, displacing moisture, lubrication etc. These are riggers that have worked on Ellison's ACR's and on large modern maxi racers...so they do know what they are talking about.

Lanocoat to them is old technology...because it does harden and wash off over time.

Thanks David,

I'll check it out.

[MidLandOne]

If it were me and I had the Lanocote already, which I have, I would use it and not bother spending money on any of the alternatives. I suspect Tef-Gel, which is also a well regarded product, is only appropriate for use as a thread/rivet etc anti-seize compound though and not for filling exposed voids in fittings to prevent collection of water or dirt - that is something I would double check on before using it in that way anyway.

If you are intending filling voids I don't think you will really have problems with Lanocote washing out - the builder of our boat used it on the rigging screws (they are a special barrel type which are susceptible to problems if dirt gets inside them) and the deck stepped mast is stepped in it - all just heat gunned in and left to set.

I have after 13 years only recently given the rigging screws a touch up to refill the shallow recess around the top of the barrel threads just in case. The threads and interiors were still properly coated, as were the locking screws, but there was some erosion of the Lanocote on the shallow top recess in the barrels due, I expect, to rain running down the wire directly onto it. The lot around the mast in the deck step looks the same as the day the boat was launched.

As for screws and bolts, the genoa furler ss ones were done with it also and when I disassembled the drum and part of the foil a year ago to fit a new top halyard swivel they were all still properly coated and free despite the fact that the drum is exposed to seas and the components aluminium.

I have not heard of any problems from others were Lanocote has been appropriately used and that despite its wide usage. But in the end it is obviously a personal choice what one uses -there are a number of alternative products out there to choose between and worth looking at if one is so inclined.

[David M]

Actually, Tef-Gel is pretty good at filling voids. Its hard to describe its texture. Its very sticky like melted marshmallow, but it has a higher viscosity like really thick bearing grease. Its viscosity does not seem to change with temperature...it never melts in the sun or on a hot deck. The stuff never washes off...even soap and water does not take it off. When I get it on places where I do not want it, I use paint thinner or acetone to remove it or just keep rubbing it off with a clean rag. You just have to use it to see what I mean. I used to use Lanocoat as well.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by David M

Its viscosity does not seem to change with temperature...it never melts in the sun or on a hot deck. The stuff never washes off...even soap and water does not take it off. When I get it on places where I do not want it, I use paint thinner or acetone to remove it or just keep rubbing it off with a clean rag. You just have to use it to see what I mean. I used to use Lanocoat as well.

So what method do you use to get it in your shroud/stay fittings (to seal out the water/dust)?

[GordMay]

LanoCote MSDS:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...65f457msds.pdf

85% Wool Grease (lanolin)
10% Aliphatic Petroleum Distillates (naptha)
5% Other

LanoCote 'Amber' MSDS:
http://www.crc.co.nz/msds/3220.pdf

> 60% Lanolin
1 - 10% Fish Oil

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by GordMay

LanoCote MSDS:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...65f457msds.pdf

85% Wool Grease (lanolin)
10% Aliphatic Petroleum Distillates (naptha)
5% Other

LanoCote 'Amber' MSDS:
http://www.crc.co.nz/msds/3220.pdf

> 60% Lanolin
1 - 10% Fish Oil

The top one is known as "Industrial Grade" here and is a dark blackish slightly green tinged colour.

The Amber one is known as "Amber, Rigging Grade" here and is, not surprisingly , amber in colour.

From memory they are both of about the same consistency (that is the stuff from pots, I don't know about the stuff that is in aerosol cans which I assume is pretty runny).

Part of the unstated balance of the Amber constituents I know are "Corrosion Inhibitors" but exactly what they are I don't know. I assume the same applies for the 5% other in the industrial grade but that is just my assumption.

Am now wondering where it is currently made as certainly until a few years ago the stuff we got here and in Australia was made in Auckland by Lanocote Manufacturers Ltd and that has the same "Lanocote" Trade Mark on it as one sees on the stuff bought in the USA. Lanocote Manufacturers doesn't seem to exist any more and it is distributed in NZ by CRC NZ as CRC Lanocote but doesn't seem to be listed as a product by CRC USA? Another poster has inferred it is made by Forespar who are (as far as I know) based in California - the trademark "Lanocote" seems to be owned by yet another Californian company????

Sounds like a wooly sheep story .