The correct lubricates for electronic & mechanical parts

Vinylrockrob

Vinylrockrob

Active Member
Want to clean and lube an old Dual record changer because of platter still spins when lever in in stop position. Guess their would be old grease to remove plus dirt and dust buildup over the years in the mechanical underside.
Don't want to use spray that will corrode of course. Just wish to know what to use for metal, rubber, nylon cogs, and electronic parts. Surely I can't use one cleaning spray for everything. Plus which type of grease and the right oil for each job part. :scratch2:
 
Register to hide this ad
Good luck...whenever I was shopping around in Australia for lubricants to use on a jukebox I was fixing for my girlfriend, I never could find the things I was looking for. Every hardware store, automotive shop, marine supply, locksmith, etc. wanted to steer me to WD-40 or silicone spray. I wanted some lightweight oil for motor bushings, and a thin grease for gears and sliding mechanical pieces. All I got were blank stares. I was able to find some 3-in-1 oil, but it is not good for sintered bronze bushings, as the wax in it will plug up the porosity of the bushing. In the end, I resorted to bringing a tube of Lubriplate grease with my tool-roll in my checked luggage, and oiling with 20 wt. non-detergent motor oil. Later, I wondered what sort of light grease they use in fishing reels over there in Oz? Whatever you do, stay away from WD-40, it's not a lubricant! Sprays in general are a bad idea.

--Bob
 
Bob E. said:
Good luck...whenever I was shopping around in Australia for lubricants to use on a jukebox I was fixing for my girlfriend, I never could find the things I was looking for. Every hardware store, automotive shop, marine supply, locksmith, etc. wanted to steer me to WD-40 or silicone spray. I wanted some lightweight oil for motor bushings, and a thin grease for gears and sliding mechanical pieces. All I got were blank stares. I was able to find some 3-in-1 oil, but it is not good for sintered bronze bushings, as the wax in it will plug up the porosity of the bushing. In the end, I resorted to bringing a tube of Lubriplate grease with my tool-roll in my checked luggage, and oiling with 20 wt. non-detergent motor oil. Later, I wondered what sort of light grease they use in fishing reels over there in Oz? Whatever you do, stay away from WD-40, it's not a lubricant! Sprays in general are a bad idea.

--Bob
Click to expand...
Have'nt used that WD-40 spray for many years.
Thanks Bob for your comments. Please read PM. Rob.
 
Bob E. said:
I was able to find some 3-in-1 oil, but it is not good for sintered bronze bushings, as the wax in it will plug up the porosity of the bushing.
Click to expand...
:yikes: Bloody hell!

NOW you tell me! That's what I used on my 1257's motor bearings in December 2006, and I wondered why the platter stopped spinning so freely after about three or four months when the TT shut off!

Crap! Now I'll have to clean them out somehow; my next planned lube job was this upcoming December with Mobil 10W-30.

Tom
 
OvenMaster said:
:yikes: Bloody hell!

NOW you tell me! That's what I used on my 1257's motor bearings in December 2006, and I wondered why the platter stopped spinning so freely after about three or four months when the TT shut off!
Click to expand...

The 3-in-1 oil in the red plastic can is the one with paraffin (USA definition, not Brit) in it, I believe it makes it "cling" to surfaces a little better. Unfortunately, it can, as mentioned, clog up porous bronze bushings. They do make a 3-in-1 Motor Oil (in the blue plastic can) that is supposed to be better in those types of bushings. I didn't mention it because I'm not sure it was available in Australia. You may have some success washing out the bushing in a fairly "hot" solvent (gasoline, acetone, benzine, xylene, etc.). The jukebox folks recommend 20 wt. non-detergent automotive engine oil for their lube points.

--Bob

Edit: By "hot" solvent, I don't mean it should be heated up! That would be very dangerous. I meant a really active, volatile solvent...use common sense and all appropriate safety precautions!
 
Last edited:
Exactly! I used the RED can! :gigglemad
Now I'm gonna have to totally disassemble my motor and soak those $%&@ bearings in gasoline one of these days. Jeez. I just hope that I haven't destroyed them.
Bob, thank you. I learned a very valuable lesson that I've not seen anywhere else. Very much appreciated.

Tom
 
I use sewing machine oil for PFAFF machines. It's made for the job and has been great for over 30 years. It's almost as clear as water.

You can buy a GALLON for $12. Oils a LOT of stuff.
 
Sewing machine oil is my go-to for most instances. Gun oil is another good lube. Both have high cling and do NOT dry out easily (maintains wetness/viscosity). They are made for plain bearing surfaces and a small jar will last years. Clock oils are another good resource. Lubri-Plate is the grease of choice for fine bearings. Chevron RED is the grease of choice for larger clearances.

As far as sprays go, there are two. Boe-Shield TO-9. Aviation grade that dries to a fine film and will NOT come off, even in salt spray. Is made to Mil and commercial aviation specs and is quite miraculous! The other is TriFlow. It's a light oil and teflon mix and it will leave a lasting slippery surface as well as break loose stuck parts. Used by lots of pros (including our own Fred Longworth) for decades :)

WD-40 is a good cleaner, but it will not last, so wipe it off after use and make the permanent lube something else.
 
I edited my post above about "hot" solvents, I meant something that is more volatile, lower surface-tension, not an oily hydrocarbon like safety-solvent. Obviously, you should never apply heat to solvents!

As for other lubricants, Lubriplate is fine when it is fresh, but it does dry out over time (years) and results in a pasty sludge that is not too lubricative any more. To fall back once more to the advice of my old friend regarding jukeboxes, he has given up on Lubriplate (even though it was originally specified by the manufacturer) and just uses 20 wt. automotive oil.

If sewing machine oil has "high cling", I wonder if that might indicate the presence of wax. Again, that would be fine for cup-type bearing reservoirs and drive chains, etc., but I think I would keep it away from sintered bearings.

--Bob
 
Lots of sintered bearings in clocks and older all mechanical sewing machines. No problems so far :)
 
Guys.

Try bicycle shops or hobby shops which service Remote Control stuff. Both have light oils and light greases.
 
Understood, Bob. The last thing I'd consider doing is warming up a tin can with gasoline in it. Room temp will do just fine!

I did find that sintered bearings are oil-impregnated by soaking the cleaned and dried bearings in warm or hot oil. I'll do that by setting a tin can with maybe one ounce of 10W-30 in it on an aluminum pie plate on top of a saucepan of simmering water on an electric stove. Max temp of just maybe 150°F or so. Hopefully within the next week or thereabouts.

Tom
 
Well, I cleaned the bearings by soaking 'em in Sunoco unleaded regular for a day, then washing them with 91% IPA and letting them dry. Then I put the bearings in two very small fruit cans (one for the bottom, one for the top) each filled with about an ounce of 10W-30 Mobil 1, and set them on an aluminum pie plate. The pie plate sat for a half hour on a saucepan filled with continuously boiling water. The cans got good and hot. They're cooling right now, and the bearings should be done tomorrow afternoon, ready for reinstallation :)

Tom
 
OvenMaster said:
Well, I cleaned the bearings by soaking 'em in Sunoco unleaded regular for a day, then washing them with 91% IPA and letting them dry. Then I put the bearings in two very small fruit cans (one for the bottom, one for the top) each filled with about an ounce of 10W-30 Mobil 1, and set them on an aluminum pie plate. The pie plate sat for a half hour on a saucepan filled with continuously boiling water. The cans got good and hot. They're cooling right now, and the bearings should be done tomorrow afternoon, ready for reinstallation :)

Tom
Click to expand...

Looking forward to the outcome.:yes:
 
Success!

Finished... this is the first time in all the years I've owned this TT (since '81) that the strobe marks on the platter don't slow down when going through an arm cycle.
I do think that the drive belt's a bit on the tight side. I'll be looking for a new one so as to not put so much stress on the upper motor bearing.
Tom
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom