Hello Greg, I cannot agree more. I put a spring in a plastic bag with WD-40 for long term storage and the spring rusted. WD-40 does nothing to help removing old grease and gasoline actually make it harder to remove.
Molybdenum-disulfide performs the same function as graphite without the abrasive qualities of the graphite. Steve > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:17:17 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Cleaning a phonograph. Wax removing. > > I wish people would stop recommending WD-40 as an all-purpose lubricant. > It is particularly UNSUITABLE for lubricating fine mechanisms with small > parts. It was originally designed as a waterproofing agent, hence, it's > name "WD-40" refers to the fact that it is a "water displacement" product, > this being the "40"th attempt. It was invented in 1953, before which time > plenty of other products were found quite suitable for lubrication purposes. > The long-term ingredient is a VISCOUS oil that is carried by a light, highly > volatile mineral oil carrier, similar to kerosene. The kerosene acts as a > penetrating agent which serves to carry the heavy oil into cracks and > crevices, the better to waterproof the treated object. So, yes, the > kerosene performs as a penetrating oil for about 5 minutes. Then the > kerosene evaporates, and you're left with the sticky oil worked into the > cracks and crannies. See the description and ingredients here: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40 > > This description has fit my experience exactly. After the carrier > evaporates, you've got a sticky, tacky mess left on the object you're trying > to "lubricate". Bad choice for small gears and pinions. I find that WD-40 > is useful primarily for exactly what it was originally intended - > waterproofing. And it functions as a lubricant for heavier mechanisms, > although a proper oil or grease is far preferable. > > If you want a penetrating oil, use pure kerosene. I use an automotive > product that consists of a very light volatile carrier with suspended tiny > graphite particles called "Part-Ease". It's particularly good for stuck > rusty parts. Don't know if that brand is still available - the can I'm > using is one I bought 30 years ago. Works good on exhaust manifold bolts on > cars and motorcycles. If you want a proper lubricant for fine mechanisms > like clocks and similar low-torque mechanisms, use a proper very light oil > such as can be purchased from clock repair parts suppliers. Proper light > clock oil does not dry up or get tacky. And it's available in various > viscosities for light, medium, and moderately heavy torque applications. > For most phonograph mechanisms, I find that ordinary 20 or 30 weight > automotive motor oil works quite well. For sliding surfaces such as the > reproducer bearing bar surfaces on many Edison cylinder machines, I use a > mixture of 30 weight oil and a PTFE (teflon) product such as "Slick 50". > The PTFE provides long lasting surface penetration into the metal for > superior reduction of sliding friction and stiction. Actually, I like this > oil-PTFE mixture so well that I now use if for all my medium-duty > lubrication needs. For very heavy torque applications such as the main bull > gears of phonographs, an ordinary automotive grease is appropriate. I use a > molybdenum-disulfide based grease ("molly dum-dum" for you motorcycle > wrenches out there) for most applications. It doesn't dry out, channel, and > get stiff like many lithium based greases. > > Greg Bogantz > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Curt Angstman" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 8:36 AM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Cleaning a phonograph. Wax removing. > > > > Hi Gabriel, > > > > For basic motor cleaning, remove the motor from the machine and find a > container large enough to fit it in. Fill the container with kerosene and > let it soak for several days. Use a toothbrush to remove sludge from gears > and small parts. Kerosene will not harm your motor and will actually > lubricate it. When you are through, you need to re-grease the spring, if > possible. Grease will continue to leak from the motor for awhile, since the > kerosene dissolves it, so you will want to put a rag under it after it is > re-installed. I also use WD 40 and spray lithium grease to re-lube the > motor. WD 40 also will remove crud from the wood cabinet or painted surfaces > without harming the finish - I use it on my BMW to remove tar, etc. It's a > great product and has many uses, like removing sticker glue, tar and grease. > It is also wonderful for re-energizing the paint on a horn. On black horns, > I touch up scratches with a Sharpie marker and/or liquid gun bluing (gun > bluing works great to "age" metal parts) and then clean the horn with WD 40. > On painted or flowered horns, it cleans and deepens the colors. Neither > kerosene or WD 40 will harm painted or nickel finished parts. WD 40 also > restores and cleans 78 records and Amberol cylinders. Some people will > disagree with that, but take a dirty, scratchy 78 record and try it - it > will improve the sound and make it look better - and absolutely NO damage to > the record - spray it on and wipe it off. I have used this method for over > 30 years and have never had any damage to my records. It will not dissolve > 78 rpm records or celluloid, but DO NOT use it on wax cylinders!!! > > > > I can't help with the parts, but what do you mean by "click-fitting" system. > Are you talking about the latches on an early Edison? > > > > Hope this helps, > > Curt > > > From: [email protected] > > Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:46:07 +0100 > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [Phono-L] Cleaning a phonograph. Wax removing. > > > > I have just begun to clean my old and dirty Edison Spring Motor and it is > > a very heavy work. Do any of you know what kind of product I can use to > > solve the wax and grease that is on all the surfaces of the phonograph? I > > don't want to damage the black paint nor the chrome finish of parts. > > > > Any ideas? > > > > I also need some help for lacking parts. I need a speed regulating screw > > knob and the lid lacks some metal parts to fit the phonograph base. If any > > of you can send me photos of how must be the complete "click-fitting" > > system, I think I can make an idea. > > > > And, for the Bettinis, I need mica and metal foil diaphragms as well as > > the recorder stylus that it lacks. > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > Gabriel. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _________________________________________________________________ > Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. > http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469226/direct/01/ > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
