A question for clockmakers.
I have a .002mm per division Dial Indicator that seems a bit sticky.
What is the best way to clean and lubricate it?
Can I use miniscule amounts of "3 in 1" on the pivots or is that
heresy ;-)
I have removed the back and the DI is on a piece of gauze over some
White Spirit in a pot (in the vapour only). I read this as a method to
release gummed oil.
I read it on the Internet so it must be true ;-)
I would go for total immersion in white spirit, unless there are rubber
parts in the DI, preferably in an ultrasonic tank and preferably dismantled.
Simply adding oil to a dirty bearing will guarantee self destruction in a
few years. When all is clean, re-assemble and lubricate with real oil, not
muck like 3in1 or WD40.
Cliff Coggin
Wealden Clock Repairs
The late, great George H Thomas defined 3 in 1 oil (by implication, not by
actual name)
a slow setting varnish and I absolutely concure with his opinion, he sugested
that it was
great for wheel barrows!
There a two types of suitable oil watch/clock oil and sewing machine oil both of
which are
non-gumming oils. They should only applied in MINUTE qantities. They should be
applied
with an oiler which consists of a very fine wire. Unfortunatly the obvious thing
to use
is, a fine
sewing needle is absoluely USELESS, If you dip a needle in oil in oil and
examine the drop
of oil you will observe that the drop is drawn up by surface tension so it is
0.5 - 1.00
mm away
from the tip, and when you jiggle the tip arround to get the oil where you want
it you
will
have applied much more than you wanted to. A thin wire of softish steel or even
copper cut
of
with a rather blunt pair of side cutters will produce the required "spade" which
will keep
the oil drop at
the end of the oiler so it transfers properly.
H S Walsh
formatting link
suitable oilers and oil:
H012 "Trium" oiler set 3.53
H097 "Pioneer" watch oil 3.53
Post and Packing 4.95
Total 12.01
However for a one off job this is really too much to spend and if you could
possibly find
someone
who is "into" horology and local to you I am sure they would do the oiling for
free.
Regards
Brian
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