|
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | I have a '71 Ovation Balladeer that has some cranky tuning gears (original tuning keys). I'd like to keep them, but I'm wondering what (if anything) I should/could use to lube them? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 887
Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | I would suggest a very small amount of Vaseline put on with an applicator with a fine tip. Other ideas?? And you might have to take off the gears and lube the friction areas inside also. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Don't use anything that resembles grease (eg Vaseline) Any dust that comes in contact with it will stick and eventually the resulting amalgam will act like a cutting compound. (But I'm talkin YEARS) and if they're open gears, it will look 'mucky'
I'd suggest a dry lubricant, like pencil graphite. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6201
Location: Phoenix AZ | Light weight sewing machine oil. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2012
Posts: 53
Location: NW Montucky | muzza - 2013-02-12 2:06 AM
Don't use anything that resembles grease (eg Vaseline) Any dust that comes in contact with it will stick and eventually the resulting amalgam will act like a cutting compound. (But I'm talkin YEARS) and if they're open gears, it will look 'mucky'
I'd suggest a dry lubricant, like pencil graphite.
I agree totally with dry lubricants in general. For ease of application you can buy lock lubricant at the hardware store that is graphite suspended in a solvent. You spray it on/in, and then the solvent evaporates leaving just the graphite behind. I have had it in both tubes, and spray cans. Another excellent option and my go to dry lubricant is "Tri-Flow." You can buy it in any hardware store also. Tri-Flow lubricates with Teflon. Again, you spray it on, and the solvent evaporates leaving the Teflon behind. In really small application I spray some into a bottle cap and use a secondary precision applicator (toothpick!) I haven't used it on guitars, but I've used it on just about everything else; locks, fishing reels, firearms firing pins, door hinges, etc. It helps inhibit corrosion too. Its like a super WD40 without the smell and oily residue.....and NO, I don't own stock so won't make a single cent for this commercial... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | Lithium grease, like you'd use for your car's wheel bearings. And lots of it..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Peanut butter... chunky. Choosy guitarists choose Jiff
Edited by Damon67 2013-02-12 12:58 PM
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | damon67 - 2013-02-12 10:56 AM
Peanut butter... chunky. Choosy guitarists choose Jiff
That would be my second choice. Trouble is, I'd just as soon eat it as use it on the guitar. And when I do use it on the guitar tuners, I look silly if I get hungry and start licking the tuners.....
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1559
Location: Indiana | The Schaller web site says that they use "special grease" in their tuners.
There was a time that info would have extended this thread by 3 or 4 pages.
You're welcome. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2013
Posts: 5
| Why would they use a "special grease" and why would that cause such a ruckus? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | fretboardwizard - 2013-02-13 5:49 AM
Why would they use a "special grease" and why would that cause such a ruckus?
I don't know. A thread about lubing with Vaseline might have been too easy for Cliff to bother with. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4063
Location: Utah | TriFlow comes in a liquid at bicycle shops.
Personally I would do a thorough cleaning. Take them off, disassemble, and use something like MPro 7 gun cleaner. The stuff is safe enough to drink (but don't do that!) so I think it would be totally safe for your guitar finish if any tiny amount should evaporate off later. It cleans off greasy gunk from bicycle chains and gun parts as effectively as the toxic spray brake cleaner type products. I would use some form of dry lube like graphite dust. You could rub a pencil point against the moving parts or you could buy a little container at a hobby store.
I would avoid using any kind of solvent or liquid oil while the tuners are on the guitar.
Edited by FlySig 2013-02-15 8:47 AM
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks for all the input. FlySig, your clean and dry lube approach makes a lot of sense. I have some graphite lock lube; I'll run down to the gun store to get some MPro 7 - assuming I don't have to give a DNA sample to buy it! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2007
Posts: 137
Location: Massachusetts | rick, I doubt you'll have to give a DNA sample, but you may need a background check! |
|
| |
WHAT TO LUBE TUNING GEARS WITH?
