Advice on solvents and lubricants

[BrianShaw]

I have been told to use Nyoil, but a small bottle of that costs more than a 5 liter can of WD-40.

Nyoil is a known product that has both the respect and widespread use by professionals. There are others too...

 

[cmacd123]

Nyoil is a known product that has both the respect and widespread use by professionals.

that is why I bought a bottle. can't think of any part of a camera - or even a projector where WD-40 fits. the idea of separating out the oil and using that makes some sense, but even that might be too thick for some places.

 

[CMoore]

Is there any reason not to use Break Free on cameras.?

https://www.amazon.com/Break-Free-C...d=1&keywords=break+free&qid=1574301608&sr=8-1

Is there anybody that knows the answer to this guy's question.?

 

[cmacd123]

Is there anybody that knows the answer to this guy's question.?

break free is a contact cleaner for electrical switches. might be good for that in a camera as long as it did not migrate to mechanical parts. there are a lot a close tolerance resistors in a camera and so you might be adding something that would attract dust if it left residue. unlike a TV set, their is Very little current flowing in a camera meter.

 

[CMoore]

break free is a contact cleaner for electrical switches. might be good for that in a camera as long as it did not migrate to mechanical parts. there are a lot a close tolerance resistors in a camera and so you might be adding something that would attract dust if it left residue. unlike a TV set, their is Very little current flowing in a camera meter.

Are you sure you are not confused with Deoxit.?
Break Free has long been a favorite lubricant for guns and fishing.

 

[cmacd123]

Break Free
https://www.amazon.ca/Break-Free-Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative-Squeeze/dp/B0050GW7KU/ref=sr_1_1

DEOXIT
https://www.amazon.ca/CAIG-DeOxIT-Liquid-Needle-Applicator/dp/B01N55WSYM/ref=sr_1_6

(note the price shown for deoxit appears to be ridiculous.)

 

[CMoore]

Break Free
https://www.amazon.ca/Break-Free-Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative-Squeeze/dp/B0050GW7KU/ref=sr_1_1

DEOXIT
https://www.amazon.ca/CAIG-DeOxIT-Liquid-Needle-Applicator/dp/B01N55WSYM/ref=sr_1_6

(note the price shown for deoxit appears to be ridiculous.)

You are right.
Both are sold at Amazon, and Nobody pays anywhere near that much for DeOxit.

Are you saying they are the same product.?
I have not heard of guys using BF in place of DeOxit.

 

[Light Capture]

Contact cleaner is only useful to determine if a cheap assembly is not working due to dried out lubricants. It contains a fine oil and will leave fine layer of oil that will prevent oxidization.

Deoxit didn't damage any plastics I tried it on. It still might damage some kinds of plastics. Other contact cleaners do damage plastics.
I do not use contact cleaners for final repairs or assemblies that might be hard to clean.

Even though contact cleaner gets most assemblies working if there's nothing wrong in them except dry lubricant, it doesn't last.
Fine oil in it doesn't have long lasting lubricating properties. If you spray it on old shutter (wouldn't recommend using it on anything of value) and it starts working, it will usually fail withing few weeks/months.

The same can be probably said about other miracle solutions.

Nothing can replace proper disassembly, cleaning and lubrication.

Nye oil is recommended. There are many optical lubricants that can be ordered online from different places to use in other places so there is no outgassing.
They have huge operating temperature ranges.
There are watch cleaning solutions that can be used to clean assemblies. Again everything should be disassembled and lubricated properly after assembly.
Keep in mind some of these solutions are smelly and could have health implications with long exposure.

There are many repair manuals online and they contain lubricants used. While most of them are unavailable today, there are quite few from the same manufacturer or family of lubricants that would be suitable.

 

[cmacd123]

Contact cleaner is only useful to determine if a cheap assembly is not working due to dried out lubricants. It contains a fine oil and will leave fine layer of oil that will prevent oxidization.

+1

I have been trying to learn about what it takes to fix cameras and agree with all of "Light Capture"'s Point.

 

[CMoore]

+1

I have been trying to learn about what it takes to fix cameras and agree with all of "Light Capture"'s Point.

So again, why are you calling BF a "contact cleaner" and comparing it to DeOxit,?
Are you saying they are the same thing.?
Thank You

 

[cmacd123]

Break Free as I understand it was developed to relay contacts in the telephone industry. I used to buy it from Radio Shack. the current products website indicates that Break Free CLP is aimed at the firearms market. I can't find a quick link to the original product.

 

[AgX]

Contact cleaner is only useful to determine if a cheap assembly is not working due to dried out lubricants. It contains a fine oil and will leave fine layer of oil that will prevent oxidization.

Not quite true.
There are various cleaners. But the most common contact cleaner over here does not only contain Petroleum and several organic solvents, but also an undefined reducer (deoxidizer).

 

[CMoore]

Break Free as I understand it was developed to relay contacts in the telephone industry. I used to buy it from Radio Shack. the current products website indicates that Break Free CLP is aimed at the firearms market. I can't find a quick link to the original product.

OK.... i see.
probably two different products, as you say.
I only knew it as a "Gun Guy".... so i was surprised.
Thank You

 

[Light Capture]

Not quite true.
There are various cleaners. But the most common contact cleaner over here does not only contain Petroleum and several organic solvents, but also an undefined reducer (deoxidizer).

There are many different contact cleaners. Not as many as before. They did seem very promising when I used them initially.

I agree, while there might be some that would be a good match, they're not standardized.
Deoxit is the only one I found safe on all plastics I tried. Disclaimer is that I never used it on photo equipment apart from contacts.
Amax cleaner I have says "safe for most plastic components" but that particular one is not made anymore and it did melt some of plastic pieces I've used it on.
Tried few others and they all behaved differently.

I tested them on personal equipment over a period of time and the result is that gear won't work without full CLA after a period of time.

Would never use it and then sell equipment to someone else. In most cases it will make equipment work.
It might eat plastic shutter blades and other small plastic parts. Also might wash out any existing lubricants.

One place where I see it usable is to clean flash contacts. Without overspray to other areas. Apply manually if in doubt.
Other place is to clean escapements and only when they're removed from the shutter. It still needs to be rinsed for best results.

Personally, after long testing, I'm not using it on any mechanical assemblies anymore. There are better solutions and they're not hard to find.
There is whole slew of watchmaking oils and cleaning/rinsing solutions. Most watchmaking oils don't have adequate temperature ranges.
I'm guessing that's because you wear watch on your wrist. Clock oils usually have different design requirements.

On the other hand, Nye oil kept all my Compur shutter escapements going at slow speeds for several years now and without exercising them.
It does take full CLA and it works properly for a long time.

I would like to hear any other suggestions. My criteria for selecting any of these lubricants is low outgassing and temperature range of at least plus/minus 40 degrees celsius.
Temperature range is very important since calibration during repair is done at around 20 degrees celsius. Working at only -20 will create 40 degree difference from calibration temperature.

 

[cmacd123]

Again I have seen a recommendation by a camera repair pro for the watch cleaning solutions like these https://perrinwatchparts.com/collections/watch-cleaning-solutions to be used with fully dissembled shutters. I have not yet had a chance to try them. Apperently one uses the watch cleaning solution, followed by the watch rinse solution and only handles the parts with a clean pair of tweeters until they are air dried and reinstalled. most of the parts if lubricated at all are done with Molly Powder, or Nyoil with a touch of grease on sliding surfaces.

I have a 1964 Kodak Retinette 1A sitting on my desk waiting for me to get brave enough to take apart its shutter and follow along with a written lesson. I did get a Instamatic 100 back together last month so my fingers are crossed.

 

[Jon Goodman]

Folks, nobody should have any problem using a fine light oil in any camera or watch. By jeweled movement watch standards, cameras are crude. Sorry to have to put it that way, but it is the truth. Many of the screws in a 10.5 ligne watch movement (typical man's watch size) will be no larger than a common grain of sand, the balance shaft tips will be the diameter of an eyebrow hair and the hairspring will be just that...a spring that looks like a hair. If you're oiling enough to worry about outgassing, it is my opinion you are using too much. There are scads of watch cleaning solutions out there and some are nothing more than denatured alcohol or naphtha with a bit of perfume added. I know some people get quite emotional over this oil or that oil or whatever. All I was saying is there are much less expensive alternatives which may do the exact same thing for you. Some of them have been working for me for over 60 years, you know...

 

[BrianShaw]

https://www.wired.com/2009/04/st-whatsinside-6/