Lubricating

pentaxpete · Apr 2, 2013

I have taken a chance and lubricated some of my old cameras from the base plates -- I could not undo all the screws on some but I managed 1960's Asahi Pentax SV and Spotmatic, 1970's Canon FTbn and my wife's Nikon FG -- on undoing the base plates I saw some levers and cogs -- I put ONE DROP of 'Three-in-One'oil into a developing dish and carefully picked up some on a piece of thin electrical fuse wire and touched it onto the cogs and lever pivots -- well, the cameras wind on much smoother now .. if any of you have any comments on 'Lubrication' please add -- Thanks --- Peter

Dali · Apr 2, 2013

How do you know where to put oil and where to let dry? Too, I would only consider to lube after cleaning.

Take care.

benjiboy · Apr 2, 2013

cameras should be lubricated with clock oil, Three-In-One is light machine oil and too heavy for the job.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 2, 2013

pentaxpete said:
I have taken a chance and lubricated some of my old cameras from the base plates -- I could not undo all the screws on some but I managed 1960's Asahi Pentax SV and Spotmatic, 1970's Canon FTbn and my wife's Nikon FG -- on undoing the base plates I saw some levers and cogs -- I put ONE DROP of 'Three-in-One'oil into a developing dish and carefully picked up some on a piece of thin electrical fuse wire and touched it onto the cogs and lever pivots -- well, the cameras wind on much smoother now .. if any of you have any comments on 'Lubrication' please add -- Thanks --- Peter

1) 3-in-1 is the wrong type of oil. The only worse "oil" would be WD-40. Olive oil from your kitchen would have been better.
2) Applying oil to dirty mechanisms just spreads the dirt around and accelerates wear.
3) You possibly put oil where it doesn't belong.

You did ask for comments...

E. von Hoegh · Apr 2, 2013

benjiboy said:
cameras should be lubricated with clock oil, Three-In-One is light machine oil and too heavy for the job.

The viscosity isn't that much different from clock oil. The problem is that 3-in-1 will spread, leaving the lubrication points dry, while clock oil will not spread. Not, that is, if applied to clean surfaces.

noacronym · Apr 2, 2013

My 2 cents added in would be that 3in1 oil doesn't bother me, per se. I use it myself and have worked on a LOT of cameras. including the Pentaxes. The most important thing in oiling anything untrained is the tendency to oil things that are not supposed to be oiled, and causing all sorts of problems. For instance, try oiling a Kalart rangefinder. It'll never work again till you go back in and get your oil out. A wee-tad of oil on a gear is usually harmless, but NOT on flat surfaces that have to slide across each other.

Ian Grant · Apr 2, 2013

Most of my CLA's are removing stuff like this, I use a machine oil (similar to clock/watchmakersoil) I've had for years and I dilute it with a touch of alcohol before appyling in the same fashion as the OP.

I do use WD-40 as well, however only when there's big issues with rust/oxidation, and once things are freed up I take a lot or care to remove ALL traces.

There's no way I put 3 in 2 oil near anyting photographic/

Ian

E. von Hoegh · Apr 2, 2013

noacronym said:
My 2 cents added in would be that 3in1 oil doesn't bother me, per se. I use it myself and have worked on a LOT of cameras. including the Pentaxes. The most important thing in oiling anything untrained is the tendency to oil things that are not supposed to be oiled, and causing all sorts of problems. For instance, try oiling a Kalart rangefinder. It'll never work again till you go back in and get your oil out. A wee-tad of oil on a gear is usually harmless, but NOT on flat surfaces that have to slide across each other.

Far from harmless. Oil on a gear can attract dust and form a grinding compound, with predictable results. A very effective way to ruin a watch or clock is to oil the wheels and pinions.

noacronym · Apr 2, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
Far from harmless. Oil on a gear can attract dust and form a grinding compound, with predictable results. A very effective way to ruin a watch or clock is to oil the wheels and pinions.

Well I didn't say I wasn't a boob. I'm just a better quality boob than most others. Any oiling I do is with one of those 000 artists paintbrushes And I'm not sure most of the time that the brush is wet with oil at all. On a printing press, I glop the oil on gears so heavy they are sling oil everywhere, but then you're SUPPOSED to do that on printing presses.

Alex Muir · Apr 2, 2013

I understood, from an interest in bicycle maintenance, that 3-in-1 is a vegetable oil which solidifies with age. Although it has been sold as suitable for cycles for many years, pro mechanics would never use it. I would have thought that clock oil or the very light stuff you get for lubricating hair clippers/electric razors might be more suitable. Alex.

pentaxpete · Apr 3, 2013

Many Thanks for all your comments -- I will undo the base plates again and have another look to see what is happening around the moving parts and will try to get some 'Clock Oil' -- I THOUGHT there would be some wiser members if I posed the question here !!

David Lyga · Apr 3, 2013

Honestly, maybe clock oil is supposedly 'best' but I have always used mineral oil with NO problems. But, pentaxpete, maybe you should have first flushed out the dirt with lighter fluid and then, when nice and clean and dry, applied the tiny bit of oil. - David Lyga

E. von Hoegh · Apr 3, 2013

pentaxpete said:
Many Thanks for all your comments -- I will undo the base plates again and have another look to see what is happening around the moving parts and will try to get some 'Clock Oil' -- I THOUGHT there would be some wiser members if I posed the question here !!

I'll advise you to find service manuals for your various cameras, either copies or online versions. You'll find that, to properly lubricate most sections of the mechanism, it must be disassembled, cleaned, and then lubricated as you reassemble it. The manuals will specify the types of lubricant, (there are at least two, oil and light grease, possibly three or more) where and how to apply. Clock oil is easily available, oil specified for large (pocket) watches would also be suitable.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 3, 2013

David Lyga said:
Honestly, maybe clock oil is supposedly 'best' but I have always used mineral oil with NO problems. But, pentaxpete, maybe you should have first flushed out the dirt with lighter fluid and then, when nice and clean and dry, applied the tiny bit of oil. - David Lyga

Is this why so many cameras smell like Ronsonol, and still don't work?
C'mon, the OP is trying to find out the correct way to do it- not the "good enough" way.

pentaxpete · Apr 4, 2013

When I opened the base plates there was NO 'Dirt' there at all -- it seems to be well sealed against dust getting in but I am noting all your kind comments. I am winding on my 1961 vintage Pentax SV and 1970's Canon FTbn and they seem much better. I am very careful not to get any oil near the shutter curtains. There is a Canon FTb 'Group' on Flickr and there they advocate Lubricating all the moving parts in the base plate and also to take off the top plate and lubricate but I have not gone as far as taking off the top plate !

IloveTLRs · Apr 4, 2013

pentaxpete said:
... I have not gone as far as taking off the top plate !

Taking the top plate off of a Canon FTb is not a lot of fun, if I remember correctly. Neither is it very easy. I managed to ruin the metering thingamajig inside, though luckily the meter was dead already.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 4, 2013

pentaxpete said:
When I opened the base plates there was NO 'Dirt' there at all -- it seems to be well sealed against dust getting in but I am noting all your kind comments. I am winding on my 1961 vintage Pentax SV and 1970's Canon FTbn and they seem much better. I am very careful not to get any oil near the shutter curtains. There is a Canon FTb 'Group' on Flickr and there they advocate Lubricating all the moving parts in the base plate and also to take off the top plate and lubricate but I have not gone as far as taking off the top plate !

http://www.pentax-manuals.com/manuals/service/servicemanuals.htm

pentaxpete · Apr 4, 2013

Pentax Manuals

Many thanks for that 'Link' -- it's a god job I did not go 'deeper' into the cameras and unscrew anything else having looked at all the very small and intricate parts ! I just checked my Pentax SV and Spotmatic again and all the shutter speeds seem to be working OK and no 'slipping gears' .

bobwysiwyg · Apr 4, 2013

The Pentax SV was my first real 35mm. Bought at the PX in Vietnam. I still have it and use it occasionally. A fine jewel of a camera as far as I'm concerned and solid as a brick. I saved those links just in case. Thanks for starting this thread.

Lubricating

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