Lubrication?

[FM2N]

Hello All,
I have an old Japanese view camera with a wood on wood extension rail. It looks alot like a Deardorf. The front standard moves by way of a rack and pinion mechanism. The front standard is attached to a wooden base that is rabbited into the wooden sides of the camera. As I turn the knob at the front the bellws is extended outwards. The problem is that at certain points along the way it wants to bind up and I am wondering if there is any sort of lubricant that i can apply to the tracks to make then glide a little smoother over each other? I have heard that wax sometimes was used to help sticking wooden draws to slide open.
Please help.
Thanks
Arthur

 

[matti]

On drawers I use candles.
/matti

 

[Steve Smith]

On drawers I use candles.

Me too.

If it's bare wood or a matt finish, a bit of candle wax works fine. If it is a high gloss finish, a bit of spray on furniture polish works well.


Steve.

 

[seawolf66]

Shoe polish the natural color one works just as well:

 

[ragc]

You may want to extend the front extension beyond it's track and clean the 'gearing' and moving parts well, then re-insert it (being careful not to pull your bellows off the front standard while doing this). Sometimes the extension has skipped a gear tooth and is not 'square' with the frame, which can cause binding. I use a bit of spray-on furniture polish on the wood and heavy RC car oil on the metal gears on my old Japanese field camera.

 

[John Kasaian]

Beeswax candle stubs for wood to wood bearing surfaces, Butcher's Wax if I can't find my stash of candle stubs. Lubriplate (the thicker version) for metal to metal is what I use.