Asking for lubrication my first question would be the mechanical reason using brass here, btw what's about the counter part of this gliding system? Is it a plastic wheel which probably is not compatible to lubricants containing different chemicals? Is it just a guiding and sliding rail where the drive comes from gears?
""a lot of these enlargers don't hold focus very well""
If vaseline has been recommended, modern bed oil for smearing the beds of lathes could be a solution.
Yes, it's no grease, but a thick and a sticky oil. Reminds me on semi-liquid honey.
Since we not only have to perfectly smear but also have to lock our tool holders on the lathe bed, the "limited slip"-performance of today's bed oil may be of interest here.
On the other hand I'm not aware of any lubicant staying and smearing forever, but also have learned using these modern lubrication liquids like ceramic-, teflon- etc- based.
Wouldn' take any siliconbased stuff; after years of using them I'm allergic now.
After a precleaning and degreasing with "Brake Cleaner" I am polishing my brass and aluminium parts with a drop of "Alu Magic", what a wonderful but minimal abraising stuff.
You also could give the good old "Nevr Dull" a try - there should be no abrasion.
If not working, I'm using 000whool with slightest pressure, and with smearing and somehow cleaning lubes like petroleum/lamp oil.
Dew is right with these tiny rust particles, but I can't see them sticking into brass like it would happen with grinding materials (carbon, korund etc)- I also wouldn't care, its just an enlarger with low precision. I also clean my parts after polishing or whooling.
""a lot of these enlargers don't hold focus very well""
If vaseline has been recommended, modern bed oil for smearing the beds of lathes could be a solution.
Yes, it's no grease, but a thick and a sticky oil. Reminds me on semi-liquid honey.
Since we not only have to perfectly smear but also have to lock our tool holders on the lathe bed, the "limited slip"-performance of today's bed oil may be of interest here.
On the other hand I'm not aware of any lubicant staying and smearing forever, but also have learned using these modern lubrication liquids like ceramic-, teflon- etc- based.
Wouldn' take any siliconbased stuff; after years of using them I'm allergic now.
After a precleaning and degreasing with "Brake Cleaner" I am polishing my brass and aluminium parts with a drop of "Alu Magic", what a wonderful but minimal abraising stuff.
You also could give the good old "Nevr Dull" a try - there should be no abrasion.
If not working, I'm using 000whool with slightest pressure, and with smearing and somehow cleaning lubes like petroleum/lamp oil.
Dew is right with these tiny rust particles, but I can't see them sticking into brass like it would happen with grinding materials (carbon, korund etc)- I also wouldn't care, its just an enlarger with low precision. I also clean my parts after polishing or whooling.