Way OT--Proper grease for a Victrola spring motor

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Ron Hofer

Hot Rolled

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Jul 7, 2007

Location

Brookfield, WI

• Aug 14, 2018

• #1

I'm building a little arcade fortune teller that will be powered by a rebuilt Victor double spring motor, probably about 100 years old. Anybody got ideas about what kind of grease to use? Thanks.

Ron

 

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Bill D

Diamond

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Apr 1, 2004

Location

Modesto, CA USA

• Aug 14, 2018

• #2

Originally it may have used whale oil?
Bill D.

 

4GSR

Diamond

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Jan 25, 2005

Location

Victoria, Texas, USA

• Aug 14, 2018

• #3

Use a dab of petroleum jelly in place of whale oil.

 

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L Vanice

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Feb 8, 2006

Location

Fort Wayne, IN

• Aug 14, 2018

• #4

Lots of opinions out there: View topic - mainspring grease • The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Larry

 

thermite

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Sep 21, 2011

Location

Sterling, Virginia, USA, Terra, Sol, Sagittarius

• Aug 14, 2018

• #5

Ron Hofer said:

I'm building a little arcade fortune teller that will be powered by a rebuilt Victor double spring motor, probably about 100 years old. Anybody got ideas about what kind of grease to use? Thanks.

Ron

Click to expand...

I'd use Wurth HHS-K, HHS-Plus, or HHS-2000 penetrating spray EP grease lube, AKA "hinge grease":

HHS Plus 5 ml (aerosol) | Multipurpose | Lubricants | Chemical Product | Wurth USA

HHS-K Hinge Lubricant | Specialty Lubricants | Lubricants | Chemical Product | Wurth USA

Synthetic. Good for auto suspension ball joints, too. Gets in there. Stays in there. Maintains a film even serious-thin. Does a better job that Lithium greases w/o going stiff or sticky.

 

jim rozen

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Feb 26, 2004

Location

peekskill, NY

• Aug 15, 2018

• #6

Modern automatic transmission fluid oil was supposedly designed to imitate the properties
of whale oil.

 

thermite

Diamond

Joined

Sep 21, 2011

Location

Sterling, Virginia, USA, Terra, Sol, Sagittarius

• Aug 15, 2018

• #7

jim rozen said:

Modern automatic transmission fluid oil was supposedly designed to imitate the properties
of whale oil.

Click to expand...

There are backstories. As usual.

17 Years of Nye Lubricants

 

R

Ron Hofer

Hot Rolled

Joined

Jul 7, 2007

Location

Brookfield, WI

• Aug 16, 2018

• #8

thermite said:

There are backstories. As usual.

17 Years of Nye Lubricants

Click to expand...

So,you got any of that porpoise oil lying around?

 

R

Ron Hofer

Hot Rolled

Joined

Jul 7, 2007

Location

Brookfield, WI

• Aug 17, 2018

• #9

Thanks, all.

 

thermite

Diamond

Joined

Sep 21, 2011

Location

Sterling, Virginia, USA, Terra, Sol, Sagittarius

• Aug 17, 2018

• #10

Ron Hofer said:

So,you got any of that porpoise oil lying around?

Click to expand...

Older yet."Sperm whale", actually. Easily 80 mebbe 90 years old. The Dreiling it is put aside for is closer to a hundred years old. Happens to be the "period correct" gun-oil smell of it as much as the lubricity, so "none to spare", sorry!

Q: Why d'y a think I'm using Wurth's synthetics these days?

A; Because one can actually STILL BUY THEM!

Seriously good film-strength as lubes, too BTW. 10EE carriage, Jaguar suspension...etc.