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Author
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Topic: LUBRICANT????
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Bob Bartoli
Member From: Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 16 October 2006 10:40 PM
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Any suggestions on a good lubricant for the steel guitar, thanks in advance guys!!! |
Jim Bob Sedgwick
Member From: Clinton, Missouri USA
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posted 17 October 2006 12:03 AM
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Bob, do a search. This topic has been discussed about 50 times. Hope this helps |
A. J. Schobert
Member From: Cincinnati OHIO WHO DEY???
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posted 17 October 2006 01:28 AM
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I like 3 in 1 oil, Zoomspout is good, try to look for a telescoping extension to get in tough spots. |
Bo Borland
Member From: Cowtown NJ
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posted 17 October 2006 04:36 AM
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Bob,
Recently there were 2 different posts, one from Bobbe extolling the dry silicone lube (still have not found it yet) and an indepth discourse from Jerry Brightman regarding the new Performance PSG and his use of "Permatex Super Lube". I tried finding it at the local Parts Plus but it was not included in the product lineup there. I have used 3in1 in the past but like most products, it attracts dirt, it runs, it is brown. So I am looking for the newer lubes for my new horn. |
Mike Shefrin
Member From: New York
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posted 17 October 2006 05:41 AM
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I use sewing machine oil to lubricate my changer.It's a very light oil and works great.By the way, here's a tip...After
lubrication,move your volume pedal out of the way and put newspaper on the floor as the oil will drip down over the next hours.
I also apply a small dab of white lithium grease on both the ends of my pedal rods
about once every four months. Billy Cooper was the one who recommended this to me.[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 17 October 2006 at 07:40 AM.] |
Jim Sliff
Member From: Hermosa Beach California, USA
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posted 17 October 2006 05:49 AM
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Bobbe got the dry material name from me - it's "Tri Flow", made by Sherwin Williams. It is NOT silicone - it's Teflon. Many hardware and auto parts stores carry it. I think Target had it last time looked!I've been using it quite a while - initially on Stringbender Teles, now on every moving part on steel. It is wonderful stuff - there is NO oily residue to gum things up, and it makes everything move very, very smoothly. On my somewhat creaky '57 Fender 1000 it lightened up the feel, quieted everything, smoothed it out - and the kicker was it stopped string breakage at the bridge (I since installed some special rolling shims, but still use Tri Flow on them). It also works great around the house or shop, and is killer on skateboard bearings! I've been in the coatings/chemicals business for 30 years, and have been given hundreds of samples of lubes, all various takeoffs of 3-in-1, WD-40 or silicone. This is the FIRST one that really worked and didn't make a mess (don't ask about the dry graphite I was told worked wonders...yikes...). So that's the stuff - "Tri-Flow". I get it in aerosol cans and spray it lightly on everything that moves. |
Mike Wheeler
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 17 October 2006 06:25 AM
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I can second (or third?) the TriFlow lube. I've worked in the mailroom equipment business for 12 years and that's the best lube of all. And it's safe on synthetic bushings/bearings.The only place it's not used is where high temps are generated...there I still use high quality automotive bearing grease. (Tommy W. probably uses that on his steels  ) |
Jim Hankins
Member From: Yuba City, California, USA
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posted 17 October 2006 01:29 PM
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There is a product Boeshield T8, or may be T9 now . It does not gum things up like the product Jim descrbed. It was originally formulated by Boeing to fight corrossion, and looks like its becoming popular with bicyclists as a chain lube, and can be found in Bike shops. However, if you want the spray can that can be fitted with the straw, you may have to order from them directly. I was able to find a specialty store for industrial saws that sold the cans, were its used to stop saw blade corrossion. I believe Jeff Newman recommended this product. |
Lee Baucum
Member From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) - The Final Frontier
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posted 17 October 2006 02:06 PM
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I've been using Tri-Flow for about 10 years now. I like it very much. It's good to use around the house, too, for squeaky hinges and the like. |
chris ivey
Member From: sacramento, ca. usa
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posted 17 October 2006 02:19 PM
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i've always used LPS1, but can only find it at OSH lately. guess i'll look for tri-flo..seems i may have seen and used that for something along the way. |
Bo Borland
Member From: Cowtown NJ
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posted 19 October 2006 03:22 PM
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I found some TRI FLO today at the local hardware, small bottles of liquid and larger spray cans. I chose the 3 oz squeeze bottle, it comes with a little straw that reaches all those hard to get to spots. It's clear and it flushed out all the gunk and dark oil that was in the changer. It seems to migrate very well.
Lets see if I can keep clean at the gig tonite.
BYW.. it contains PFTE , "known to cause cancer in california"... I always knew steelin' was bad for your health. |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 19 October 2006 05:38 PM
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PTFE:"known to cause cancer in california" Whew, good thing I use it in Missouri. Really, isn't PTFE another name for Teflon? Brad |
R.C. Vick
Member From: Moss Point, Ms., USA
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posted 19 October 2006 05:56 PM
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Guys, Since Hurricane Katrina came through, I am sold on a great product called Gibb's Penetrating oil. (Do a Google search) Several of my coharts had tools, firearms and valuables lock up due to salt water and some were not attended to right away. Price was no object and I searched for the best available. I settled on Gibbs and it works wonders. It removes rust by melting it away to the bare metal, leaving grey, clean metal on blued gun barrels. It gets anywhere that it can displace rust or has micro clearance. It does not collect dust and leaves a lubricating finish on open areas where it can dry. Stays liquid in tight clearances. I believe it has a use on the steel, especially older ones with any corrosion in the moving parts. I used it on "Steve" (stepchild steel purchased on the forum) to flush the changer and mixed with white lubriplate for all other moving parts. Worked great. Once you use it, you will be sold. If interested, just email for details. I am a "hobbiest" distributor and sell much cheaper than others. A free can will be on its way to Bob soon.[This message was edited by R.C. Vick on 19 October 2006 at 06:04 PM.] |
Bo Borland
Member From: Cowtown NJ
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posted 19 October 2006 08:49 PM
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PFTE is teflon. I put a couple drops into the changer before I left for a gig tonite, and my steel never felt smoother, all the gunk flushed out and the changer looked new. |
Ray Minich
Member From: Limestone, New York, USA
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posted 20 October 2006 06:36 AM
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"Never Seez", just don't get any on ya...
(just kidding, but, still, don't get any on ya, it won't come out...)[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 20 October 2006 at 06:38 AM.] |
Don Walworth
Member From: Gilmer, Texas, USA
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posted 20 October 2006 09:07 AM
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Maybe b0b could add Tri-Flo to his catalog of 'stuff'?Just a thought. ------------------
--------------------
Don West Coast Double 8,
Nashville LTD,
Nashville 112 |
Roger Edgington
Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA
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posted 20 October 2006 12:41 PM
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I used some sort of real slick spray on my steel once. The changer worked great but the lubricant crept under the nylon tuners and they wouldn't hold. I had to remove some of them and clean with alcohol. Now I use sewing maching oil with a fine spout. |
Lyle Clary
Member From: Decatur, Illinois, USA
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posted 20 October 2006 01:17 PM
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Why wouldn't clock oil work? Clock repairmen use it on mechanical clocks because it is slow to dry out and does not gum up. It might be hard to find but ain't the internet wonderful?------------------
1969 ZB Custom D10, BMI S10, 1981 Peavy Musician Mark III, 15 Inch Black Widow, custom enclosure
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Billy Carr
Member From: Seminary, Mississippi USA
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posted 20 October 2006 04:30 PM
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I've just started using Dextron III transmission fluid on steel guitars I service and get ready for sale. I would like to try the Tri-Flow though. |
Dickie Whitley
Member From: Stantonsburg, North Carolina, USA
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posted 20 October 2006 05:44 PM
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From my days in the wire and cable business, PTFE = Polytetrafluroethylene, otherwise known as Teflon. Just in case somebody wanted to know. ;-) |
Mike Wheeler
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 20 October 2006 09:00 PM
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Any petroleum derivitive (oil) will attract dust. That's part of what it's designed to do...catch and suspend particulates. The oil may have additives to prevent gumming, but it will still attract dust...and oil will deteriorate over time. The teflon based lubes, IMHO, over the last 12 years, have proven to be very long lasting, don't collect dust, maintain their lubricating properties and don't disapate...they're designed to lubricate only...perfect for a pedal steel.Can you tell I like Tri-flo? ha,ha! |
Bill Myers
Member From: Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 21 October 2006 08:39 AM
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This is a great post! Most of the lubricants discussed will work....for a short while...but eventually will cause you more problems that they are worth. Silicone is one of the one being discussed here. Silicone is not a lubricant! It works great because it's primary function is a water displacer. The primary ingredient in WD-40 is silicone (by the way...wd-40 was developed in the 50's for the military and the name WD-40 is a military designation WD----water displacer). The problem with silicone as a lubricant is that it dries up very quickly and anything that is added to enhance it's lubricity will stay behind and gum up the mechanism! One of the reasons that it feels like you are lubing a guitar when you put silicone in it is that silicone is great at cutting the gum and gunk that already exists in many older guitars. If you don't believe me try this...take a can of WD-40 and spray it on a rag and rub it on a spot of tar on you car. It's amazing how it cut's through tar and gunk!Clock oil and sewing maching oils(ie...petroleum based oils) also work well...but they have the same problem as WD....they will dry up too...it just takes longer. Just play any 30 year old sho bud that hasn't been clean thoroughly and you will see what I mean. These lubes will work but will attract dirt and gum up the mechanism over the years. Most of the newer light snythetics work great. Just use them sparingly (one or two drops ---not squirts...between each changer finger every 6-8 months). I have been using a synethic lubricant made by marvel mystery oil on my steel guitars and my action shooting pistols(these take much more abuse than my steel ever will and have mechanisms that are just as delicate) and it is the best thing I have found. It can be bought at NAPA auto parts stores. Try it...I'll bet you can feel the difference in you're steel. Any oil (synthetics inlcuded) will attract dust and dirt. Once the lubricant becomes contaminated with dirt...it will gum up any mechanism with tight tolerances. The trick is to use a good oil and use it sparingly. ------------------
1995 Derby D10 8x6 Fender Vibrosonic Amp
[This message was edited by Bill Myers on 21 October 2006 at 08:44 AM.] [This message was edited by Bill Myers on 21 October 2006 at 08:45 AM.] [This message was edited by Bill Myers on 21 October 2006 at 08:49 AM.]
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Dave Diehl
Member From: Mechanicsville, MD, USA
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posted 21 October 2006 03:44 PM
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Jim is right on with the Boeshield T-9. Jeff Newman recommened it too me a few years ago and I've used it ever since. Jeff told me he used it on his Fender Pedal Steel when he did the CD with Jim and Jesse. He said the guitar was nearly locked tight from not playing it for so long. He used it on that guitar and said it worked really great.. as can be heard on that CD. So, I've used it ever since. |
Jan Dunn
Member From: Union, NJ USA
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posted 23 October 2006 01:16 PM
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Bud Carter recommended Saxophone key oil when I bought my guitar. My guitar is 12 years old and never had a problem with the mechanics, only the player. |
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