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Topic: Lubricants... no jokes, please... |
Wayne Simpson
From:
Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 8:24 pm |
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Any consensus out there on lubricants for changers and other parts? Maybe light (sewing machine) oil for the changer, and white lithium grease for pedals/pedal rods/cross rods... what do you all use out there?
_________________
MCI D-10
Sierra Artist SD-10
Peavey Nashville 112
Ampeg B15 Fliptop
TC Flashback Delay
Bunch of other amps
Marlborough, MA
wawawayne@comcast.net |
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Mike Wilkerson
From:
Luther Oklahoma
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 8:33 pm Lubricants
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Wayne some use a product Tri-Flow which I've never tried I use a product called Zoom its a very very light oil comes with an extendable hose in the bottle... I dont know if you guys have ace or true-value hardware stores in Mass... but them are the the two places you can purchase this product..Dont use WD-40 as it attracts dirt and grime....Bud Carter and Junior Knight both have told me they use slide oil like what is used for brass instruments to lube their steels 3 in 1 oil is good as long as you dont go overboard Hoppes gun oil is good...Hope this helps.Friends call me Slim
_________________
S12 MSA Classic Nashville 400 with fox mods amp 1 volume pedal 1 Lil Izzy and 3 cords |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 8:50 pm
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DuPont makes a product similar to Triflow. It appears promising.
Light oil appears fairly standard for most things, with the lithium grease of changer axle and the pedal axle.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Mike Wilkerson
From:
Luther Oklahoma
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 8:53 pm
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Lane would you happen to know the name of the product?
_________________
S12 MSA Classic Nashville 400 with fox mods amp 1 volume pedal 1 Lil Izzy and 3 cords |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 8:57 pm
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| Use Tri=Flo with the TEFLON option stated on the label. It will never collect dust or debris. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 9:00 pm
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It's something like spray dry lubricant with Teflon. I won't be home til Saturday.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 9:07 pm
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If it stays wet, it collects dust and dirt. If you like dust and dirt, you can keep your dust and dirt. Period! Not a good thing! Use a dry Teflon lube!
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dirt?s=ts
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 10:26 pm
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| I've used just light weight motor oil for over 45 years and never had a problem. |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 10:57 pm
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There seems to be some confusion regarding “TriFlow†Teflon lubricant.
There are two very different versions of Tri-Flow:
1. “Tri-Flow Superior Lubricantâ€.
This is the most common version, found in most hardware stores. It goes on wet and the liquid solvent evaporates, leaving a DRY but slippery film of Teflon.
From the Triflow website:
“Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant provides twice the lubricating power of most competitive brands. Its light viscosity allows for deep penetration into hard to reach moving parts.â€
[url] http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Superior_Drip/superior_drip.html [/url]
Many Forumites have reported good results with this “classic†version of Tri-Flow, and several steel guitar builders and mechanics recommend it.
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2. “Tri-Flow Superior Dry Lubricantâ€.(NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEDAL STEELS)
From the Triflow website:
“Tri-Flow Superior Dry Lubricant was specifically designed to lubricate like an oil and stay clean like a wax. Its exclusive formula includes paraffin wax and high grade petroleum oil which penetrates as it quickly sets up and dries, leaving a thin, visible, coating that repels water as it lubricates.â€
[url] http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Dry_Lubricant/dry.html [/url]
This version is typically found in bike shops. It goes on wet and the liquid solvent evaporates, leaving a “dry†slippery film of Teflon-- just like the classic version—but this is then covered with a layer of paraffin wax!
The only difference between the two versions seems to be the added paraffin wax coating—just what you do NOT want in your steel guitar’s precision mechanism. The wax was probably added to the so-called “dry†version sold in bike shops to protect the Teflon coating on your bike chain and other exposed parts from rain and mud. Since most people do not play their steel guitar in the rain or drag it through the mud, I don’t understand why anyone would knowingly put paraffin into the precision parts of a steel guitar—where it will literally “gum up the worksâ€.
There are a couple of Forumites who keep touting this so-called “dry†version of Tri-Flow with paraffin; this is the worst advice I have ever heard on the SGF. I have never heard any reputable steel guitar builder or mechanic recommend the so-called “dry†version for bicycles (with paraffin) for use on a pedal steel.
- Dave |
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Ivan Posa
From:
Hamilton, New Zealand
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Posted 3 Mar 2015 11:50 pm
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| Inox works well. |
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Geoff Noble
From:
Scotland
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Mike Wheeler
From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 8:26 am
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TriFlow, for those interested, comes in an aerosol spray can and a non-aerosol bottle. I wouldn't recommend the spray because it's too hard to avoid applying too much, and does not provide for a precise application.
I recommend the bottle (shown below). It comes with a tiny stray with which you can apply a very tiny drop, or a larger squirt. It's very easy to control. And 2 oz. lasts a long time since you don't have to keep re-applying every year, or so, like with oil.
By the way, the "liquid" portion of the TriFlow evaporates quickly leaving the teflon particles behind to do the work of lubrication. That's why it doesn't attract dirt and grime.
Here's the version that I've used since the early 80s.
_________________
Best regards,
Mike |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 8:35 am
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i use LPS1.
for general changer maintenance spraying.
solves minor sticking problems. no buildup.
i actually spray it on all moving areas occassionally.
worked for me for over 20 years.
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 8:45 am
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| Glad someone pointed out the different types of tri-flow. The type I use on my roadbike I would not use on a PSG. Its fine on my road bike because I'm fine with it getting dirty and cleaning it regularly. It would just be a dust collector in a steel I think. |
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Bob Poole
From:
Myrtle Beach SC, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 10:37 am lube
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| Friend of mine said he'd been using Rem-Oil gun oil for a long time on steel & b bender...said he even wiped his Telecasters' strings with it every so often & it kept 'em feelin good,soundin good,& seem to stay brighter sounding longer??? Anyone else use it ??? |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 11:18 am
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Another vote for dry Teflon. I got lots of animals who come and go in a fairly dusty room where my steel sets and I have no problems with gunk or moving parts. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 11:26 am
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I really wish that the Tri-Flow subject could come to some clarity.
Dave Magram's argument above seems to make sense to me. Yet others continue to advocate "dry" Teflon lube.
The "classic" Tri-Flow apparently becomes dry shortly after application. Are those advocating for "dry Teflon lube" nevertheless arguing in favor of the version that has paraffin wax?  |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 12:20 pm
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Yes, thanks to Dave for laying out the two versions of Tri-Flow.
The one with "Dry" in the title is NOT good because it also has wax in it which is the last thing you want in your changer. That's what the Tri-Flow marketing people mean by dry: wax.
That terminology by them confuses the issue because the kind of lube we want for PSG, as a general category, is called "dry lube." It usually goes on wet and then quickly dries leaving the teflon film. Therefore, it would be easy for somebody to see the word "Dry" on a Tri-Flow label and incorrectly think that was the right one!
Nope. That one has wax in it. We want the "dry lube" that does NOT have the word "Dry" as part of the product's name. Confusing enough for you?  |
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Tony Smart
From:
Harlow. Essex. England
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 2:31 pm
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Interested to hear that some advocate using grease when assembling the changer axle.
What do people think of this as grease can become gummy and dry out to a certain extent over time.
Have modern greases different properties? |
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Mike Wilkerson
From:
Luther Oklahoma
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 2:40 pm
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Tony when ever I myself lube the changer axle and the pedal rod on my Super-Pro that holds the floor pedals I use white lithium grease.....When i did my very first tear down clean and repair on an old D-12 MSA classic I called Maurice Anderson and that's what he recommended to me..Now there are different Ideas on this and all the other ideas will work just as good... This is just what I do
_________________
S12 MSA Classic Nashville 400 with fox mods amp 1 volume pedal 1 Lil Izzy and 3 cords |
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Tony Smart
From:
Harlow. Essex. England
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 2:49 pm
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Thanks Mike.
I wonder if someone could ask Jack Strayhorn to reply to this as to what Emmons used to lubricate the changer axle?
I'm going to take mine apart shortly.
After 40 years and 3in1 yearly it still works well and is trouble free.
Last edited by Tony Smart on 4 Mar 2015 3:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Wilkerson
From:
Luther Oklahoma
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 3:00 pm Lubricants
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Tony one thing Reece pointed out about the Type of grease I'm talking about is it wont gum up and leave a sticky residue on said parts and it wont break down regardless of different temperature changes....It wont attract dirt and grime....I dont know if they have automotive stores or hardware stores in the U.K.
_________________
S12 MSA Classic Nashville 400 with fox mods amp 1 volume pedal 1 Lil Izzy and 3 cords |
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Tony Smart
From:
Harlow. Essex. England
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Posted 4 Mar 2015 3:10 pm
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Mike , I have got a tube of lithium grease that I've had for years and I've noticed that overspill on the nozzle has dried out and become gummy over time.
That's not to say it won't work OK on the changer axle.
Would like to hear some expertise on this if possible. |
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