grease for instrument control knobs

I'm wondering if our instrument specialists can advise me on the popular greases for creating that nice viscous damped movements in small hand controlled devices such as binoculars etc.

I can remember many years ago someone referring to a 'megapoise' grease on a radio volume control. I don't see that term on the web at the moment but I do see kilopoise. Thats a 1000 times less viscosity but it might be the right thing of course

Dad used Vasoline on the old radio tuning spindles.

Steve.

I bought some high viscosity damping grease from you know where on the internet for use on film camera focussing helixes.

These people are a UK firm and this page https://shop.newgatesimms.com/damping-grease/ suggests different grades, however their minimum order is a lot - mine was a 50g pot for less than a fiver.

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 03/11/2020 15:45:37

I acquired a tube of kilopoise grease years ago and have used it now and again to produce that silky movement you talk about.

Doug

I bet silicones are useful. They certainly work as a damping medium in speedometers, etc.

Cheers, Tim

Do you mean Amazon?

.

It would be futile to post a link, but: Try searching ebay for 50g high viscosity damping grease

... recommended by friends in the microscopy community, I’ve just ordered a tub for £3.65

MichaelG.

Be careful with high viscosoity greases as there are now a lot of synthetic greases for use on plastic lens threads.

Kilopoise comes in different viscosities and are used on the metal threads on Binos. When it is cold it thickens drasticly.

Some of the synthetic grease do not seem viscous and seem to be tacky but with no drag. Two I know of are MS2 and MS3 both used by Leica on eyepiece threads.

Vacuum grease would seem to fit the bill. High viscosity, low volatility and nice and clean but mostly because we always have had a lot kicking around in the Lab.

regards Martin

Thanks for your comments chaps. I'll buy the £3.65 stuff because you cant go wrong at this price. But I do like the Newgate info and range of products and I'm sure I will be delving into these also later once I have a baseline to play around.

Stevegtr, vaseline is better than nothing but as a material it has stiffness but not viscosity. So it doesn't separate the moving parts when relative motion is introduced. When you compare the feel of vaseline with these other products they are like chalk and cheese, especially if the mechanism is relatively heavily loaded as in an adjustment rack.

Gerry

Agfa film cameras had a well deserved reputation for lubing their film camera lenses with stuff that sets solid over the years. It has to be removed with careful use of suitable solvent and a cocktail stick.

You can tell the effectiveness of a proper high viscosity grease if a lens is reassembled without lubrication - it feels almost like it rattles, while when properly greased it is smooth and accurate.

Some time ago I was servicing one of my microscopes and bought a tube of Nyogel from Ebay as it was suggested that it would be suitable for camera lenses etc. Once I had fully cleaned and re-lubricated the slideways, using said grease, I found that the controls were so stiff that the microscope was virtually impossible to use. I suspect that the relatively large contacting surface area coupled with the close fit of the slideways enhanced the 'grip' effect of the grease. Whatever the cause it meant a complete strip down of the microscope and rebuild after thoroughly cleaning and re-lubrication of the slideways with a different type of grease.

Unfortunately I can't find the offending grease so I am unable to give an indication as to its viscosity.

Cheers

Martin

Martin,

For cases like that, I tend to use either ‘Copper Ease’ or ‘White Lithium’ according to my whim.

... still searching for the elusive product that was specified for gliding stages.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 04/11/2020 10:48:40

Michael

Thanks for the reply, if you find the 'elusive product' then I would appreciate a heads up.

Cheers

Martin

I’m not looking for any.

The reason for asking is that I’m perplexed by the amount of people who refuse to name eBay, calling it fleabay, evilbay, ‘that well known internet auction site’, ‘you know where on the internet’ etc, anything but eBay. For a long time I’ve been asking why but not one single person has ever put their hand up & explained themselves.

eBay, eBay, eBay, eBay, eBay, eBay. I’ve said it & the world is still going round!

.

Sorry, Brian ... I wouldn’t have bothered trying to help if I had realised you were just having a go at Nick.

I cannot speak for Nick, but I would assume that he was trying to comply with the ‘Code of Conduct’
... You may realise that I risked censure by naming ebay when trying to help you.

I do agree, however, that the previous nonsensical [and surprisingly widespread] practice using of silly names was ridiculous.

MichaelG.

Fair enough, although I’m still slightly puzzled. I thought it was links to certain websites that was now a no-no, not merely naming companies. I’ve just spend an admittedly short period of time looking for the rules but couldn’t find them.

.

They are hyperlinked on the line above the (Add Posting) button that you have just used.

MichaelG.