Grease for camera repair

I'm attempting a repair on a compact digital camera. At the base of the lens there's a rotating bezel which is a push fit over a plastic ring, which also rotates when the bezel is turned.The whole thing is about 50mm diam, by about 5mm deep. When I took it apart, the only link between the two seemed to be some sort of high viscosity grease- not an adhesive.

If I want some similar grease, can anyone give me an idea what to look for? Or what I might use as an alternative?

In a similar situation in musical instruments, I have used violin rosin dissolved in isopropyl alcohol to make a very sticky syrup, and a touch of that might possibly do the trick.

Thank you for comments suggestions- not much to do with model making- sorry!

Richard

Google kilopoise

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Look on ebay for some high viscosity grease in a small plastic tub with a pale blue lid

… it works for me

I would post a link but it would probably be removed

MichaelG.

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Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/11/2022 18:16:25

That ebay grease is rather elusive, but if "high viscosity damping grease" is searched for, there it is.

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and [as it happens ] those are the very words I used in the ‘Brief description’ of the photo in my Album

MichaelG.

You missed out "damping", Michael.

 As it happened, there was an easier source of the very thick grease that will not migrate into unwanted areas, the grease used for car disc brake mechanisms. it comes in little sachets and is likely to be available at a car spares shop, quicker than the post from China.

Edited By old mart on 24/11/2022 21:29:11

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With the Pantomime season almost upon us … let me be the first to exclaim :

Oh no I didn’t !

Have a look in my Album [ and no, I haven’t just edited it ]

MichaelG.

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https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/albums/member_photo.asp?a=58598&p=916838

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/11/2022 21:43:30

Thank you Robert and Michael, that looks like exactly the sort of thing I'm after. There's someone on Ebay selling 1g tubs of something called Nyogel 767A for a fiver (and other variants), which seems the easiest way to go. We were quoted about £250 for complete new lens assembly so I'm feeling quite pleased with myself.

Richard

Go for it, Richard

Nye lubricants are probably the best available.

I will just mention that when I wrote “it works for me” I was referring to the fact that I have used the Chinese grease very successfully on the helicoids of adjustable microscope eyepieces.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/11/2022 23:39:30

I believe the linear and rotational 'dashpots', so common now on so many things, use high-viscosity silicone grease. I have a tube of Molycote silicone grease, which, apart from its usual use on O rings and seals, has worked well in similar applications to the OP's, and it's plastic-safe.

As an aside - when reconditioning film cameras a grease that stays put but is able to lubricate and take up play in focussing mechanisms is needed and I have always used a white lithium grease for this, but of course these are the opposite properties to those needed in this case.

Agfa cameras from the 1950s and probably before used to use a pale green lubricant that sets over the years to the consistency of bakelite and is the very devil to remove from the threads of the lens.

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 25/11/2022 08:29:08

Try using Plus gas Formula A as your solvent, Nick … it has worked for me on all such degraded grease.

MichaelG.

Sorry, Michael, I would never have thought of looking in your album, until your subsequent mention of it.

Just a quick update... the grease arrived yesterday having been held up in the postal strike. I assembled the multi-function ring with the grease and I now have a fully functioning camera! I straightened the aluminium alloy bezel using a tapered mandrel, with a final skim of the inner surface in the lathe.It's not perfect- the alloy is very hard- but it works. So thanks again for the help from members of this invaluable group of people.