Lubrication is both an art and a science. Since all lubricants tend to collect dirt and spread to unwanted areas, they must be applied carefully. The basic secrets are: Use as little as possible, but enough for the job at the right location with the right viscosity. All moving parts, turning or sliding, should be lubed carefully. None moving parts should be kept lube free. Over the years many types have been offered and touted with a range of very poor to excellent and from natural to synthetic. They may be liquid , gel, powdered or combinations, with applications for each. Even lard, cooking oils, tallow, kerosene and water have been used. Selection must be carefully made to fit the application. As with glues and cements, there is no universal lubricant.
The chemical and physical properties are varied broadly, making it very difficult to evaluate them all. Only through trial and error, sound advice based on experience, or from sometimes very complicated specifications, can they be separated and sorted.
Caution: The most important
chemical property is compatibility with not only the the material being
lubed, but also the surrounding areas, where they may spread. Some may
react with materials, such as plastics or rubbers, by crazing, softening,
hardening or even dissolving them. Labelle 101 and others will attack
natural rubbers and styrene, including track ties. There is a suspicion
that it may also hasten the disintegrated of impure zamac. Most metals,
acetals, nylons, polyethylenes and woods are safe with common hobby
lubricants. Most reliable vendors will advise users on the package or data
sheets. Beware of the exotic types with wild claims.
Chemical stability is next, since some may change over time, through slow reactions with air gases, humidity or contact solids. Viscosities may change through separation of solutions, mixtures or colloids.
On the physical side, viscosity is how "thick" the substance is. Measured in poises, usually centipoises, it is commonly measured by stirring the substance with specialized paddles and measuring the torque required. It may range from much thinner than water through gels to solids. Selection is very dependent on thrust and speed. In general the lighter the thrust and the faster the speed the thinner the viscosity.
How slippery it is, depends on many complicated factors both chemical and physical. While improving the clinging ability, increased surface tension will increase the friction. Generally greases cling better with more friction. Many solids, processed correctly , form minute balls which behave much like ball bearings. But these usually have poor clinging properties and require a binder. Other lubes may require burnishing to work them into the bearing surface. A Zamac alloy, S #1, containing beryllium and titanium forms very minute and hard titanium balls at the surface providing low friction and a wear resistance similar to phosphor bronze. Manufacturers of cast Zamac frames should be encouraged to use this.
Effected by increased temperature, volatility may cause losses or increased viscosity through evaporation of liquids or sublimation of solids, leading to dry bearings or gears.
CAVEAT: Before lubing anything,
examine carefully to determine if there are any parts that may not be
compatible with lubricants used. If so, avoid any contact between them,
unless you want to have some very unpleasant surprises.
Labelle lubes will be used as examples, do to their popularity and my successes with them. Other newer varieties may be comparable. N scale and smaller should use a light styrene compatible oil such as 108. Unfortunately Labelle has increased the diameter of the applicator tubes, thus delivering excessive amounts. Saving and using older caps is advisable. Caps and bottles are available in better hobbyshops .
Loco motors usually have relatively light thrust and high speeds, justifying low viscosity. If compatible 101, the thinnest, is preferable or if not use compatible 108 at slightly less slipperiness. If you are sure you can put it back properly, loosen or remove any couplings to the gear train. A good practice is turn the armature to be sure it is free then, run the motor at 12 V for a very short time before lubing and listen. Since some commutator plates are fastened with 101 non-compatible glues, care must be exercised. If reachable, all bearings and thrust washers should receive a very tiny drop. If present, felt pad reservoirs should be loaded, but not soaked. Turn the armature by hand to distribute the lube. Run again after lubing and listen for a pitch increase to determine the effectiveness of the application. Another drop may be needed if the steel shaft has been oxidized. This is a good time to tune the motor by adding thrust washers and possibly adjusting brush tension. Most jack shafts with u-joints, turning at motor RPM should get the same lube.
Caution: Although potentially very
dangerous, if your are positively sure of compatibility, a very tiny
drop of 101 applied to a commutator plate will reduce arcing, brush drag and
wear. The pitch and RPM rise is very noticeable. Pittman, Bowser and
Mantua motors have been successfully treated.
Spur gears, box bearings and thrust washers are best handled with 108. Be sure to spread lube over all teeth. This is easier while running at a very low speed. If gears are sloppy or noisy 102 (thickest liquid) may be used with a very slight increase in drag.
Worms and wheels require heavier viscosity due to the inherent thrusts. New and close fitting gears may use 102 successfully, while older, worn or sloppy ones are best done with 106 grease. Since only a few spirals on the worm contact wheel teeth, apply the lube sparingly to all teeth of the wheel, not the worm, while running slowly. Worms have a tendency to fling lube onto everything in reach. Run to spread.
Driver axles in slots use 108 unless 106 is used to reduce slop. 108 should be used on those with bearings. These lubes are not very good conductors, but do not usually effect pickup in scales larger than N.
The debate on lubing axle end bearings still continues. A big problem is getting lube on the ties or railheads, reducing traction. Free rolling trucks with acetal (delrin) journals or side frame bearings usually require no lube. But metal to metal very often needs lube. If stored in a humid environment, often steel axles rust, requiring ten locos to pull a train. The best solution is to apply 101 (a good rust solvent) very sparingly into the bearing, sopping up any excess with a tip of rolled toilet paper. When sure, roll the trucks on a spare length of track to distribute the lube. Check and clean again before putting them on the layout. A little puff of Teflon can be applied to further reduce the friction. Since the Teflon will not stick to dry, clean metal, it is a good indicator for strayed lube. Most brass trucks require this treatment. Too much may reduce electrical pickup. Graphite is a good choice, since it is very slippery and a good conductor, but it requires burnishing or a good run-in to stick. NEOLUBE (see couplers below) could make things easier. Replacing non pickup wheels in metal trucks with Kadee's acetal axles is a more expensive but better solution. Unfortunately Varney used a nonstandard point which does not accept them readily. Diesels and traction require similar treatment.
Although not considered a lubricant, Pacer's RAILZIP applied to Spectrum's older passenger car axle wipers will improve pickup and reduce drag to allow a loco to pull a string instead of one or two. Do one car at a time and break it in with a fast Athearn, while doing the next.
At the crank pins, side and main rods are best done with 101 or 108 if not compatible. Put it between bushings, washers, bosses and rods, not on the wheel or rod faces and remove excess by blotting with tissue tip. Cross head guides and pins get the same treatment. Generally valve gear is loose enough so as not to need lube, which can collect dirt.
Couplers may or may not need lube. Kadee and others recommend graphite, along with a burnishing process. It is very effective, but does not cure sticking by burrs or snags. Unfortunately using the applicators provided, much more is wasted than that usefully applied. Attempts to use 101 as a binder, paint on, proved futile and dangerous to styrene draft gear boxes. A lubricant, marketed as NEOLUBE, consists of graphite suspended in a volatile liquid (MEOH), which can be painted on couplers and truck bearings easily. Source of ancient, exhausted 1950's supply was unknown. More recently P-B-L offers a 2 oz bottle for the low price of $9 US. It can be used to yield a good smokebox oil-graphite coating or polished steel effect on siderods ans valvegear.
Other layout components with similar moving parts should be lubed in a like manner. Graphite may be used on iron slugs in switch machines to reduced current draw, but other lubes may increase friction due to close clearances in some.
Caution: Do not use clipper oil
on track. It is a lubricant which can soak into and ruin traction rings or
coat driver treads, reducing tractive effort drastically. All treads and
railheads should be kept clean and dry with a good solvent cleaner such as
Rail Zip.
Lubrication of tools and cutting bits is covered in those topics.
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