News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

Best Dial Oil?

Started by bdoss2006, November 22, 2022, 07:11:44 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

bdoss2006

Hopefully I can shut up after this... anyway, what oil is better for oiling dials

I found this oil that is made for sewing machines

Sewing Machine Oil Link

Or just regular old 3 in 1 oil

3&1 Oil Link

Also, what tools should I get? I assume maybe some brushes? Anyone have any tips as far as cleaning it?

TelePlay

There is a whole board on dial restoration including cleaning

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?board=25.0

and oils have been discussed at length in this topic

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7899.0

Sewing machine oil is one of the better oils to use.

Watch oil is the best but it is expensive.

TelePlay

What dial are you working on? WE or other and if WE, what model number?

Can you attach an image of the front and back?

And what issues or problems are you having with the dial?

FABphones

#3
When I was looking to buy, a member here suggested this style of oil pen, with the needle tip:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/200879557688
(Listing screenshot example last image below)

I wouldn't be without one, precision oiling.

The other oil I have is a very nice boxed pack with a selection of oil (and grease) from Möbius. More expensive (approximately $35+ per bottle not inc shipping) but good.

If you want to do a bit of reading up, these pages are worth a look:
https://www.moebius-lubricants.ch/en/products/oils

Images below.

:)
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

Contempra

#4
Quote from: bdoss2006 on November 22, 2022, 07:11:44 PM...what oil is better for oiling dials

I found this oil that is made for sewing machines...

This is what i use , oil for sewing machines or you can use the oil used for watchmaking is even better in my opinion.

TelePlay

Quote from: FABphones on November 23, 2022, 02:40:54 AM. . . (and grease) . . .

Watch grease is used on the dial's mainspring tunnel on the mainspring shaft. That's only needed if you get into full disassembly of dials for thorough cleaning and proper lubrication on assembly. The flat bearing surfaces of the mainspring shaft are greased.

Watch/sewing oil is used on axel bearing points, worm drive gears and gear teeth. If the dial has slowed because it has dried out over time, a partial drop of oil on a wood toothpick applied to each axel bearing points and gear teeth is sufficient to refresh the axel bearing points. Don't over oil and use a cue tip to wipe off any excess oil.

If the dial has slowed or does not return to 0 without help, it has been over oiled during its working life and the excess oil has collected dirt/dust which has turned the dirty oil mixture to hard crud and putting more oil on the crudded up axel bearing points and gear teeth won't do any good. Those dial issues require cleaning (including picking the hard crud out of the gear teeth) and then applying new lubrication.

That's the difference in using grease vs oil, and why dials slow down.

Contempra

Quote from: TelePlay on November 23, 2022, 05:47:12 PMIf the dial has slowed or does not return to 0 without help, it has been over oiled during its working life and the excess oil has collected dirt/dust which has turned the dirty oil mixture to hard crud and putting more oil on the crudded up axel bearing points and gear teeth won't do any good. Those dial issues require cleaning (including picking the hard crud out of the gear teeth) and then applying new lubrication.

That's the difference in using grease vs oil, and why dials slow down.



You're right because I had to completely dismantle a dial because it was so gummed up that the dial didn't even return to its original place. There was ####! Once everything was cleaned, reassembled and oiled, everything was going smoothly. I can't remember the name of the member who helped me a few years ago. I appreciated his help because it was, I believe, my first phone when I arrived on this forum.

bdoss2006

#7
Quote from: TelePlay on November 22, 2022, 08:55:30 PMWhat dial are you working on? WE or other and if WE, what model number?

Can you attach an image of the front and back?..

I am working on a Trimline
( or the itt version that is). I took the top cover off and the governor came apart and I can't get it back together. I may have made a mistake. I'll upload pictures in another post

bdoss2006

#8
Pictures

TelePlay

I've never taken one of those apart.

I'd suggest putting all the parts in a zip lock bag and sending it to Steve Hilsz.

Link to his site is in this topic:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4385.0




dsk

I like to solve things like that myselves, and have used different kinds og oil without problems, but watch oil must be good,  It is only one thing to look after and avoid, and that is silicone oil  (not 1%!), it is perfect for the mechanical part, but by some reason the elctric contakts does go bad after some time. That is not perfect. OK, If you use a bike oil, you may need to do it again in 2032, and the full service again in 2042. :-)

TelePlay

#12
While this probably won't help you directly with your dial, it will show similarities to what your dial looked like before taking it apart.

It's always very helpful to take a few before pictures from different angles and then taking one thing apart at a time and taking a photo of the part and where it came from. Such step by step images always help with putting the dial back together.

I don't see a governor spring in your images and it is hard to see what the small parts are in relation to your macro image, the small parts are not in the same image size so hard to tell if the two half-round parts are the  governor brakes or not, or what holds them in the governor or how that are turned (I suspect with that oblong piece in the upper right of your second picture.

At least you left the finger wheel on so the dial mainspring has not been released leaving it up to you to figure out how the parts do together. For example, that white shaft with two wings, a gear at one end and two axle bearing points seem to be the part that turns the governor so it would fit somewhere (below where the governor raceway would sit when assembled correctly - I think that large piece on the right is 180 degree in relation to the gear train image) into the gear train and the bearing point and the governor raceway bearing point.

Not having to deal with the tension of the mainspring, it should be possible for you to piece it together. After all, the phone companies just hired people off of the street to assemble phones so it doesn't take an engineer to do this work. Had you slowly take it apart examining each piece and its function before lifting the gear train plate off, it would have been easier to put back together.

These are images of a working WE #8A dial that is similar to yours and may help you figure out how to put it back together, or send it to Steve Hilsz and let him do it for you.

bdoss2006

#13
Quote from: TelePlay on November 26, 2022, 11:09:28 AM...These are images of a working WE #8A dial that is similar to yours and may help you figure out how to put it back together, or send it to Steve Hilsz and let him do it for you.

well I managed to get the governor back together and the dial works ok, it maybe a little fast though. But now I can't get it to do anything if I take it off the hook there is no dial tone and if I have another phone plugged in when I pick it up it still has a dial tone. I for some reason won't take it off the hook. I used and ohm meter and the switch hook appears to be fine (so does the button on the handset). What could be the problem?