Daunting Mainspring Cleaning

[winsleydale]

So I have come close to the point where I shall suck it up and re grease my H-19 mainspring. I hear that the DD springs are formidable beasts. However, Mr. Edison left the gracious gift of a grease port on the barrel. Instead of trying to wrestle a greasy spring back into the barrel, would it be possible to put it in dry, or at least moistly dry, and then slowly wind it while adding grease through the port? Because I really hate trying to work with an argumentative spring that is literally jumping and slipping from my hands.

[CDBPDX]

I install springs dry then grease them in the spring barrel. A few gobs of grease in the center of an unwound spring will quickly and evenly 'squish-distribute' itself after a few windings. Works great for me.

Cliff

[Marco Gilardetti]

Actually I think that everybody puts them in dry. At least I can't imagine anyone greasing them before loading the barrel.

If the spring isn't one of the harder types I put a veil of grease just on the outermost part, in order to avoid the need of overcranking the coil at first run to spread the grease. But I'm the first to believe that it's not really necessary. Grease will go everywhere whatever you do, basically.

Your "grase port" may be the chance to see and settle wether it actually does.

[winsleydale]

Everybody puts them in dry!? That explains the hell-on-earth I went through with the VV 8-12...

[barnettrp21122]

You could try adding a couple tablespoon's worth of automotive gear oil to the spring barrel(s). Mine is SAE 85W-140. On the Edisons, turn the speed control to the stop position, remove your turntable, and crank the spring until the grease port screw is face up. You should be able to access the screw through the bedplate, remove it, and add the gear oil.
After closing it up, and after several wind-down sessions you should see that it's smoothed out.
I've done this with several machines, with no apparent ill effect.
Bob

[winsleydale]

You could try adding a couple tablespoon's worth of automotive gear oil to the spring barrel(s). Mine is SAE 85W-140. On the Edisons, turn the speed control to the stop position, remove your turntable, and crank the spring until the grease port screw is face up. You should be able to access the screw through the bedplate, remove it, and add the gear oil.
After closing it up, and after several wind-down sessions you should see that it's smoothed out.
I've done this with several machines, with no apparent ill effect.
Bob

You do this instead of taking all out and cleaning it, or in addition?

[barnettrp21122]

I add the gear oil without taking anything apart. This has worked well for me, and I doubt there's any harm, should you want to do a thorough cleaning/regreasing later on if it comes to that.
Bob

[winsleydale]

That's good to know. I didn't think that there were any alternatives.

[De Soto Frank]

Couple of cautions here:

1) Be careful WHAT you use on the machine for lubricant: many automotive / industrial lubes are VERY aromatic, and not in a nice way. I have a beautiful Victor XI in my front hall that STILL reeks of Sta-Lube black graphite grease that I used on the spring barrels over 10 years ago. Every time I open the lid to play a record, the smell smacks me in the face.

2) Make sure the lubricants used are safe for the metals they are being applied to: especially with "gear oil". Not all gears are created equal - especially those gears and bushings made from "yellow metals" ( bronze, brass ). Many modern "gear oils" contain sulphur compounds, which attack and damage yellow metals.
( This has been an issue in recent years for folks with older vehicles and machinery - modern gear-oils just eat-up brass / bronze synchronizers, thrust washers, bushings. )


3) "Disassemble, clean and relube" or "just add some oil" ? Few of us like to get greasy-dirty and wrestle with mainsprings, but I believe it is better to take everything apart, clean-out ALL the old grease and graphite, remove any rust, then re-assemble and re-lube. The machine will be happier, and chances are, you'll never need to do it more than once to a given machine.


If you're going to bother at all, go all the way and be done with it, in my opinion.

[winsleydale]

More wise words. Kind of OT but if the motor is machine-gunning as well, is that a governor problem? Because my governor springs are permanently bent into gentle arches.