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To add to the confusion I have always put a wipe of Vaseline on governor gears, particularly on noisy machines like Gems and Columbia Q's. Recently I have tried silicon grease instead, which works well to my experience.

Good advice about greasing springs, though. Why is it that more seems to squeeze out all over the cabinet than was put in in the first place?

Keith

I was always told not to grease the gears as it would collect dirt, and that dirt would then act as an abrasive increasing wear on the gears.

rizbone wrote:I was always told not to grease the gears as it would collect dirt, and that dirt would then act as an abrasive increasing wear on the gears.

I've heard that theory too, but suspect it's just folk lore.

Clay

I tend to agree wholeheartedly with
VintageTechnologies.

Lubrication is good. Running dry is not good.

I keep on hand many small eyedropper bottles
containing various viscosities and types of oil. The lightest is Singer sewing machine oil and some Marvel Mystery Oil, up through 10W-40,
20W-50, straight 30 weight, 90 weight, and finally 140 weight gear oil.

Also in my lube kit is a batch of my standard
custom mixed Vaseline and Graphite.

Oil and grease do make a mess. But, the way I
look at things, I'd much rather have a greasy
oily mess that runs perfectly than a dry, clean
thing that's tearing itself up as it runs.

And, yes, it's a very good idea to keep the
thick stuff down on the slower more powerful
parts of the mechanism, running lighter and
lighter stuff up toward the faster, lower-torque parts of the gear train.
Sewing machine oil on governor, for sure!

I honestly think too that the business about
grease collecting dirt and wearing stuff out
is not a big factor (at least not that I have found).

Again, the way I see things is that a lot
of grease and oil lubricates things regardless
of whether or not it might have a few dust
particles imbedded in it.

I have a couple of seriously worn-out old 8-day spring-wound clocks that are the most greasy,
oily things you have ever seen! They both
keep time to within +/- 30 seconds per week
running that way. My Edison Standard model D
combination machine looks about the same way inside. Been running it just like that
since 1967 with absolutely no problems.

Chuck

I guess I better start greasing a lot of gears. If the physical evidence on spring motors today is to be considered, and the original instructions called for grease, then perhaps grease they should get. With several dozen machines in the house, not one has a worn gear, including the abused machines, which may suggest that original maintenance with grease on gears is best. It would seem unlikely that I just happened to bring home only machines that were never used. After reading the posts, I will have to change my thoughts on this.

As chuck stated, I also use grease for springs and slower moving gears, and sewing machine oil for the faster moving gears, bearings, and the governor.

I'm sure these have been posted on the forum ad nauseum, but what the heck:

Here is an earlier one that references Vaseline and sewing machine oil specifically: