HMV pre-1921 two spring motor

[nostalgia]

..thought Inigo was back, and wanted send a hi.. but realize now this is an old thread. Hope he is all right, and Marco too, Spain and Italy has been hit hard for a long period now...

[JerryVan]

My experience onon an old topic... and a thanks to all whose contributions have brought the conversation so far...

I've tried Mobil 1 Synthetic wheel bearing grease (the red smelly stuff) on an HMV 32 motor only to experience the dreaded rumble after only a week of use. Apparently, once the thick layer of grease between the windings is squeezed out and only a thin coating remains, its tenacious quality literally sticks the coils together, allowing slippage, but not separation (as previously suggested.)

I then went to an STP brand "Moly" grease with a molybdenum disulfide content that was insufficient to work in this application. After probably two weeks of occasional use, the spring motor began to "rumble" a the spring coils tried to separate as they unwound.

My next attempt will be to try the Mobil 1 again with the suggestion previously offered of adding a quantity of a powdered lubricant, probably following Marco's formula. My question is, which powder?

I've seen references to graphite and "flake" graphite, but none to using actual molybdenum disulphide powder. Does anyone have experience using molybdenum powder as an additive? (I find it readily available on Ebay.) Also, what's the difference between powdered and flake graphite?

Thanks to all..
Robert

You have already used molybdenum disulfide grease and were unhappy with it. Why would you then use the Mobil 1 and consider adding molybdenum disulfide powder, essentially making more molybdenum disulfide grease? I would use the graphite, as others have suggested. Not sure if powder or flake is best. Probably can't go wrong with powder, but that's just my guess. Use plenty of whatever recipe you decide on. You don't need every last space filled with grease, but maybe ¾ full or a little better. Also, add grease as you go. As I wind in the spring, I stop every 8" - 10" and scoop in another blob of grease with a small putty knife.

[HMVDevotee]

My reasoning for trying molybdenum disulfide again would be that I can control the content. I have no idea what percent of molybdenum disulfide was in the STP grease... clearly not enough. I was just wondering if any members had tried it in the same proportions that seem to be optimal for graphite, and whether anyone could speak to the properties of molybdenum disulfide.

Good idea about adding grease every few turns. Beats waiting for it to distribute itself from the center.

R.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Hello and thanks for your concern, yes I'm doing quite well so far.

I really can't figure why any kind of lubricant just doesn't seem to work with your gramophone. My only guess is that perhaps you haven't put enough. Did you completely pack the barrel with grease? It should be completely packed with grease.

[emgcr]

You may like to try this molybdenum/graphite grease which I recently found in the USA. It has worked extremely well in a Garrard Super Motor. I apologise that the first photo is 90 degrees out but I cannot seem to find a way to rotate. Click on image to enlarge.

[soundgen]

Halfords sell Comma Moly grease works really well , not expensive and you can pack a lot in ! Widely available , Ebay Amazon etc


https://www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehi ... s/view/212

[bikesteve]

I made the mistake of not thoroughly cleaning the inside face of a spring before (a new one at that with a few sticky rust spots!) which I'm pretty sure contributed to bumping early on. Best results just lately, add a few drops of sewing machine oil allowing to soak a day then adding Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic.

[soundgen]

I made the mistake of not thoroughly cleaning the inside face of a spring before (a new one at that with a few sticky rust spots!) which I'm pretty sure contributed to bumping early on. Best results just lately, add a few drops of sewing machine oil allowing to soak a day then adding Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic.

You should never ever put oil into spring barrels

[JerryVan]

I made the mistake of not thoroughly cleaning the inside face of a spring before (a new one at that with a few sticky rust spots!) which I'm pretty sure contributed to bumping early on. Best results just lately, add a few drops of sewing machine oil allowing to soak a day then adding Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic.

You should never ever put oil into spring barrels

Grease is nothing more than oil, held in a viscous suspension. I have a few tubs of very old graphite spring grease, which I use every so often. Usually, when I open the tub, the oil has separated from grease and has pooled in the middle. I stir it up and it returns to its proper state. In a few of those tubs, the oil has found away to seep out. In that case, I add more oil, stir in & use. No problems. I will say however, that when using new grease, no additional oil should be needed, as the grease is presumably manufactured with the optimal oil content already mixed in. I would guess that when these phonographs were new, the grease they used would experience oil separation as well. That's why we find old, dry, hardened grease some 100 years later. Back then, the periodic addition of a bit of oil would not have been a bad thing. We've all seen where oil has separated out of spring barrels and left its mark inside cabinets? By now, of course, a thorough cleaning and re-lube is the order of the day.

[Marco Gilardetti]

What Soundgen means is that oil will make coils adhere to each other due to surface tension, and slip rather than separate evenly. Personally, I always strictly follow his advice and never add oil to my coil mixture.

I understand that many people add oil and say it's allright and they're happy with the results; but again, I prefer to strictly follow Soundgen's advice, and actually I make molybdenum grease even less fluid by mixing graphite paste with it.