Greasing the spring

[edison phonographs]

I now have my crank and an orhtophonic reproducer on my Victor 4-3 and the sound is amazing. I am very happy with this machine, but know that I need to regrease the spring as it sometimes thumps once or twice during full winddown. I have "The Compleat Talking Machine" and it discribes the process in pretty good detail. I bought some Naptha to take off the old dried grease, but was unable to find graphite grease. The closet I found was this Graphite Extreme. I am wondering if anyone has ever used it for this, or if I should just use Vasoline?
Also, I am a bit nervous about trying this process for the first time. Does anyone have any words of advise for a first attempt at sucessfully taking the spring out and replacing it?

Thanks in advance,
Eric

[martinola]

Hi Eric.
I haven't tried that graphite spray. I use a heavy duty black molybdenum grease I got at the auto parts store. I thin it ever so slightly with a light machine oil. I've tried graphite & Vaseline but it seems a bit too sticky to me. I'm sure there are others who have some better suggestions. The stuff I use seems to hold up pretty well. (We'll know better in 10 or 20 years!)

I'm sure you've read up on this. I'll only add that the safety part is really a good idea to pay attention to. Heavy work shirt with sleeves, jeans and Safety Glasses are real important to have. Do it on a day you feel strong enough to wrestle with a spring for a couple of hours (if need be). It probably won't take you that long but you will have to be prepared to keep it under control if you run into difficulties. It really isn't that hard, but don't be in a hurry to get to a wedding right afterward. Good luck!

Martin

[Brad]

I use bearing grease from the local auto parts store. It is probably the same as Martinola uses. If you remove the spring to clean and regrease, pay attention. If it is a large spring and you are worried that it may get away from you, remove it from the barrel with the open side of the barrel pointed away from you and in a trash barrel.

GramaphoneShane posted a nice video on removing and replacing a small mainspring. It is useful to watch to get the jist of removal and installation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPa-VWAzSY

Repeating the warnings, if it is a big spring, be careful and wear leather gloves.

When re-installing, I use a small 1.5" cheap china bristle brush and slather some grease on the "in" side of the spring for a few feet, feed the spring in, slather further, and so on. By applying grease to the "in" side of the spring it will keep you hands cleaner as you will be handling the "out" side of spring.

Also, once you start removing or installing, you can't stop

Good luck!

[B.B.B]

I use multi-purpose lithium grease myself. But I really think any average quality grease will do the job. Lithium, car grease, bearing grease, boat motor grease...If you want to make sure that you are using high-end stuff, go to a specialist bicycle shop & get some teflon-grease for bikers. A bit expensive, but will probaby be just as good when your grand-children plays your machines.

To be fair, the vaseline/graphite-grease aren't that great. It worked good in the teens, but just as so many other things, technology has moved on a bit...

I do think that solid grease is better to use then the spray-on kind. But I haven't tried myself.

G-shane's video is superb. I do just like that, & grease the spring a little at the time, as I put it back in. I find it easiest to place a big glob of grease on the upside of my left hand, & take from that "supply" with my right as I move on. I also put a spoonful or two in the barrel, before I start.