[Boatanchors] Heathkit SB-200 Question - Seeking advice

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi Scott,

Glenn already suggested you not use WD-40. In spite of popular culture
and urban myth WD-40 is *NOT* a penetrating lube nor is it any kind of
lubricant. Your local hardware store will have several choices of real
penetrating oil meant for freeing corroded parts and removing "rust".
After you get things apart you must clean and maybe resurface the parts
and then use *lubricant* - NOT WD-40 - to reassemble and operate. There
are a lot of real lubricants available at the hardware and at the auto
supply stores.

WD-40 will remove and help keep moisture out of a cracked distributor
cap (until you make it home and replace it). No lube involved. WD-40
will remove the gummy glue after sticky labels are removed from glass -
like those obnoxious stickers in the windows of new or used cars at sale
time. Afterward the WD-40 must be removed. It will collect dust and dirt
and turn into its own gummy mess. Gummy goo doesn't lubricate anything. 

For applications like your bandswitch you can try "3-in-1" light oil
sometimes known as sewing machine oil. I like a product known as
"Lubriplate" that is available from the auto parts suppliers. It has a
consistency between light grease and heavy oil.  "Lubriplate" tends to
stay in place and do its job. It's the only lube that has worked on the
fan motor bushings in the back of my Kenwood transmitter. It's not
really meant for heavy duty lube as in car engines. Mechanics use it to
keep machine parts lubed while they are being assembled and it serves as
lube while the machinery (engines, transmissions, differentials) is
being started up for the first time before the regular, heavier
lubrication has a chance to be worked in. Lubriplate is probably too
heavy to put a daub on the shaft and have it run back into the actual
bearing but would be ideal to put some on it during reassembly.

Good luck with your project. Let us all know how it goes for you.

73,

Bill  KU8H