[Hammarlund] SP-600 Tuning

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

SP600historian@aol.com wrote:

> One last caveat, NEVER, EVER use oil on the geartrain of a SP-600, it tends
> to migrate towards the idler friction wheel. It is brass, and tends to absorb
> oil. I have used tape head cleaner (the freon type) with sucess also. The
> SP-600 manual cautions against using oil or lubricant, but of the 19 i have
> owned over the years, ALL of them had oil/lubricant on the gears when
> received here.

*sigh* I'm guilty of this myself, did it with the first one I restored several
years back. I was careful to get it *only* on the gear shafts but as Les says -
it manages to find its way into places you don't want it. Problem is, we're
taught from an early age that moving parts should be lubricated or they will wear
out prematurely. With limited spares available for these old rigs, how does one
ensure that pins and gears don't become so worn as to allow slippage or jamming?
Powdered graphite comes to mind, but I'm thinking that could create nightmares
inside the radio itself perhaps.

I doubt any of us will wear them out in our lifetimes, they've made it this far
after all. I suppose we could just leave them dry and let others fabricate new
gears in the future? Chances are they'll have better technology for such
things...

Boomer,  KA1KAQ