[R-390] Gear train lubricants

[Terry O'Laughlin]

The best lubricant I have found for a freshly stripped and cleaned R-390 
gear train in Phil Wood's bicycle grease.  The viscosity is perfect, it 
does not creep and it maintains the same viscosity for years.  It makes the 
gear train feel almost silky, which is no mean feat.

I did my first R-390A with it seven years ago and the tuning still feels 
almost silky.  I use lacquer thinner to strip the old lubricants, but I 
also clean and relube the slug rack.  I clean all the slug rack rollers, 
guides and cams with swabs and lacquer thinner.  I use a swab to put a thin 
coat of Phil Woods on the appropriate edges of all the rack parts.

I've done three complete cleanings this way.  They still feel great (two 
have been sold).  It's a one time job with no need to pull the radio for 
periodic lubrication.  Oil does not evaporate.  Every re-application is 
just replacing oil that migrated somewhere else inside your radio.  I 
wouldn't do that to my R-390s.

Phil Woods is commonly available at better bicycle shops and it works great 
on bicycles as well.

73     Terry O'     WB9GVB