[R-390] Gear train lubricants

[Dan Merz]

Hi,  another data point....  in a sea of 390 experience.   I have some Phil
Wood's around somewhere that I bought when I was into bicycle lub tasks.  I
thought about using it when I starting cleaning my 390a but instead followed
the "conventional wisdom" posted somewhere about Marvel M O and Mobil 1.  I'm
glad to hear that Phil Wood's grease works so well.  Maybe I'll dig it out and
see if mine has congealed yet,  hi.  As I recall it was still pretty "juicy"
and flowed out from the light green plastic toothpaste type tube it came in - I
may have tossed it because it was about 30 years old 2 years ago.  Another data
point may have been lost,  but maybe today's Phil Wood's grease is different
than the stuff I had.   Dan.

Terry O'Laughlin wrote:

> 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
>
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