[D.M. Procida]

What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele

[Nthkentman[_2_]]

"D.M. Procida" wrote in message
...

What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?



Vaseline or Silicon grease

[Newshound]

On 28/11/2012 18:28, D.M. Procida wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele


You need to tell us more. Is it a metal or a plastic thread? Is it in
something which runs warm, like a slide or video projector?

I don't like the sound of "free play".

[Grimly Curmudgeon[_3_]]

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:28:07 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

Don't use any of the ordinary **** - normal grease gives off volatiles
and affects lenses. Otoh, if this an old ****ter lens you don't care
about, knock yourself out.
There's a specific grease for focusing helicoids
http://www.micro-tools.de/en/Greases...Gram-Tube.html
just one choice. Don't be put off by the price - that will do dozens
of lenses.

Some people find bicycle silicone grease does it for them - and that's
a lot cheaper. The important thing to get is something which isn't
full of volatiles, is very temperature stable and has a very good
range of operating temps.

[D.M. Procida]

newshound wrote:

On 28/11/2012 18:28, D.M. Procida wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele


You need to tell us more. Is it a metal or a plastic thread? Is it in
something which runs warm, like a slide or video projector?

I don't like the sound of "free play".

In fact there is none, so no need to worry about that. It's the lens of
a 35mm camera.

Daniele

[D.M. Procida]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

Some people find bicycle silicone grease does it for them - and that's
a lot cheaper. The important thing to get is something which isn't
full of volatiles, is very temperature stable and has a very good
range of operating temps.

Lithium grease?

Daniele

[D.M. Procida]

D.M. Procida wrote:

What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

More generally, what would you use to lubricate the sliding/rotating
parts of an old camera mechanism?

It's about 34 years old, and has seen quite a bit of use, by the look of
it. There's what appears to be dry black old grease collected in a few
coners of the mechanism, by I don't know if that's dried up and dusty
oil or whether it started out as grease.

Daniele

[Andy Dingley]

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012 6:28:07 PM UTC, D.M. Procida wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

Depends on whether there's any plastic nearby. Solvents in some greases, especially molybdenum greases, will cause irreversible swelling in some plastics.

Mostly though, it doesn't matter. Some lightweight grease that doesn't have a vapour problem will be fine - and that's most of them.

Personally I use vaseline.

I wouldn't use silicone, as it's impossible to clean off and it always migrates where you don't want it.

Fast-acting mechanisms like shutters, aperture irises and auto-focus mechanisms are another issue. Also microscopes, as some microscope illuminators can get very hot. Use the maker's recommended grease.

[Peter Parry]

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:45:37 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

More generally, what would you use to lubricate the sliding/rotating
parts of an old camera mechanism?

Very little, a bit like sewing machine lubrication a small amount is
all that is needed and too much is far more harmful than too little.
On old cameras a good clean is always the first step and often all
that is needed. Be careful in what you use in that some manufacturers
deliberately use alcohol soluble thread sealant on screws to allow
disassembly if necessary so avoid alcohol based cleaners if you don't
want to compromise the thread sealant.

Most camera parts need no lubrication, just cleaning. Shutter
mechanisms in particular normally need no lubrication. Those parts
that do need lubricating you can use a silicone grease or white
lithium grease in very very small quantities.

Silicone greases/oils often need nothing more than a very thin film
(after cleaning the thread or slideway) to be effective. A light
spray of furniture polish such as Pledge on a cloth and left to dry
for 5 minutes before wiping it over the thread also often works.

[Grimly Curmudgeon[_3_]]

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:06:02 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

Some people find bicycle silicone grease does it for them - and that's
a lot cheaper. The important thing to get is something which isn't
full of volatiles, is very temperature stable and has a very good
range of operating temps.

Lithium grease?

It's not unknown for that to be used and results are initially ok, but
a high melting point lithium grease would be the one to use. Consider
how hot a lens can get in the sun; you don't want off-gassing of the
grease, depositing **** on the internal glass, neither do you want the
grease liquifying and flowing where it shouldn't.

Many just use what they have available and report good results, but
it's a pita having to do it again if the wrong choice is made.

[brass monkey]

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele

ISTR that something called ragazine (ragasine) used to be the thing. Gave a
nice pro-feeling resistance.

[harry]

On Nov 28, 6:28*pm, (D.M.
Procida) wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele

Spray on PTFE lubricant?

[Newshound]

On 28/11/2012 21:06, D.M. Procida wrote:
newshound wrote:

On 28/11/2012 18:28, D.M. Procida wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele


You need to tell us more. Is it a metal or a plastic thread? Is it in
something which runs warm, like a slide or video projector?

I don't like the sound of "free play".

In fact there is none, so no need to worry about that. It's the lens of
a 35mm camera.

Daniele

Then as others said, you need to think about volatiles. It also rather
depends on the camera; for a classic Leica I would take it to a specialist.

If it is old, with metal threads, and the problem is that it has gone
stiff, this may mean the original lubricant (probably just a trace of
oil or grease) has become thicker with age, perhaps with an accumulation
of dirt or wear debris. In that case, displacing the old lubricant
without stripping would be the problem (if you can strip it fully it
will be easy). If it is newer, with plastic threads that might have
become rough, a whiff of silicone spray might work. But you have to
watch out for lubricant getting on the lens surfaces and also think
about the effect on other mechanisms such as the shutter and diaphragm.

If you tell us what make and model, it would be a bit easier.

[Newshound]

On 28/11/2012 22:23, Peter Parry wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:45:37 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

More generally, what would you use to lubricate the sliding/rotating
parts of an old camera mechanism?

Very little, a bit like sewing machine lubrication a small amount is
all that is needed and too much is far more harmful than too little.
On old cameras a good clean is always the first step and often all
that is needed. Be careful in what you use in that some manufacturers
deliberately use alcohol soluble thread sealant on screws to allow
disassembly if necessary so avoid alcohol based cleaners if you don't
want to compromise the thread sealant.

Most camera parts need no lubrication, just cleaning. Shutter
mechanisms in particular normally need no lubrication. Those parts
that do need lubricating you can use a silicone grease or white
lithium grease in very very small quantities.

Silicone greases/oils often need nothing more than a very thin film
(after cleaning the thread or slideway) to be effective. A light
spray of furniture polish such as Pledge on a cloth and left to dry
for 5 minutes before wiping it over the thread also often works.


+1

As I said earlier, it would be different for a Zorki and a Leica

[Frank Erskine]

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:40:32 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Nov 28, 6:28*pm, (D.M.
Procida) wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele

Spray on PTFE lubricant?

I'd be reluctant to spray anything close to a camera/lens.

--
Frank Erskine

[D.M. Procida]

newshound wrote:

In fact there is none, so no need to worry about that. It's the lens of
a 35mm camera.

Daniele

Then as others said, you need to think about volatiles. It also rather
depends on the camera; for a classic Leica I would take it to a specialist.

If it is old, with metal threads, and the problem is that it has gone
stiff, this may mean the original lubricant (probably just a trace of
oil or grease) has become thicker with age, perhaps with an accumulation
of dirt or wear debris. In that case, displacing the old lubricant
without stripping would be the problem (if you can strip it fully it
will be easy). If it is newer, with plastic threads that might have
become rough, a whiff of silicone spray might work. But you have to
watch out for lubricant getting on the lens surfaces and also think
about the effect on other mechanisms such as the shutter and diaphragm.

If you tell us what make and model, it would be a bit easier.

It's a Canon rangefinder that I bought on eBay for £30. I can afford to
get it a bit wrong...

Daniele

[DerbyBorn[_3_]]

On 29 Nov 2012, you wrote in uk.d-i-y:

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:40:32 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Nov 28, 6:28*pm, (D.M.
Procida) wrote:
What lubricant would you use on the coarse threads that move a lens in
and out for focusing?

This thread is has a pitch of about 2mm. It's the one that moves the
body of the lens in and out as the focus ring is rotated.

I feel that grease - such as lithium grease - seems a bit thick and
draggy, though it would help damp and movement and cut out free play.

Would a thin machine oil be too thin?

Daniele

Spray on PTFE lubricant?

I'd be reluctant to spray anything close to a camera/lens.



Rocol Kilopoise. Unfortunately not available in small packs.
http://www.rocol.com/products/kilopo...damping-grease