Lubricatoin for Mechanical Bits?

Jexx · 11th August 2010, 11:17 PM

I have a JVC El Kameleon (the CD player with the face that goes all black when turned off) that is fully motorized. The unit is getting old (built circa 1999!

), but still functions wonderfully minus one thing: the face.

The motorized face works well, but every once in a while will get hung up or jammed and I have to tap it with my hand etc. so the various flaps can finish opening/closing/receding etc.

I'm quite certain it's just an issue of lubricating the mechanical bits since it gets jammed 1 out of every 5 times, and it takes very little effort to unjam the face (really, a tap is all it needs).

So my question: where can I get a good lubricant for the various mechanisms? Is there some sort of household product I could use?

Jonathan Bright · 12th August 2010, 12:43 AM

Three classes of product come to mind.
(1)There is a lanolin based lubricant that is good. The down-side is that your equipment may smell like a lambs wool!

(2) Also you might try the teflon based products. Probably available widely but pushbike shops will certainly stock it for chain lubrication.

(3) And I guess the obvious one is the lubricant they use on sewing machines. Some sort of light machine oil.

I expect a lot of others too.

Cheers, Jonathan

theAnonymous1 · 01:39 AM

You don't want to use a liquid lube, you need something with substance.

Some Super Lube gel should do the trick....

Grease | Oil | Synthetic Lubricants

... or some white grease....

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKR90&P=FR

Perry Babin · 12th August 2010, 04:27 AM

Generally, if a mechanism is sticking, it's bent, has something in the gears (piece of sand or similar) or has a cracked gear.

finbar · 19th August 2010, 06:45 AM

Any lube that stays wet will accumulate dust and grit, forming a grinding paste.

Jexx · 25th August 2010, 01:56 AM

Thanks a ton, everyone.

Every single post here was helpful. I tried a bit of sewing machine grease and that actually seems to have fixed the problem, and as finbar suggested, it will likely accumulate dust etc., so I'm going to get something more professional/appropriate, such as white grease (exactly what I was looking for but didn't know the name). I also played a bit with the mechanical bits to check for bends, and I think one of the lower arms was bent slightly. So it's working MUCH better now.

Thanks again! This is why I love this forum.

11th August 2010, 11:17 PM	#1
Jexx diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Lubricatoin for Mechanical Bits? I have a JVC El Kameleon (the CD player with the face that goes all black when turned off) that is fully motorized. The unit is getting old (built circa 1999!), but still functions wonderfully minus one thing: the face. The motorized face works well, but every once in a while will get hung up or jammed and I have to tap it with my hand etc. so the various flaps can finish opening/closing/receding etc. I'm quite certain it's just an issue of lubricating the mechanical bits since it gets jammed 1 out of every 5 times, and it takes very little effort to unjam the face (really, a tap is all it needs). So my question: where can I get a good lubricant for the various mechanisms? Is there some sort of household product I could use?

12th August 2010, 12:43 AM	#2
Jonathan Bright diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Queensland	Three classes of product come to mind. (1)There is a lanolin based lubricant that is good. The down-side is that your equipment may smell like a lambs wool! (2) Also you might try the teflon based products. Probably available widely but pushbike shops will certainly stock it for chain lubrication. (3) And I guess the obvious one is the lubricant they use on sewing machines. Some sort of light machine oil. I expect a lot of others too. Cheers, Jonathan __________________ "It was the Spring time of the year when aunt calls to aunt like mastodons across the frozen waste." P.G. Wodehouse.

12th August 2010, 01:37 AM	#3
theAnonymous1 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Anonymityville	You don't want to use a liquid lube, you need something with substance. Some Super Lube gel should do the trick.... Grease \| Oil \| Synthetic Lubricants ... or some white grease.... http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKR90&P=FR __________________ "If you don't like funerals don't kick sand in Ninja's face." - Ninja Last edited by theAnonymous1; 12th August 2010 at 01:39 AM.

12th August 2010, 04:27 AM	#4
Perry Babin diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Louisiana	Generally, if a mechanism is sticking, it's bent, has something in the gears (piece of sand or similar) or has a cracked gear. __________________ Links >> Basic Car Audio Amp Repair --- Basic Car Audio Electronics --- Basic Transistor Testing --- Basic Switching Power Supply Design --- Basic Computer Skills << Links

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19th August 2010, 06:45 AM	#5
finbar diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver BC	Any lube that stays wet will accumulate dust and grit, forming a grinding paste.

25th August 2010, 01:56 AM	#6
Jexx diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Thanks a ton, everyone. Every single post here was helpful. I tried a bit of sewing machine grease and that actually seems to have fixed the problem, and as finbar suggested, it will likely accumulate dust etc., so I'm going to get something more professional/appropriate, such as white grease (exactly what I was looking for but didn't know the name). I also played a bit with the mechanical bits to check for bends, and I think one of the lower arms was bent slightly. So it's working MUCH better now. Thanks again! This is why I love this forum.

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