Silicone damping fluid

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I'm just making a thread that lists or shows local 'easy to to find' and obtain 'correct' tonearm damping fluid. A thread that gets right to the point and solves this common issue that always seems to arise.

This same fluid is also good for the doors on some cassette decks. Previously, this material was always difficult to find.

These days, it is common.

It is used in the RC (remote control) hobby specialties. It is used in gear boxes and suspension components for RC cars, and even in gears for flight flaps, RC car wheel turn gearing, and so on.

Just head for the thickest you can get.

About $10, on average, for a 'lifetime sized' small container (2oz or more) of the stuff. Head to the big RC hobby shop in your local area,and it will be right there.
 
Your right

I have had parallel experences to yours.

I own a TD 124 wth a SME 3012 seres one attached. The damper was overdue, and after much effort and experimentaton, I dd the same as you. The local "Hobby City" sold me fluid that worked.
 
One thing to be careful about- most people use too much fluid. Take what you consider to be a minimum quantity and use half that. 😀

Viscosity is key: for unipivots, 300-500cs is a good choice. Higher will degrade tonearm performance by effectively increasing friction.
 
Thanks Stu. I was wondering when someone would come up with the relevant poise or viscosity information. The silicone fluid at the hobby shops has complete info, but we have to have our numbers straight before we walk in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poise

http://www.convertworld.com/en/kinematic-viscosity/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity#Kinematic_viscosity

As for heading to the thickest...not so much. You can get 30,000 and 90,000 silicone at the hobby shop. The standard in use on the given product and label can be an issue.
 
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Important point of unconfusion- you'll see viscosities reported in centipoise and centistokes. They differ by a factor of fluid density, which fortunately for silicone, isn't much different than 1. So for all intense and porpoises, they're interchangeable.
 
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