Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > September 1998 > 1998.09.13 > 17Prev  Next


Lubricant for Band Organ Crankshaft
By Matthew Caulfield

Regarding the proper lubricant for wood parts (band organ crank-rods,
for example) -- if any is really needed at all -- I'd be interested in
what Craig Brougher or Mike Kitner say to the question.

The recommended lubricant for wood slide valves, where wood rides on
wood, is dry graphite.  (Player Piano Company's trick to getting the
graphite to penetrate the wood is to wet the wood surface with alcohol
to open the pores, then rub in the graphite with a hard felt, such as
a spare piano hammer head).

A lot of the wear in wood-to-metal friction seems to be on the metal,
from abrasive particles picked up by the wood, which embed themselves
in the wood and act over time like a grinding wheel to wear down the
metal.  It seems to me that using a grease on such surfaces only
encourages that action as air-borne grit sticks on the greasy surface.
But is any lubricant really needed on band organ crank rods?

This isn't meant to be definitive but only a starting point for
discussion.

Matthew Caulfield


(Message sent Sun 13 Sep 1998, 17:01:22 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Band, Crankshaft, Lubricant, Organ

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page