For the past year we've been using _beef fat_ for lubricating the
bellows pump sticks in our Artizan A-2/Wurlitzer Band Organ.  Tim
Trager suggested it and it sounded simple and authentic, and since
Tim told me he had 21 organs, I'm sure it's sound advice.

I need to re-grease the sticks and I'd appreciate some comments.
I had a friend who's an automotive parts engineer come over and he
brought his representative from Nye Lubricants (www.nyelubricants.com)
to see if they could suggest anything in regards to lubricating the
organ parts.  In addressing some squeaks in the sticks, we had found
some rusty looking residue, and they wondered if the fat didn't contain
enough moisture to contribute to this.

What they ended up recommending (and donating a one-pound can) is

  "Nye Rheolube 368F, a lithium soap-gelled grease based on a high
viscosity blend of stabilized, plastic-compatible, synthetic hydro-
carbon oils.  Intended for sliding surfaces, switchgear and gear train
applications from -40C to 125C.  Fortified with polytetraflouroethylene
(Teflon) to enhance friction reduction and low-temperature capability."

These are further described as "synthetic hydrocarbons" which "...
provide a substantially increased range of high and low temperature
viscosity.  They are comparable in wide-temperature capability to the
best of the ester-based synthetic oils.  Film strength, lubricity and
wear prevention capability are excellent without the need for complex
additives which might be potentially corrosive to delicate non-ferrous
instrument components.  A good, viscosity-temperature relationship
exists without the need for shear-vulnerable viscosity-index
improvers."  The Viscosity Index of the base oil is 157.

My question to the experts is:  Should we stick with the tried-and-
true and authentic, etc., or, in this case, update to this product?
Also, what are some of you using in this type of wood-to-metal sliding
bearing?  (Maple wood connecting rods, and turned and polished crank
bearing journals.)

Tommy Forney
Shelby City Park Carrousel, Shelby NC
http://carrousel.shelby.net