Earlier in the year I rebuilt two cast-aluminum vacuum pumps for
Welte Philharmonic organ roll changers.  The two main crankshaft
bearings are of wood.  I dutifully removed the wood bearings,
soaked them in lacquer thinner to remove the old oil and grime and
then re-soaked them in oil before reinstalling them.  However, recently
I received some original service instructions for the roll changers
which states:

  "NEVER put any oil or grease on a shaft which revolves in a wood
  bearing.  These bearings are boiled in lubricant and if they seem
  tight, ream them out very carefully and very little as the tightness
  is probably caused by excessive dampness and to ream them too much
  will make them sloppy when dried out.  However this is not liable to
  happen.  A tight bearing is usually the result of oiling."

Now I'm thinking I have made a mistake and perhaps I should remove the
bearings and clean them again in lacquer thinner and re-lubricate them
with something else in the same way as original.

Might someone have any idea what was used originally?  Might they have
been boiled in lard/animal fat or beeswax?

There are a few other bearings in the Welte roll changer that are of
wood and should probably be cleaned and re-lubed in the same manner.

Thanks,

Dave Krall