From: spam-abuse@worldnet.att.net (Tom)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.misc
Subject: Re: Ball head lubricant
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999
> Recently, I did some photography at the beach. I had my Bronica >6x6 in my hands while composing a shot. I decided how I wanted the shot >framed and went to grab my tripod. To my suprise my Bogen 3038 ball >head and 3021 tripod legs decided to take a swim! Even though they >loved the 40 degree salt water and got dragged away from the shore by >the current, I choose to retrieve them! I didn't enjoy the water! The >head and tripod were washed with fresh water and soap. I completely >disassembled the unit and in the process of cleaning wiped off all the >lubricant for the ball head. > > What is the proper lubricant for the ball head?
I have used spray-on teflon powder lubricant on the Bogen "Action"
ball head (the one with the squeeze grip) about a year ago. It has
worked fine ever since (very smooth, indeed), but I suspect it doesn't
have the longevity of some other "stickier" lubricant.
Tom
From: dphii@aol.com (DPHII)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.misc
Subject: Re: Ball head lubricant
Date: 8 Apr 1999
I've been using an automotive synthetic gear lube for my tripods for
about 20
years. Great stuff, never breaks down.
-don
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999
From: Hasselbill@aol.com
To: hasselblad@kelvin.net
Subject: Re: Ball head lube?
I use white lithium grease to lubricate my heads and tripods. It comes in
a tube and lasts forever - one tube will go for 10 years, probably costs
about 2 bucks (maybe less). It is greasy but clean, lubricates well and
doesn't dry out too quickly.
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999
From: Mark Rabiner mrabiner@concentric.net
To: hasselblad@kelvin.net
Subject: Re: Ball head lube?
I am also a fan of white lithium grease and cheaper ball heads. I have
some Gitzo ball heads of not the latest vintage and a Cullman small one
for Leica which is like a cheap Linhof. Cheap but good. An excellent ball
head would be a worthwile place to put your cash as it is the interface
between your camera and your tripod one could say if one was a computer
nerd. But I haven't been able to do that yet. I even like old fashioned
non ball heads sometimes. Just like I prefer two twister zoom lenses with
separate controls for zoom and focus. When I use zooms which is never.
Mark Rabiner
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999
From: Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net
To: hasselblad@kelvin.net
Subject: RE: Ball head lube?
The problem of what lube to use is probably less important than what lube
NOT to use. Most Automobile Lithium lubes are real good, but did you ever
try to wash the lube from your clothes? It does not launder.
I would suggest a teflon lube with a light oil base... I forget the name,
but they use it on Bicycles..... It does launder and does lube well.
However, it will need maintainence.
Vaseline is fully washable and a reasonably good lube.
There is a white lube that is water soluble. It does not last too long.
GO to a Boy Scout shop and buy a small container of graphite powder. This
stuff is dry, powdered Teflon. The boys use it to lube their miniature
car
wheels. A dowsing of this stuff will dust a lot of things with the
overapplication, so apply and work it into the head, then dust,dust,dust,
vaccuum, vaccuum.vaccuum. Excellent for bearing surfaces.
Frank ( who does have lithium lube ruined bike clothes.)
Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999
From: Dave Richards dprichards@uswest.net
To: hasselblad@kelvin.net
Subject: RE: Ball head lube?
>GO to a Boy Scout shop and buy a small container of graphite powder. This >stuff is dry, powdered Teflon.
Powdered graphite and powdered Teflon are not the same thing. Powdered
graphite can be obtained at a good auto supply store. It's generally made
for freeze-proofing automobile keyholes.
One thing that is as good or better than both is molybdenum disulfide
(Moly), sold under the brand name Dri-Slide (even better). It goes on wet,
but once the vehicle dries it leaves behind a very slick, extremely durable
lubricant.
[Ed. note: thanks to George Michaelides for this tip on field lubrication! ;-)]
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002
From: wO69oQ seed@a-1.net.cn
To: rmonagha@mail.smu.edu
Subject: lubricant
Why don't you try to make some powder from the tip of your pencils, once my car
lock was freeze and became to stiff and a chinese techician took out a pencil
and a blade and he made some powder out of the pencil's tip and he had put this
staff in the key lock, the lock waes released and the key was turning smoothly,
I do not know if this work with the tripods ball heads but I assume it may
works.
George Michaelides
seed@a-1.net.cn
From: chrisplatt@aol.com (ChrisPlatt) Newsgroups: rec.photo.technique.nature Date: 17 Dec 2002 Subject: Re: lubricating tripod ball head You guys are *so* prissy. Spray with an electronic cleaner degreaser (like Freon) to flush out the debris embedded in the old lube. Then spray with WD-40, exercise it, and wipe off the excess. Let it rest on a rag overnight and wipe again in the morning. Heavier lubricants are unnecessary and will invariably ruin your clothing when you accidentally brush against them. Excelsior, you fatheads! -Chris-
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 From: "Al Denelsbeck" AL@wading-in.net Newsgroups: rec.photo.technique.nature Subject: Re: lubricating tripod ball head 666 j666@op.pl wrote ... I wonder if solvents contained in WD-40 will not attack resin-ball at the end of the day... JaC The ONLY thing I would ever use WD-40 for would be breaking loose seized/rusted connections. The solvents/acid within the formula are way too strong to use as a lubricant on anything that might contain iron. A few years back when I worked at a job with a lot of outdoor padlocks, spraying them with WD-40 guaranteed that you'd throw them out within a month or so, after cutting them off with cable-cutters. Better than salt water for accelerating rust and corrosion. Penetrating oil and/or graphite. That's all. - Al.
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