sticky darkslides

[Wayne]

I have some old wooden plate holders with sticky slides. Is there a recommended procedure or lube to get them sliding smoothly again?

[darter]

I've had good luck masking all but about 1mm of the slide and then spraying the edges with aerosolized silicone lube. You only need a little, so you can wipe them off, and there will still be enough left on the metal to ease up the slides.

[MIke Sherck]

Furniture wax works well also; I don't like the spray type because the residue tends to attract lint and dust, but a more solid form, applied just to the edge of the slide, works well for me.

[Mark Woods]

Don't forget to blow out the light traps. I did it on some old 8x10 holders I was re-habing and was amazed at the cloud of dust that was blown out.

MW

[matthew blais]

I use dryer sheets for the edges...one or two swipes when I
am vacuuming the holders...works great for me and nothing to spray...

[j.e.simmons]

After a thorough cleaning of the channels, I sprayed lemon Pledge furniture polish on the edges of my darkslides, stuck them in the film holder, worked them in and out a couple of times, then pulled the darkslide out and thoroughly wiped off the darkslide. That method seemed to work enough lubricant into the channels without leaving so much as to attract dirt and dust.

juan

[David Karp]

I love this forum. I just received a couple of old wooden holders with very sticky darkslides. I did a quick forum search, read this thread, and after blowing out the holders and using a dryer sheet on the darksides, voila - smooth as silk.

Thanks.

[Vaughn]

I was reconditioning some half plate holders. I found that blowing out the grooves and just polishing the slides with a clean cloth (using only elbow grease) was enough to get them to work smoothly.

Vaughn

[Glenn Thoreson]

If the slides are wood, rubbing the edges with parafin (candle wax) and wiping off the excess works well. If they're composite material, Lemon Pledge and a good polishing works wonders. Also, check to make sure the edges are nice and smooth. If rough, give a little rub with 320 grit sandpaper, wax and polish.

[Kevin Crisp]

Dryer sheets on the dark slides work. Lemon Pledge works. Just cleaning them in Simple Green with a scrubbing sponge and letting them dry works.