Best grease for monorail?

[John Conway]

I want to lubricate my Cambo Master PC monorail. The gearing and focus mechanisms are a little dry and sticky. White lithium comes to mind but I'm open to suggestions.

[Brian C. Miller]

Don't use grease. Go to a bicycle store and ask them about dry chain lubes. You'll be fine.

[Bob Salomon]

Ask Calumet.

[jayabbas]

Look into molybdenum disulfide dry powder lubricant or as it is known with an aerosol solvent carrier( dry film moly spray lubricant). As Brian mentioned, dry chain lubes work well; chain wax from Castrol is excellent.

[ac12]

John
After you call Calumet, I would clean off the old dry grease before putting on the new grease. No sense mucking up the works with the old dry grease in there.

Jay
From what I understand moly is best for steel to steel lubrication. It does not work as well with other metals. This is from my failing memory, and I don't remember the details of why and which metals it does not work well with.

[jayabbas]

I must look into this as I have not heard or experienced any issues with "moly". Another good lube is "Breakfree". Gun gurus like the stuff. Also from Dillon reloading is "Snake oil". It comes in a nifty pinpoint dispenser style bottle. If you have deep pockets look to "Bray" lubricants or "Krytox" lubes. All are aerospace quality good stuff easily meeting your needs for a view camera.

[John Conway]

Another option I'm considering is Metalophilic oil (MP-5). Originally offered through Beeman air rifle company, now sold through another company, it is a special oil that is harmless to steel,non-ferrous metals, wood, seals, and leather. I use it regularly on my target air rifles. I think MP-5 would be great for wood cameras as well as metal.

[ac12]

John
I would use a grease rather than an oil.

[Kirk Gittings]

I want to lubricate my Cambo Master PC monorail. The gearing and focus mechanisms are a little dry and sticky. White lithium comes to mind but I'm open to suggestions.

Where do you like and shoot? IMO it makes a difference. In the SW where we have tons of air born dust and grit, I vastly prefer a lube that ends up dry like a bicycle chain lube like Pedro's Ice Wax. Otherwise you end up trapping grit in your moving parts with lubes like grease or oil.

[Tin Can]

There are spray teflons that dry very thin and dry, not ever wet and nor dust, sand collecting.

I have a lifetime supply, that is no longer produced.

I think they sell something similar for window slides...good enough or Martha.

No grease, no oil, no moly, well maybe spray dry moly, but it comes off, dirty.

[John Conway]

Where do you like and shoot? IMO it makes a difference. In the SW where we have tons of air born dust and grit, I vastly prefer a lube that ends up dry like a bicycle chain lube like Pedro's Ice Wax. Otherwise you end up trapping grit in your moving parts with lubes like grease or oil.
Very good point. This particular Cambo Master is my studio portrait/ still life camera. It stays inside.But I am convinced that a dry lube is the way to go. I have another Master that will be used in the field occasionally so I will apply a dry lube on both cameras.

[Bob Salomon]

Very good point. This particular Cambo Master is my studio portrait/ still life camera. It stays inside.But I am convinced that a dry lube is the way to go. I have another Master that will be used in the field occasionally so I will apply a dry lube on both cameras.

Before you apply anything check with the manufacturer/distributor. In the USA that would be the service department at Calumet. Following the advice given here could make it worse, not better.

[Jim Noel]

Clean the rollers and the bar with isopropyl alcohol. no lubricant. It should focue easily and stay where you want it.

[pasiasty]

Try silicon paste. I used it for a ball head with surprisingly good result. And definitely clean all gears before - that means disassembling, cleaning (with e.g. petrol/benzine-based solvent; fuel petrol is not suitable), putting a little of chosen grease/oil only where needed, assembling again, shooting remaining parts with your mobile and posting new 'what these are for' thread here :)

Bear in mind what Jim Noel said - no lubricant on rollers, only bearings may need lubrication.