Do Grafmatic Film Magazines need to be lubricated?

[innerlight]

Do Grafmatic Film Magazines every need to be lubricated?

There seems to be lots of metal against metal.

Everything seems tight and hard to move - but it does move.

Should I just leave it as is?

These holders haven't been used in 20 years.

[andy]

yes--some dry teflon bicycle lubricant will work wonders on its movement, reliability, and consistency.

[EdSawyer]

wax would be another choice. Or gun oil, used sparingly.

[Jim C.]

Try cleaning the sliding surfaces first before you lubricate, alcohol or naptha,
it could be 20 years of grime binding up the sliding action.

[Michael Rosenberg]

DO NOT use a solvent as it will remove the paint! The old lubricant is dried out, and a solvent will just move it around.

I have reconditioned my Grafmatics by first cleaning with Maguires (or any other high quality car wax cleaner) Auto paint cleaner. This may entail taking apart the outer shell to expose the glide track. Use toothpicks to get into the edges and crevaces to remove grit, and q-tips to wipe in the grooves. Then once clean use Maguires carnuba wax on the surfaces that meet. I recommend several applications, and allow to 'dry' before reassembling. The holders will work like new. I have restored all 10 of my holders this way.

Mike

The origianal factory wax was paraffin, but I do not know what grade they used. Some paraffin wax melts at low temperature, and others at high, but all dry out. I found auto wax works great.

[Tin Can]

I like this plan.

I keep mine in ziplocks, dust and grit is always the enemy.


DO NOT use a solvent as it will remove the paint! The old lubricant is dried out, and a solvent will just move it around.

I have reconditioned my Grafmatics by first cleaning with Maguires (or any other high quality car wax cleaner) Auto paint cleaner. This may entail taking apart the outer shell to expose the glide track. Use toothpicks to get into the edges and crevaces to remove grit, and q-tips to wipe in the grooves. Then once clean use Maguires carnuba wax on the surfaces that meet. I recommend several applications, and allow to 'dry' before reassembling. The holders will work like new. I have restored all 10 of my holders this way.

Mike

The origianal factory wax was paraffin, but I do not know what grade they used. Some paraffin wax melts at low temperature, and others at high, but all dry out. I found auto wax works great.

[Kevin Crisp]

Just to slightly change the subject, isn't it odd how surprisingly dust free these things are? With all that back and forth action going on you'd think you'd be doing more retouching on negatives exposed this way. If anything, the opposite seems to be true.

[AtlantaTerry]

Mike, thank you for the information. Over the years, I have purchased a handful of Grafmatic film holders and have been wondering how to clean them. Now, thanks to you, I know!