Viscouse Grease? $

[Wilbur Wong]

I cleaned the grease off of my Linhof Profi ball head when it seemed to have gotten "gummy" either from oxidation along with perhaps environmental contamination of dust etc. My attempts to relubricate the ball is rather mediocre. It is no longer gummy but at worst moves in little jerky motions.

I have tried several lubricants including synthetics, but have come to the conclusion that the factory had used some type of viscous grease compound to achieve the "silky" feel of the ball head as it came from the factory.

A google of viscous compounds has yielded limited sources include Nye lubricants and Micro tools, who sells a $109 dollar kit of various lubricants with such qualities.

I would like to find a lubricant that could be purchased in small quantities that would work for this application. Any tips about this would be appreciated.

[John Kasaian]

Have you tried Lubriplate? They make a really thick kind like peanut butter (I forgot the number---its not the garden variety lubriplate you'll find in hardware stores) thats recomended for lubing the tracks on Deardorffs.

[John Kasaian]

Lubriplate #630 is the one.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

I cleaned the grease off of my Linhof Profi ball head when it seemed to have gotten "gummy" either from oxidation along with perhaps environmental contamination of dust etc. My attempts to relubricate the ball is rather mediocre. It is no longer gummy but at worst moves in little jerky motions.

I have tried several lubricants including synthetics, but have come to the conclusion that the factory had used some type of viscous grease compound to achieve the "silky" feel of the ball head as it came from the factory.

A google of viscous compounds has yielded limited sources include Nye lubricants and Micro tools, who sells a $109 dollar kit of various lubricants with such qualities.

I would like to find a lubricant that could be purchased in small quantities that would work for this application. Any tips about this would be appreciated.

I have a supply of Dow A-Dimethylpolysiloxane, 10,000 cs viscosity. This is silicone grease and I have used it for similar types of applications. A little goes a long way. This is about the consistency of thick molasses. You'll have to determine if this is what you want, but if you do, I'll be happy to part with an ounce or so for a few bucks and some shipping. It's great, btw for replacing the damping fluid in older SME tonearms.

[erie patsellis]

Another possibility is silicone dielectric compound, commonly used for HV caps on monitors and TV's. not terribly hard to find, nor expensive.


erie

[erie patsellis]

an example would be http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.asp?SKU=796-8101&SEARCH=&MPN=10%2D8101&DESC=10%2D8101&R=796%2D8101&sid=4717F3808B1E17F

erie

[John Kasaian]

Why not ask Linhof what they recommend?

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've used high quality white lithium grease on both moving camera parts and telescope mounts. Be aware a little bit of that stuff goes a long way. If you do use it, start with about 1/4 of what you think you need - you can always add extra.
joe

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've used high quality white lithium grease on both moving camera parts and telescope mounts. Be aware a little bit of that stuff goes a long way. If you do use it, start with about 1/4 of what you think you need - you can always add extra.
joe

I've used the same, and I've hardly made a dent in the same tube I've had for years. I have a small Linhof ballhead, and lithium grease has worked fine.

[John Schneider]

I also had good results relubing my Linhof leveling head with white lithium grease. I have a stock of several viscosities of expensive silicone grease from when I made underwater housings, but I have better results on the Linhof head using just hardware store white lithium grease.