Double Bass Squeaky tuners - - WD-40?

[chriscrob]

The tuner for my A string makes squeaky/grindy noise when it is turned. It is also slightly more difficult to turn than any of my other tuners (which all work perfectly).

Would a little WD-40 be likely to mess anything up? (Sorry for asking about something that seems pretty harmless---I'm done with fiascos)

 

[iJazz]

No experience in the issue, but it would seem to me that a sparing application of graphite would be more suitable to the task.

iJazz - "Slick is as slick does."

 

[chuck norriss]

Wd40 is a cleaner not a lubricant.

 

[JehuJava]

Wd40 is a cleaner not a lubricant.

And a water displacing liquid...hence the WD. Def not a lubricant. Though my wife thinks so.

Maybe a dry film silicone spray?

 

[CrashClint]

No experience in the issue, but it would seem to me that a sparing application of graphite would be more suitable to the task.

iJazz - "Slick is as slick does."

I have mixed powdered graphite with rubbing alcohol. While keeping it mixed well, you can use a small model brush to apply the mixture. The alcohol will carry the graphite to hard to reach areas then evaporate leaving the graphite behind.

I shoot handguns and there is a grease I have used that does really good on easy to reach areas, it is called Tetra Grease, I think it maybe Teflon based and it doesn't dry out like White Lithium Grease.

 

[drurb]

I have mixed powdered graphite with rubbing alcohol. While keeping it mixed well, you can use a small model brush to apply the mixture. The alcohol will carry the graphite to hard to reach areas then evaporate leaving the graphite behind.

That's exactly what the product Lock-Ease is designed to do. Seems like it would be a good choice.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

I use a very small amount of valve and rotor oil on each contact surface - preservation of the original tuners is a good thing!

 

[gerry grable]

I use a very small amount of trombone slide oil on each contact surface - preservation of the original tuners is a good thing!

Finally something I know about; everything else I write is conjecture, ie., crap
I have used White Sewing Machine Oil for years. My wife uses it on her small, classic portable Singer. I doesn't gum up.

 

[robobass]

...
I have used White Sewing Machine Oil for years. My wife uses it on her small, classic portable Singer. I doesn't gum up.

I think that's what my guy uses.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

3 in 1 electric motor oil is good too, I just really like the tubular metal stick on the 'Valve & Rotor Oil' - not trombone, my mistake.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

There's a bicycle product (or at least, bike shops stock it) called 'triflow' that is basically micro-powdered teflon particles suspended in a very light, penetrating carrier oil. Brilliant stuff, doesn't gum up and lubricates more or less anything.

 

[Happy Steve]

My experience was that graphite powder (used on door locks etc) worked really well on my sticky tuner gears. I only applied it once and it has been no problem for years since (hmmm, must tune up again one day). Interesting to hear about the alternatives.

I imagine that using a dry lubricant is less likely to attract and hold dust in the longer term.

Steve

 

[bassics1975]

Candle wax or soap. The issue with oil is that it will eventually find its way into wood thus weakening it. I had an old ply years ago where someone had used oil as a lube on tuners (in abundance mind you) and it eventually saturated the wood behind the tuner plates where the sccrews that fitted them to the scroll eventually stripped.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

Candle wax or soap. The issue with oil is that it will eventually find its way into wood thus weakening it. I had an old ply years ago where someone had used oil as a lube on tuners (in abundance mind you) and it eventually saturated the wood behind the tuner plates where the sccrews that fitted them to the scroll eventually stripped.

Yes, be sparing with whatever you use. Grease and wax are easier to control, but a bit messy because they can transfer to the inside of the bass case and make a mess that way.

 

[Gene Fryer]

Since the A is harder to turn, you may have more than just a lubricate issue. Suggest you remove the string and rewind it onto the tuner. Sometimes the string will be up against the side of the wall or wedged between the peg and the hole.