What do you use to lube a potentiometer shaft?

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I have some really stiff pots here that are almost seized up. Sometimes when I Deoxit the pot they'll free up, but sometimes they don't. Is there anything I can use to lube them that will work without disassembling them?
 
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Apply the Deoxit to the bushing at the input side of the shaft and work the pot back and forth. You might also need to warm up the bushing with a soldering iron or gun while you do this.

Jack
 
Breakfree lube is a light oil that stays put for a long time. I use it for various things. I use it when oiling guns also. It doesn't dry out or evaporate like some others.
 
shopping
 
After cleaning a pot with Caig cleaner, I used to use Caig Fader Lube, but I've been using this the last few years with good effects. It's a little heavier than machine oil, has tenacity to remain in the pot and not flow out and I have noticed no dropouts or rough spots in any of my pots with this stuff.
Super Lube Synthetic oil super-lube-60004.jpg
 
If one doesn`t foolishly spray any brand of "contact cleaner" in to any pot or linear fader there will be no risk of stiff or frozen movement of any control afterwards !

Use the right product like Caig fader lube when spraying pots, not some contact cleaner that will surely wash out any lubricant, and could very well weaken or destroy the track inside !

I never did for over 45 yrs. servicing all manner of analog electronics, I guess because common sense deemed not a good idea to do so..
 
Bill Ferris said:
If one doesn`t foolishly spray any brand of "contact cleaner" in to any pot or linear fader there will be no risk of stiff or frozen movement of any control afterwards !

Use the right product like Caig fader lube when spraying pots, not some contact cleaner that will surely wash out any lubricant, and could very well weaken or destroy the track inside !

I never did for over 45 yrs. servicing all manner of analog electronics, I guess because common sense deemed not a good idea to do so..
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I have never forgotten the first edition of the tube amp book, where some imbecile recommended Gunk Choke and Carburettor Cleaner for cleaning controls. That little piece of stupidity paid a fair chunk of my mortgage:)
 
Gunk carburetor cleaner is formulated to desolve stuck on carbon. The very technology pots use in 99% of consumer applications. Best of luck with that approach.
You think education is expensive, try ignorance.
You think Caig is expensive, try chemtool.
 
arts said:
I have never forgotten the first edition of the tube amp book, where some imbecile recommended Gunk Choke and Carburettor Cleaner for cleaning controls. That little piece of stupidity paid a fair chunk of my mortgage:)
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And also in the same early Aspen Pittman Tube Amp book, IIRC. some notable West coast instrument tube amp repair guru guy indicated that he flushes the amp`s controls with WD 40, as well, during his servicing !

Never tried, or thought about even trying that stunt, with RS`s TV tuner & control spray readily available during the eighties until they removed it from the market because of the CFC propellant in the early nineties.

I used cases of it with zero problems during that period, even on several high dollar 7 ft. wide 48 channel live sound mixing boards for a local live sound company and all vintage guitar/bass amplifiers, whether tube or SS brought to me.
 
Bill Ferris said:
And also in the same early Aspen Pittman Tube Amp book, IIRC. some notable West coast instrument tube amp repair guru guy indicated that he flushes the amp`s controls with WD 40, as well, during his servicing !

Never tried, or thought about even trying that stunt, with RS`s TV tuner & control spray readily available during the eighties until they removed it from the market because of the CFC propellant in the early nineties.

I used cases of it with zero problems during that period, even on several high dollar 7 ft. wide 48 channel live sound mixing boards for a local live sound company and all vintage guitar/bass amplifiers, whether tube or SS brought to me.
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Do you also remember the part where they said to bias up an SVT to 0.72V instead of 0.072V? Worked out to about 240mA idle current per 6550. Worst part, that fifteen pound HV transformer could easily supply the current. Good thing we're fan-cooled:confused:
An expensive experience for several wannabe techs...
 
arts said:
Do you also remember the part where they said to bias up an SVT to 0.72V instead of 0.072V? Worked out to about 240mA idle current per 6550. Worst part, that fifteen pound HV transformer could easily supply the current. Good thing we're fan-cooled:confused:
An expensive experience for several wannabe techs...
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No, arts I missed that one, or ignored it..
I`m like you I learned many decades ago to adjust the bias to no visible crossover distortion notch right under clipping, which always produced best tone and dynamics, whether a bass or guitar tube amp..

Fender trained/certified my boss for that method, and he showed me the same when he employed me in the summer of 1978.
 
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