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Posted by Christopher Meredith (Member # 3767) on 07-07-2006, 09:18 PM:
 
This is related to the other thread I just posted but I think it's different enough to warrant its own discussion.

Anyway, in the past few days I've noticed several rollers here and there that had stopped spinning. A shot of WD40 freed them up but I think it's time to go through and service all our rollers. The rollers that gum up the most are the ones in the brains so I started with them. I removed the sticky ball-bearing rollers from one of my brains, took out the axle and wiped the residue off it, then put a drop of projector oil in each of the bearing assemblies and spun it around my finger enough to distribute it. I put it all back together again and while it did spin better, it still didn't spin near as freely as some of the new rollers in the parts cabinet. In a couple cases. the rollers actually felt a little more sluggish than they had before.

So my question: what's the best way to approximate frictionless rollser with these things? Better cleaner? Better lubricant? Both?

Second part: When I'm walking the booth and monitoring the eqipment, it's hard to see at a glance if the rollers are actually spinning. They almost always are, so I don't think the task warrants the bending down and squatting to get an up-close look that the job would otherwise require. I had considered putting a dot of whiteout on the oter flange of the rollers to make it immediately apparent if they are spinning but I wanted to see if any of you had done this or something similar and if it's a good idea?

Thanks in advance!
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-07-2006, 09:27 PM:
 
What kind of platters are you using?

Don't use WD40 or oil. You will just gum them up more. Someone probably "lubricated" them in the past and that's why you are having problems now. I have found if absolutely nothing other than a dry wiping is done to the rollers on occasion, that they never have to be serviced. Your mileage may vary depending on your booth environment, film cleanliness and platter model though.
 

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Posted by Christopher Meredith (Member # 3767) on 07-07-2006, 09:42 PM:
 
We use Strong platters. You're right about the lubrication thing. There's a maintenance schedule hanging in the booth. It looks old and it suggests projector oil for the rollers.

There must be some lubricant that can free these things up. Same for the plastic pad rollers. Those things are especially important because we use microswitches. The film is always dragging on one or the other as the film wraps and the platter has to catch up.
 

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Posted by Kevin Raisler (Member # 1761) on 07-07-2006, 10:17 PM:
 
This may sound Crazy but I use Zekote 2 (nuemade) on roller berings.. works good and does not gum up just be careful this stuff causes your babys to look funny
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-08-2006, 02:22 AM:
 
I've dabbed a shot of Film-Guard on the rollers...pretty good stuff.. - monte
 

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Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-08-2006, 08:52 AM:
 

quote: Brad Miller

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I have found if absolutely nothing other than a dry wiping is done to the rollers on occasion, that they never have to be serviced.

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