model locomotive lubricants

[mark.hinds]

Anyone know if there is a "best practice" article somewhere on lubricants for N-scale locomotives? 

I have been using LaBelle #108 oil and #106 grease (EDIT: and MT powdered graphite), but my supply is decades old, and needs replacing.  I could go with the same stuff, but if Railwire has a best-practice article, I'd like to parse it first. 

Thanks, in advance,
MH

[robert3985]

Anyone know if there is a "best practice" article somewhere on lubricants for N-scale locomotives? 

I have been using LaBelle #108 oil and #106 grease (EDIT: and MT powdered graphite), but my supply is decades old, and needs replacing.  I could go with the same stuff, but if Railwire has a best-practice article, I'd like to parse it first. 

Thanks, in advance,
MH

Mark, I just got finished with totally disassembling my non-running/slooow-running Hallmark E's and Geeps, soaking the trucks, gears, gear towers and worms in acetone, then brushing out the hardened grease.

I reassembled everything, lightly and sparingly lubing with Labelle 108 oil and 106 grease, including oiling the bronze bearings on the motor shafts, and now they all run like Swiss watches.

I also use MT powdered graphite for some lubing applications, but not for these.

I'd stick with the tried and true Labelle lubricants, as over the years, I've had nothing but excellent results with them and had to buy a new tube of grease to complete this job. Money well spent!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Doug G.]

I also recommend staying with LaBelle lubricants. I have been using 106, 107, 1nd 108 since the early seventies and they are excellent.

Doug

[fhmac]

An alternative source for lubes: https://achlubes.com/shop/

[Maletrain]

When I went to https://labelle-lubricants.com/ I found this:

Labelle-Lubricants.com is now part of ConCorTrains.com

To streamline operations and better serve our customers, Labelle-Lubricants.com has been merged into our main site, ConCorTrains.com.

The "click button" takes me to https://concortrains.com/collections/labelle-lubricants which seems to be alive.

But, remembering https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=59737.0 about that notice on NScaleYardSale.groups.io I am wondering if we will start having problems getting these lubricants.

[peteski]

I have, for many years now been using the set of Hobb-E-Lube lubricants from Woodland Scenics.  Works well for me. for precision application I have transferred the oils from their original containers to containers with hypodermic applicators.  Remember that (unlike what manufacturers do) less is more.  A little dab will do ya.

[Mark5]

As I recall, Labelle was long time (many decades) a "division" of Con-Cor, so this is not a surprise to me.

Hopefully, if Con-Cor ever fully "goes away". the Labelle line will be "spun off" to another entity.

[garethashenden]

I use Starrett oil for this sort of task. Any light machine oil should do.

[SD452XR]

I see you can order labelle oils thru scaletrains.

[Doug G.]

Just be sure your lubricant choice will not attack plastic,  especially styrene.

Doug

[Maletrain]

I would be more worried about it attacking nylon or Delrin, which are the plastics that I think our loco gears have been made with.

And it might be a long-term effects, such as swelling leading to gear cracking.  Hard to determine without long-term lab studies.

[garethashenden]

Delrin is ideally suited to this application it has high strength, is resistive to almost everything, and is generally considered to be self lubricating. That’s also why it’s so hard to glue. The Delrin gears don’t need oil, and a metal shaft running in a Delrin bearing probably doesn’t either. A metal shaft in a metal bearing needs oil.
Nylon is also quite chemically stable.
Mineral based oils can effect styrene, so some sort of synthetic lubricant is better, but were probably all over lubricating our models anyway.

[Stolen Moment]

Has anybody measured the friction difference between needle bearings in delrin vs 3D resin?

[robert3985]

Has anybody measured the friction difference between needle bearings in delrin vs 3D resin?

I run quite a few cars with 3D printed trucks, with quality metal wheelsets in them.  Since my maximum train length is 9' 7.5" (a Big Boy, about thirty 40' cars and a caboose), I don't notice any difference whatsoever between cars with resin and cars with Delrin truck sideframes.

However, I'm equally sure that Delrin trucks roll more free than 3D printed trucks...I just don't run long enough trains for it to matter, and a bit of drag actually helps minimize the slinky effect for a much better running appearance.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Jim Starbuck]

I like using NG Jel (linked by fhmac above) on worms and Deluxe Materials synthetic oil for motor bushings.
Deluxe materials is a UK company but Walthers and Yankee Dabbler carry it over here.
The oil is very thin, wicks into bearings nicely and doesn’t get sticky with age.