Reply To: Using Motor oil for clock lubrication…

[dave booth]

I know this is an old thread, but not having been around when I was started, I am just now getting around to reading it. When I worked for Bob Goodman, he kept a five gallon bucket about 1/2 full of SAE 90W standard transmission and differential oil, that he tossed mainsprings into, after cleaning and inspecting them. I dislike the smell of the stuff intensely, but I have to admit, it DOES do the job. Even those monster Seth Thomas Sonora mainsprings do not compress enough to squash 90 weight gear lube out of the coils. When I do mainsprings for clocks, I usually lube them with STP or a comparable oil additive. (I like the synthetics best; they seem to coat more evenly, and seem to hold up better over time.)