Cleaning Dial Indicators

[porthos]

i have a bunch of dial indicators; most are old. federal, standard , brown &sharp and starrett. some have sticky plungers that take a while to return to "0". how can I clean these to loosen them up. I was thinking of lighter fluid or naptha. any advice??? and afterwards; lubrication???

porthos

 

[awander]

it's best to carefully disassemble them, clean the sticking surfaces, and reassemble with a non-gumming lubricant.

I've heard that a small ultrasonic cleaner filled with odorless mineral spirits can be used on a fully-assembled movement, but I have never done that.

 

[Andre]

My grandfather took apart a .0005" Mahr-Federal indicator. He never got it back together, and he was an engineer for GM. I recently got a .0001" Mahr-Federal indicator and it's real sticky. I've lubed the spindle and gear rack with light oils but nothing has worked. I've also adjusted the rack/pinion clearance. I'll be watching this thread!

 

[Bishop]

I had a few Federal guages that I got online, they were very sticky and sat in a drawer for years until I finally dripped a few drops of mineral spirits inside and gave them a light blast with compressed air. Now they sit in the same drawer but work quite well.

 

[18w]

Lubricating dial indicators usually creates more problems. The internals and the stem need to be clean and only the slightest and I mean miniscule dab of a fine clock grade oil on the internal pivot. If a indicator sticks it usually means oil or dirt has gotten inside if there is no physical damage. Only solution is dis assembly and cleaning Speaking of watches, a old style watch you had to wind (for you old enough to remember) ran without additional lubrication and think how many revolutions they made as compared to a dial indicator. Never had to oil a watch. If you want a interesting read on metrology quality and repair. Got to http://longislandindicator.com/ A real eye opener on what their opinions are on the quality of different brands of dial indicators, calipers, ect.

Darrell

 

[bleonard]

thank you Darrell for bringing that up
I go to Logislandindacater all the time and now I collect Horses [Etalons].
Bob

 

[Mac1]

I have been told that kerosene is good to clean the workings of gages and indicators. It leaves an adequate film of lubrication.

 

[porthos]

while waiting on suggestions for my post on cleaning indicators; here's what I did. I took a federal .001 indicator that didn't stick but was slow for the whole return of the dial. took back off, took lens and number ring off. flushed inside out with spray bottle of mineral spirits . blowed out with low pressure air. flushed out again with lighter fluid ( I had heard that it has some lubricity; true or not I don't know ) re assembled and now the dial is not slow. did the same to a standard indicator .0001. I think its better but is + - .0001. anyway I don't think that I did anything to hurt them. anyone know anything about the lubricity or not of lighter fluid??

porthos

 

[Mark in Indiana]

In a pinch, I've lubricated the plunger with silicon spray. I won't say that's the best way, but it works in the short term.

 

[Holescreek]

My grandfather took apart a .0005" Mahr-Federal indicator. He never got it back together, and he was an engineer for GM. I recently got a .0001" Mahr-Federal indicator and it's real sticky. I've lubed the spindle and gear rack with light oils but nothing has worked. I've also adjusted the rack/pinion clearance. I'll be watching this thread!

The Mahr's can be a PITA the first time, everything has to be just right to get the roller in the correct position to get it back together.

I R&R all kinds of gauges every week, I have a few indicators on my bench tonight. After disassembly I clean the parts in an ultrasonic parts cleaner with either Branson cleaning solution or a Dawn dish soap solution in it. I never lubricate the inner workings.