Freeing Slideways that are frozen.

[wabutter]

I have a friend with a comparison scope that sat idle for nearly 14 years. The slide ways for the specimen handling have grease that has dried up and the mechanic can not be moved. no gears involved, only dovetail slide ways or flat surfaces in contact with each other.
I am search for the magic potion that will free the slideways. We have tried penetrating oil and WD40 with out success. I know many of you have rescued older scopes and have experience with these problems. Any help is appreciated. Is it a matter of waiting longer for the penetrating oil to worK?

[PeteM]

A combination of heat, judiciously applied, and a good solvent or penetrating oil usually works for me. For something like this, I'd start with a hot air gun about this size: https://www.amazon.com/SEEKONE-Handheld ... B08VFY8THD

It's small enough to be somewhat localized and not so hot it gets out of control. The general principle is to heat up the areas that need to expand to allow a solvent to penetrate. For a dovetail fitting, it's the outer part. There are larger heat guns (and hotter than a hair dryer) for other tasks. A soldering pencil can provide localized heat to free something like a screw. A butane pencil torch is another option, used with care not to dwell in one place.

"Kroil" is one of the better penetrating oils, though even something like lighter fluid (plus the heat) will often free up dried oil. Less likely if you have the green crud that's a combination of grease and oxidized brass. In any case, give the solvent some time to work its way in. Work the parts back and forth - once you get things moving, even a little bit, everything begins to loosen up.

[Hobbyst46]

Heptane or Octane has worked for me without heating.
Even Immersion oil Type A can soften dried oil-based paint, if left on it for a day or two.
The flame of the butane pencil torch is incredibly hot (for example - can soften and bend a glass tube in 2 seconds. I think that a hair dryer is safer.

[Phill Brown]

Anything but WD40.
I have whittled WD40 down to cutting fluid for tungsten micro drills and the party trick of bursting balloons in seconds without touching them.

[MichaelG.]

My ‘magic potion’ is PlusGas Formula A

For our sort of work; much better purchased [if you can find it] as a liquid than in a spray can.

MichaelG.

[MichaelG.]

… Any help is appreciated. Is it a matter of waiting longer for the penetrating oil to worK?

I would say the answer is yes …but it does seem help if you can somehow assist the oil in its efforts:

Go around any ‘joint lines’ with a wooden toothpick, mechanically clearing any dried lubricant, and then apply the penetrating oil in small quantity … then, when no liquid remains visible, apply a little more [and repeat as nauseam]

The penetrating oil is then getting its best chance to work by capillary action.

MichaelG.

[wabutter]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I am passing this on and only time will tell Thanks again.

[Tom Jones]

I'm with PeteM. Heat it up. I've freed up a lot of parts of microscopes from slide holders to eyepiece threads, focus dove tails, gears, bearings and the like. Adding heat helps penetrating oil loosen the rock hard grease and can actually melt the grease. The grease gets so hard penetrating oil by itself, even Kroil, can't get into it. Heat, sometimes a lot of it, is the key.

[jannickz]

I understand your frustration. It can be difficult to free up dried-up grease on slideways, especially when the mechanic has been sitting idle for nearly 14 years. Here are a few things you can try:

1. Use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the slideways. This will help to soften the dried-up grease and make it easier to remove. Be careful not to overheat the slideways, as this could damage the scope.

2. Apply a generous amount of penetrating oil to the slideways. Let the penetrating oil sit for several hours or overnight. This will give it time to work its way into the dried-up grease and loosen it up.

[wabutter]

thanks to all that replied. I am happy to report that your suggestions helped and the slideways are now free and fresh lube has been added for will controlled movement with ease. I think the key element from the suggestions was applying heat to the slideways.