I have had a search through the forums already, and read some of the threads on turntables, but I don't think this particular question has been asked/answered yet.
I'm building the Peco N gauge turntable, and am about to glue on the plastic ring underneath which holds the main bridge part to the well. However, I think I can foresee movement troubles ahead. I'm not sure if I plan to motorise or handcrank it (it'll be the hand of God to start with!), but I can see plastic parts rubbing against other plastic parts making the whole thing judder.
So I thought it would be good to lubrciate the main spindle where it rubs on the well parts, before I glue it together. I read on an OO forum (yes, I know, don't despise me yet :D ) that someone used candle wax, like u might do on drawer runners. Someone else mentioned graphite powder from shaving a soft HB pencil. I'm wondering about using some Vaseline? What I think I really need is some of that white grease U find inside motorised gearboxes on plastic cogs in other devices.
Thoughts?
We have used a Peco turntable on Hoglington for several years. It is operated by a Frizinghall Models mechanism (manual version). We have never needed to lubricate the turntable itself, just the mechano type gears of the drive mechanism...
Hi
You could use a silicone grease as used in lubrication for moving plastic parts on cars
Ensure you apply after painting the parts as paint hates silicone on the surface before application
I would think anything dry such as graphite if not in a paste would fall out pretty quickly anyway.
Some silicone grease would work.
From my experience of this turntable a lot depends what you intend to drive it with.
If it is driven by belt or drive train with nothing solid attached to the spindle of the bridge then this is a proper bush which dictates the center of rotation and would benefit from some sort of lubrication.
If it is directly driven through gearbox or directly by a stepper motor (i.e. bridge mounted directly on a solid spindle) then really any bush should be omitted as the center of rotation is dictated by the spindle on the motor or gearbox. This is the approach I have tried and works well but getting the spindle in the exact center of the well and exactly vertical in 2 planes is a nightmare. But if achieved means there is no rubbing as the bearings in the gearbox are doing all the work and no plastic parts are touching.
Another method would be to use a flexible coupling which flexes in all directions except in a rotational plane. These exist but are normally too stiff to be used on something this lightweight as it then tends not to flex as designed.
I have had my turntable in situ for approximately 10 years. I have never put any lube near the central mechanism. If anything I would have thought that this could cause problems with the electrical pick up.
I have tough placed oil on the outer wheel rail but only to stop it squeaking, lube was not required to make it turn any easier.
Elmo
:thankyousign: