Variable caps

[Garey Barrell]

I don't understand why you would want to put an "abrasive" (however
slight) lubricant on a bearing.  Especially on a precision drive screw
where ANY wear could affect the linearity and mechanical stability of
the PTO.

My understanding is that "conductive grease" is designed primarily for
protection from corrosion in electrical connections, NOT for
lubrication.  Hence it's availability from power line crews??!?!

Certainly Drake NEVER recommended any lubrication on the PTO drive
screw other than a single drop of light oil.  Lithium grease is an
improvement over the grease that was originally used in the front ball
bearing, and any question of electrical grounding was permanently
resolved by the addition of a braid grounding strip on late 4 and all
7 series PTO's.

I have several Drake PTO's over 35 years old, and once the original
hardened bearing grease was removed and replaced with lithium grease
no further problems occurred.  The original grease was probably more
than adequate for "normal life", and I'm sure the Drake engineers had
no idea that their equipment would still be in daily use almost 50
years later!

I have never found a variable capacitor grounding wiper that failed to
respond to a drop or two of DeoxiT, and keep the grease in the bearing
a lubricant, not an abrasive.

73, Garey - K4OAH
Atlanta

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Beltran" <tbeltran at EARTHLINK.NET>


> > This is basically a grease that is loaded up
> > with either nickel or copper (appearing grey, or coppery,
> > respectively).  That might be what you're wanting...
>
> I tried the conductive grease on the Drake PTO screw, but it seemed
to stick
> a bit; it was then that I tried the anti-seize compound (it is a
> silvery-grey, like metal-flake paint) - it worked great.  I first
clean
> everything as good as I can with contact-cleaner.  Tom W6EIJ
>

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