Grease, Oil or Nothing?

[alexjj67]

Hi All

When I screw the focal reduce and other adapters to my OTA the dry thread noise scares the life out of me. 

 

Does anyone use any grease or oil on the fine threads?

 

Thanks

Alex

[MattJenko]

Don't use grease/oil, which could leak all over your lovely optics. I have heard that people use a little boot polish, which lubricates and also prevents the threads from cold-welding to each other in the cold, which is something I am going to try for this coming winter.

[JRWASTRO]

Unless you can lay your hands on a very low vapor preassure oil then do not use oil/grease near optics. if you need to lubricate use a very small amount of a dry lubricant like Molybdenum disulphide. Graphite, as good as it is, has a habit of getting everywhere.

Jeremy.

[LeeB]

I just lightly rub a candle on the threads, seems to work

[JRWASTRO]

The range of DuPont greases are expensive:

http://www.motionusa-store.com/online/shop/krytox-grease/gpl-20605oz--dupont-krytox

But are suitable for things like focusers which access the inside of an ota.

Jeremy.

[alexjj67]

Cheers All

[RT65CB-SWL]

I normally dip a cotton bud into a small cap of WD40 and wipe that around the thread(s) or a very thin coating of Vaseline.

[glowjet]

I use Black boot polish, a smidgen of polish rubbed into a cotton cloth, then carefully wiped round the threads of the accessories, is often enough to cure the problem

[Davesellars]

I must try the boot polish trick...  I pretty much cold welded my focuser to the OTA plus the diagonal to the focuser on its first outing on a particularly cold evening and needed the help of rubber wrenches to undo them.

[Davesellars]

That should read, "diagonal to the focal reducer".  doh!

[jambouk]

I have the smallest possible amount of lithium grease on mine as i cold welded something together. I'm not sure boot polish on optics is any better than lithium grease. Just be careful to not have excess or to rub raw threaded areas on your optics.

[just_ed]

An ordinary bar of hand soap will lubricate threads, and is water soluble.

 

[Merlin66]

I've been using the boot polish trick for the past twenty years....I know it works.

[Dave In Vermont]

I use a micro-thin layer, applied with my finger, of Teflon-based bicycle-grease. As a bike-mechanic, I know how to apply a TINY amount of a grease so it stays put. It's the Teflon that does the work, and I've seen this stuff stay put for over 20 years with no loss of it's integrity - in other words, it doesn't turn liquid and start migrating.

Clear Skies,

Dave