Turntable Oil

[carruthersesq]

a quick question, well two actually.... Firstly how often should one change my turntable oil? And secondly how do you remove the old oil before replacing?

[brian2957]

I think you will have to specify which turntable you have Steve , particularly with regard to the 2nd question .

[carruthersesq]

Hi Brian
rather an obvious omission!! Its a Funk Firm LSD

[brian2957]

Looks rather nice Steve :)

[karma67]

not sure if this is relevant to your turntable but if its like any other TT i would use cotton buds dipped in brake cleaner to remove old oil then top up with new.

[carruthersesq]

Looks rather nice Steve :)

Thanks Brian, I rather enjoy it :)

[carruthersesq]

not sure if this is relevant to your turntable but if its like any other TT i would use cotton buds dipped in brake cleaner to remove old oil then top up with new.

Thanks Jamie, I was kind of worried about using cotton bud in case it left debris in there, but couldn't think of any other way?

[Stryder5]

Thanks Jamie, I was kind of worried about using cotton bud in case it left debris in there, but couldn't think of any other way?

Perhaps people do use cotton buds, I wouldn't, they can leave material behind, surgical type swabs are better.

Remove oil with a syringe, the type without a needle, fit tube over end and suck any oil out.

Use syringe with isopropyl alcohol to flush until clean. Swab out.

I guess we all have our methods, but that's what I do.

[struth]

There is usually very little oil in most tts. Just a few drops normally, though cant talk for yours. I just checked colour of the oil on spindle. If it looked ok then just left it. An occasional top up with a few drops etc. Anytime i have drained one i used cotton buds too.. good ones though

[carruthersesq]

There is usually very little oil in most tts. Just a few drops normally, though cant talk for yours. I just checked colour of the oil on spindle. If it looked ok then just left it. An occasional top up with a few drops etc. Anytime i have drained one i used cotton buds too.. good ones though

Hi Grant
thats what I've also done previously, if it looks ok it probably is.

I was idle on a wet Saturday and was thinking of changing it, then had the thought, how do you clean the old stuff out? As you say its only a few drops! i could keep inserting and removing the spindle and wipe clean each time, that would remove most i would think.

[struth]

Yes i do that a couple of times sometimes too. But it usually doesnt sink far enough down and you dont want to ground the bearing so have to be careful

[Gazjam]

Audio Origami turntable bearing oil Kit.
Wot you need, all the kit and instructions provided!

Used it on my Michell Deck...platter span a helluva lot longer (less friction on the bearing?) than the standard Michell bearing oil, and Michell DO know their stuff!
This is better and its £20 quid tops...not sure about price I as 'fit and forgot' it a few years ago.

Nice TT by the way. :)

[karma67]

Audio Origami turntable bearing oil Kit.
Wot you need, all the kit and instructions provided!

Used it on my Michell Deck...platter span a helluva lot longer (less friction on the bearing?) than the standard Michell bearing oil, and Michell DO know their stuff!
This is better and its £20 quid tops

it does make me laugh,the prices people charge for a drop of oil for a record player,i used to pay £50 for 5 litres of fully synthetic oil for my bmw m3,now i wonder what is under more stress,the little ball bearing in my TT or the big end shells and pistons etc in the m3 engine which revs to 7500 rpm??? :lol:

[Stratmangler]

Audio Origami turntable bearing oil Kit.
Wot you need, all the kit and instructions provided!

Used it on my Michell Deck...platter span a helluva lot longer (less friction on the bearing?) than the standard Michell bearing oil, and Michell DO know their stuff!
This is better and its £20 quid tops...not sure about price I as 'fit and forgot' it a few years ago.

Nice TT by the way. :)

Michell intentionally factoring in some mechanical drag, perhaps?

[carruthersesq]

Audio Origami turntable bearing oil Kit.
Wot you need, all the kit and instructions provided!

Used it on my Michell Deck...platter span a helluva lot longer (less friction on the bearing?) than the standard Michell bearing oil, and Michell DO know their stuff!
This is better and its £20 quid tops...not sure about price I as 'fit and forgot' it a few years ago.

Nice TT by the way. :)

Thanks Gazjam.

[shane]

Just did a quick calculation for the Heybrook TT2. The bearing is a 10mm diameter cylinder with a 10mm ball in the bottom, and the end of the shaft is turned to form a 10mm hemisphere with a very small flat on the end which I ignored for this excercise. Subtracting the volume of the shaft and ball from the volume of the cylinder gives the volume of the void that needs to be filled with oil. Works out at 0.4 ml.

[Oddball]

Some sewing machine oil :)

[carruthersesq]

Thanks for the input guys but there appears to be some confusion, my questions were how frequently do you change the oil and how to clean the old oil out. Not which oil to use or the cost of it...

[Oddball]

Thanks for the input guys but there appears to be some confusion, my questions were how frequently do you change the oil and how to clean the old oil out. Not which oil to use or the cost of it...
I am easily confused !!:D
I am sure the learned brethren have supplied you with the relevant wisdom !

[eksiil]

i hope this is not too offtopic. given the breadth of expertise on display -- does anyone know if turntable oil (in my case a little container of it that came with a Fletcher TT) has a sell-by date?

[Oddball]

i hope this is not too offtopic. given the breadth of expertise on display -- does anyone know if turntable oil (in my case a little container of it that came with a Fletcher TT) has a sell-by date?
In all fairness ,if its not been contaminated (unlikely) I cant see any reason why it would not last for years !!

[walpurgis]

i hope this is not too offtopic. given the breadth of expertise on display -- does anyone know if turntable oil (in my case a little container of it that came with a Fletcher TT) has a sell-by date?

I wouldn't worry. My bottle of 'turntable oil' is over thirty years old and it's just fine.

[Bonky]

Hi, apologies for highjacking etc as I know the OP did not (want) mention (of) 'what oils to use'.

For those of us (like me) who haven't oiled their bearings (!) for some time this may be useful (scroll to the bottom)

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=41213

R

[eksiil]

much obliged for the reassurances. (incidentally, I was told to add a drop or so a year).

[CageyH]

I don't see there being a need to replace the oil very often. You could spot check the condition by removing the bearing spindle and making sure it looks clean.
I use the AO oil on my Funk Bearing. It comes in a kit with a couple of vials of oil, and all you need to clean it.
This should last me years, as there is next to nothing to contaminate the oil in the bearing.

If you do clean the bearing, I would suggest against using brake cleaner, it's pretty nasty stuff and you need to wear gloves when using it.
Isopropyl alcohol would be better.