Labelle 107

[Joe323]

I got a bottle of this lube Can anyone tell me if its conductive or non conductive?

[pipefitter]

That's my workhorse lubricant. It's non-conductive. Great for motor bearings and axles.

Robert

[Jim Banner]

No oil is conductive in the sense that you can put two probes in the oil and measure a current flowing between them.  But electricity can flow from metal to metal even though the pieces are separated by a very thin layer of oil, provided the pressure is high enough and the oil is thin enough.  What we refer to as 'conductive oil' in model railroading is an oil light enough that the pressure of our locomotive wheels against the rails squeezes the oil layer enough to let electricity pass from the rails to the wheels.  Labelle 107 is probably too heavy for this to happen in the small scales but if you are using large scale, then it probably qualifies as a conductive oil for that scale.  For H0, I use Labelle 108 for bearings, including motor bearings, and for track oil.  I also use Wahl hair clipper oil for track oil on all my layouts - H0, 0n30, 0-tinplate, and large scale.  Works like a charm.

The other requirement for a good track oil is that it does not oxidize.  I once tried air nailer oil on my outdoor layout.  It worked great.  But two or three days later, nothing would run.  The oil had oxidized and formed a layer of varnish on the tops of the rails.  It seems the manufacturer used some kind of vegetable oil so it would not interfere with wood stains and finishes.  So forget the vegetable oils, no matter how pure, light and virgin they are.  Pure petroleum oil does not oxidize, nor do many of the artificial oils.  Whale oil works well too but is difficult to obtain.

Jim

[Jhanecker2]

Jim was that the common whale oil or was that the oil from the heads of the sperm whales  ?   I remember reading long long ago that type of oil was used as a precision lubricant for instruments .  I remember also that it was supposed to have been replaced by oil from the jojoba tree which had similar characteristics.  John II

[Doneldon]

Jhanecker2 - That sperm whale oil was traditionally used in clocks, especially tall case (read grandfather) clocks.  You can still get it but it's beaucoup pricey.  Now there's a synthetic which lubricates as well but never hardens.

[the Bach-man]

Dear Jahn,
Wahl oil is a Brand Name product for lubricating barber tools. It's called Wahl Clipper Oil. Happily, it has nothing to do with Cetaceans.
Have fun!
the Bach-man