# Wheel Oiler



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Where can I get a fine point wheel oiler for these HO train wheels>>>>>

I tried a can of 3 in 1 with that long spout, oil gets all over everything, there must be something small with a fine needle point sorta like a doctor syringes that lets out just the smallest amount of oil in the smallest of space


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## Rusty (Jun 23, 2011)

you can find them on e-bay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-Scale-Mo...429668?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c33294fa4


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Do you really want to put oil on your tracks?

Much better to use a dry powder lube such as graphite
or a white non graphite powder is also available for
car trucks.

Tho some say that graphite will destroy the bearing points
I've found it very effective and have used it for years.

Don


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I think he means to be putting oil in the axel pocket of the truck side frame.
Actually, oil would only accumulate dust and other loose floating stuff and eventually get gummed up.
Graphite would be the better thing to use. I have a small flat plastic case that I empty the graphite container into. Then, without having to remove the axel I can use an Exacto knife tip to spoon the graphite into the truck side frame and any excess can fall back into the plastic case. 
My previous layout was 2 1/2 scale miles around and I've never known to wear out an axel or truck pocket from graphite. My current layout is 6 1/2 scale miles and still no graphite worn axels or pockets.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

D&J Railroad said:


> I have a small flat plastic case that I empty the graphite container into. Then, without having to remove the axel I can use an Exacto knife tip to spoon the graphite into the truck side frame and any excess can fall back into the plastic case.


Great idea! I hate spreading that stuff everywhere.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

your local gun shop will have both 'dry', and 'wet' lubricants available,and most will come in small bottles with fine or 'needle' tip applicators, i use remington for 'wet' oil lube, and hoppes for 'dry' lube it has graphite and moly in a carrier that evaporates after you apply it, no 'stickiness' after...
works for me so far..


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Bkubiak said:


> Where can I get a fine point wheel oiler for these HO train wheels>>>>>
> 
> I tried a can of 3 in 1 with that long spout, oil gets all over everything, there must be something small with a fine needle point sorta like a doctor syringes that lets out just the smallest amount of oil in the smallest of space


3-n-1 is horrid as a lube, it dries out and gets really sticky. Found out the hard way as I brought some old Lionel pieces back to life. I only use 5w-30 anymore it'll never dry out and lasts a long time. Graphite is a fine choice as well. Most hobby shops will have Labelle products with needle point oilers, and many swear by that product line for HO.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*lubricant combinations*

I remember reading some where that men's beard trimmers oil lubricants work well being
plastic compatible? Is that true? How does the combination of oil and graphite perform
over the long hall? Regards,
tr1


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I don't know about the two together. But I'm a motor oil convert. I only used it on O scale, but servoguy has been using it for years and shares it doesn't get gummy or dry out over time. I use it on my door hinges and locks most recently. I used to use 3 in 1 but realized only after the o scale guys swore by it, how sticky my hinges were. I used to oil them every 3 or so years, the locks too. Oil made a big difference.


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

I use a syringe with a cut off needle to oil my steam engines (as in stationary model steam) you can get 'em at any stock feed store, cheap too.


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

BK R said:


> I use a syringe with a cut off needle to oil my steam engines (as in stationary model steam) you can get 'em at any stock feed store, cheap too.


Syringe, problem solved, was at the dentist today, told her I bought this old set of trains and wanted to oil the wheels, she gave me a small syringe with a couple long tiny needles and a couple bent needles. Put some 10 wt oil in it and it emits just a tiny micro drop, so small I almost did not see it, worked perfect and loosened up the wheels on these HO cars I got.

Thanks for the tips

New topic coming up


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

I'm still trying to figure out why you want to oil the wheels themselves. Are you asking how to lubricate the locomotive? Clean the gears then use a non-conductive lubricant in a small amount. I don't want oil (conductive or not) getting on my track. If you have anything over a 2% grade and a heavy pull you are never going to get up that grade.


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

golfermd said:


> I'm still trying to figure out why you want to oil the wheels themselves. Are you asking how to lubricate the locomotive? Clean the gears then use a non-conductive lubricant in a small amount. I don't want oil (conductive or not) getting on my track. If you have anything over a 2% grade and a heavy pull you are never going to get up that grade.


There was over 2 cars and 2 loco's that have been in a box in storage for a very long time and most of the wheels were so stuck they barely moved at all, now that I got a micro drop of oil on each axle they will roll about 3 or 4 feet when pushed. Yes I see some oil that dripped on the track, but not too much. I was careful and did my best to sip any excess up, the first two or there I did was a leaning experience but by using that long bent needle I could position it right against the axle bearing part before I applied the micro drop and almost instantly I could give the wheels a spin and watch them keep spinning for a while

At the moment I have no grade, everything is flat and I am realizing that at my age HO is just to tiny for me to work on, I am thinking to pack this whole thing up and put it on ebay and see if I can get a few bucks more for it then I paid and get me an O gauge setup, unless someone here has something they might be interested in swapping.

I cleaned all the track I set up with 600 grit emery until the rails shined and now I can get the loco to almost just crawl, I tested all 5 switches and they work perfect by pushing a button
I have it all set up on my dining room table with a double loop and 4 switches and I have over 60 pieces of track left straight and curved, gotta pack it up soon, wife wants the table back and this HO is just too small to put around the tree.


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Bkubiak said:


> There was over 2 cars and 2 loco's that have been in a box in storage for a very long time and most of the wheels were so stuck they barely moved at all, now that I got a micro drop of oil on each axle they will roll about 3 or 4 feet when pushed. Yes I see some oil that dripped on the track, but not too much. I was careful and did my best to sip any excess up, the first two or there I did was a leaning experience but by using that long bent needle I could position it right against the axle bearing part before I applied the micro drop and almost instantly I could give the wheels a spin and watch them keep spinning for a while
> 
> At the moment I have no grade, everything is flat and I am realizing that at my age HO is just to tiny for me to work on, I am thinking to pack this whole thing up and put it on ebay and see if I can get a few bucks more for it then I paid and get me an O gauge setup, unless someone here has something they might be interested in swapping.
> 
> ...


Over 20 cars sorry the 0 must have fallen down


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Never, ever, ever use sandpaper on track PERIOD. The particles left behind are bad business. Instead use green scoth-brite pads or briteboy erasers. No steel wool either the fibers are harmful to engine as they are attracted and conductive.

Carl


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Kwikster said:


> Never, ever, ever use sandpaper on track PERIOD. The particles left behind are bad business. Instead use green scoth-brite pads or briteboy erasers. No steel wool either the fibers are harmful to engine as they are attracted and conductive.
> 
> Carl


Is Emery cloth considered sand paper? I always thought of it as a extremely fine polishing cloth, we used 600 emery wet/dry on boat finishes to bring a dull gel coat back to life before polishing it back to a high gloss.

It took a little doing but the track looks like fine Jewelry now and I blew it all off with a little air and wiped it with a tack cloth. I can get the diesel engine to run just over a crawl now. Still messing around with the steam engine.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

Yes, emery cloth is sand paper. It's just very very fine sand paper.

And I was going to suggest getting one of the plastic bottles that are used for oiling sewing machines.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

golfermd said:


> Clean the gears then use a non-conductive lubricant in a small amount.


I have never done this, I'm still a newbie, do you disassemble the gears or what? No disassemble


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Use something like tuner cleaner and low pressure compressed air, think the canned air for computer cleaning, to dry them off. The only reason to disassemble would be if something was extremely dirty or broken. Motor oil works for me on EVERYTHING except worm gears and they get white lithium because some of my items getting to them is a pain. (Think 2243 Lionel powered truck) If you're stingy with the oil very little will drop off, my track stays dry after lubing. If you're truly worried about oil on the rails, use a spray on "dry lube", the carrier agent evaporates leaving a completely dry film. I've used that on cars for things I don't want attracting dirt like lock mechanisms. 

Believe it or not, clipper oil works great to prevent dust build up on tracks. Sounds bass-ackward I know but it really does work. 

Carl


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

I like Labelle's grease w/teflon. I do not use the white lithium grease any more, since it does tend to get gummy. I also use Labelle oil as it does have the metal needle built in.


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