Lubricating Olsen Rotors?

[pompatus]

For those of you playing Instrument Innovations rotor valves, what lubricant are you using on them?

Are you finding they need less frequent maintenance, as a result of the bearings?

How are they holding up after a few years?

[Burgerbob]

Ultra Pure is my go to.

They always have great action (in my findings), but will start to leak without lube, which is how I know when to lube again.

[hornbuilder]

Lubrication does not only help with action. It also helps with preservation. If there is oil on the metal surface, air and water have less chance of inducing oxidation. Fancy valves oxidize just like plain Jane valves if they're dry.

[BGuttman]

Lubrication does not only help with action. It also helps with preservation. If there is oil on the metal surface, air and water have less chance of inducing oxidation. Fancy valves oxidize just like plain Jane valves if they're dry.

Actually, bone dry is better than moist with condensate (from blowing). The moisture on the bare metal allows acids in the air to dissolve and start attacking the metal. Note that air is full of acids. The most common is carbon dioxide which reacts with water to create carbonic acid, but in some areas there is sulfur dioxide that dissolves in the moisture to create sulfurous acid, and nitrogen oxides (particularly nitrogen dioxide, which dissolves in water to create nitric acid).

[hornbuilder]

Lubrication does not only help with action. It also helps with preservation. If there is oil on the metal surface, air and water have less chance of inducing oxidation. Fancy valves oxidize just like plain Jane valves if they're dry.

Actually, bone dry is better than moist with condensate (from blowing). The moisture on the bare metal allows acids in the air to dissolve and start attacking the metal. Note that air is full of acids. The most common is carbon dioxide which reacts with water to create carbonic acid, but in some areas there is sulfur dioxide that dissolves in the moisture to create sulfurous acid, and nitrogen oxides (particularly nitrogen dioxide, which dissolves in water to create nitric acid).

Emphasizing the point that lubrication with oil is important. How long does a Bone Dry instrument stay dry inside when you start playing it? As soon as you blow into a dry horn, you are introducing moisture, and thus inducing oxidation.

[BGuttman]

I'm not disagreeing with you. It's just if you leave the horn dry in a closet it's less of an issue than if you play it.

Fact remains, if you can get a film of oil (or silicone) on the bare metal parts, it slows oxidation much better -- whether the horn is played or not.

[greenbean]

If we just stop playing... a whole bunch of problems go away!...

Just thinking out loud...

[afugate]

If we just stop playing... a whole bunch of problems go away!...

Just thinking out loud...

My technique and intonation are at their best when I'm stop playing!

--Andy in OKC

[Bonearzt]

If we just stop playing... a whole bunch of problems go away!...
Just thinking out loud...

My technique and intonation are at their best when I'm stop playing!
--Andy in OKC

Ha!! I thought I was the only one!!!