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Weems E-6B question

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by ABCandJRC, Jan 17, 2006.

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  1. ABCandJRC

    ABCandJRC Rookie

    Jan 14, 2006
    16
    #1 ABCandJRC, Jan 17, 2006
    I recently picked up an older E-6B marked "Weems System of Navigation (A Division of Jeppesen & Co)". Even after a thorough cleaning, the calculation side does not rotate as easily as I would like. If you happen to have a manual, are there any suggestions for lubrication in it?

    It is identical to the one advertised here:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Aviation-Airplane-WEEMS-E-6B-COMPUTER-Case-Instructions_W0QQitemZ5851013583QQcategoryZ84077QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    Several have suggested oil, silicone spray, etc. but if the maker suggests something, I would feel safer using it.
     
  2. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Apr 21, 2003
    15,111
    Gulf Coast
    #2 MarkPDX, Jan 17, 2006
    They tell us to use dry graphite lubricant on our aluminum MB-4's..... what is it made of?
     
  3. SWITCHESOFF

    SWITCHESOFF Formula Junior

    Nov 9, 2005
    582
    #3 SWITCHESOFF, Jan 17, 2006
    I think that the dry lubricant sounds like the thing to do. I still have my ol' E6B but it has never frozen up on me. Of course, I never used it anyway. I always knew where I was going, the damn airports were never in the right place.
     
  4. Skyraider

    Skyraider Formula Junior

    Nov 4, 2005
    620
    #4 Skyraider, Jan 17, 2006
    I have the same thing, in an old Air Force / Navy(?) unit, used for Jets.
    Same brown plastic case and all...
    On the case it reads "CPU- 26A/P " and instructions on WIND DRIFT.
    on the unit it reads : "Felsenthal Instruments", and a bunch of military specs.
    Neat part, is it will give you wind corrections for 800 knots. :)
    I got it, on eBay too...
    Came with extra parts too so if you need.... lemme know...

    All that B.S. aside, I had the same issue you have.
    It wouldn't move at all after I cleaned it up. No lube is really needed...

    What it needs is to be used! It's just been sitting too long.
    Play with it for a half hour or so, and it should spin like a top.... (almost).
    There needs to be some stiffness, or the thing won't compute correctly.

    If you still feel the need to use a lubricant, any of those mentioned here, will be fine.
    But beware..... graphite makes things black, Silicones, make them hard to hold on to.

    I personally like a dry Teflon spray lube. It stays clean on your fingers, charts etc...and you need just a "smidgen" of it.

    I use "T.F.E. Dry Lube", by a company named

    Dayton Electric Mfg. Chicago Ill. 60640

    It goes on "dry" and forms a tenacious film without building up, migratating, or accumulating dust. It'll work from -40 deg to over 500 deg F. And is recommended for instruments, and contact areas of steel, aluminum, and on food processing equipment on metal to metal contact where conventional lubes might contaminate.
     
  5. ABCandJRC

    ABCandJRC Rookie

    Jan 14, 2006
    16
    #5 ABCandJRC, Jan 18, 2006
    The base unit is aluminum, the slide some sort of fairly durable composit. It has seen some significant use because the small "knobs" on the slide-rule section show wear. Looking at the construction, it appears the inner, moveable, segment rests on the outer, with the primary contact just at the outer-most diameter. My nearly-new Jeppesen unit is a "one thumb" device, but this one takes some work to turn.

    I did find that cleaning helped a lot, using first alcohol, then immersion in hot/soapy water. I have avoided silicone since it tends to make things slippery to handle, and graphite because it gets things dirty, particularly the "windows" for density altitude and AS calculation. Even light oils tend to grab dirt and grind it in. Tough choices. I have thought of powdered mica, but haven't really seen it anyplace for years. Teflon sounds like the closest thing on the market today. Maybe just working the thing is the best solution. I was hoping the manufacturer might have suggested something specific.

    As an aside, I find that a fine-point "Sharpie" works great for the wind side. I just "x" out old dots until I either get too many or until they conflict. Then I use 91% alochol to clean the plastic "lens". I keep a tiny bottle of it and some pieces of paper towel in the flight bag. That keeps the plastic from being clouded by pencil marks and their erasure.

    Thanks to all who responded.
     

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