Lubricating Powerbook 1xx hinges

[Anonymous]

Per the subject, does anyone have any recommendations? Rubbing SuperLube grease on the exterior doesn't do much. Is there maybe a way to slide the pieces off and get to the metal rail? Unless SuperLube oil is an alternative, that may seep in there.

 

[Froggy814]

I would try white lithium grease or sewing machine oil (or machine oil like it).

 

[luRaichu]

Is it stiff? What you need to do is apply heat to it with either a heat gun or lighter to burn off the old oil then add new oil.
I used 3-in-1 oil but any other machine oil should work.
See here:

 

[Anonymous]

Yep! That worked. Thanks!!

 

[Juror22]

OMG - I have got to try that! I've been soaking mine in throttle-body cleaner (not cheap) and working silicone grease back into it by exercising the hinge. It works, but its pricey, time consuming and labor intensive. This sounds SO much better (as long as I don't burn the house down!).

Thanks for posting this alternative, and for testing it out guys!

 

[register]

silicone grease

Everyone please stay away from silicone oil and silicone grease, at least with regard to old computers. Just by contact to silicone oil (which is a component of silicone grease) many plastics become brittle. To add more pain, it is nearly impossible to successfully glue or paint surfaces that are contaminated with silicone oil. Even if you take care to not spread the silicone stuff all over the place, it will spread on it's own near the place where it was applied. That is just its nature. Carbody paint shops hate silicone oil. It has a place in applications where its superior heat and oxidation resistance is beneficial (not in computers, except as in a drop of thermal paste on a hot CPU), in vacuum applications, as a release agent (to make surfaces non adhesive), anti foam agent, and some other specialty uses. Also, silicone oil is known to be a poor lubricant.
Conclusion: Please do not use any silicone oil at all in your workshop, except you positively know ist is the best solution for your task and you have all means to apply it properly. → Do yourself a favour and use no silicone Oil, no silicone grease, no Armor All at all for your computer.