Slidewire lubricant - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

19 Aug 2009

...
  I've just bought an HP9125 plotter for my 9100
:-). For those who don't 
 know this device (built entirely from discrete transistors from what I 
 can see), it's basically a calcualtor interface (4 boards of logic) 
 driving a pair of DACs, driving an analogue X-Y plotter. Anyway, the last 
 part has slidewires (essentially long sliding potentiometers) to detect 
 the pen position and provide a feedback signal to the servo circuits. 
I have a HP9125 hooked up to my 9100 too. It's way cool. For a while
I used noncompatible HP plotter pens kinda tape/wedged on
but the last couple times it was just felt tip pens, definitely
not quite as good as real plotter pens.

...
  The HP service manual (OK, it's a boardswapper
guide, but I read all the 
 information I can find...) says you have to clean said slidewires with 
 special cleaner and then coat them with special slidewire lubricant. Of 
 course I want to make my slidewires last as long as possible, getting 
 replacements is non-trivial :-) 
...
  Does anyone know what modern product I should use?

I would guess a good cleaner/lube for slide audio faders would be the right
thing. When I did some techie work in the recording industry, in
fact, the old-timers called the faders "slidewires".

Tim.