[liz.roberts]

The brackets holding the ribber to the main bed are very stiff when I push up the ribber to connect with the main bed.

Is there anything I can spray the bracket with to make it easier to move?
Liz

 

[erkdiane]

I have used the same lubricant I use for my machine. For me it is the Lori-Lin machine spray but whatever you use for your machine would probably work fine. Just put on the screw and work it in.

 

[Rita in Raleigh]

I have at different times used a variety of lubricants on the mechanism of the ribber brackets. I have used Lori-Lin, gun oil, and LP1 (from Grainger). I have also used vasoline or that silicon paste/gel.

I take the ribber off the km after moving it to its highest position (so the brackets do not fall off). Then I turn the ribber over, put the lube on my finger or use the spray and make sure it goes in the long crooked slot where the bolt?(or whatever you call it) slides when you move the side lever to lower or raise the ribber. I push down on the lever and make sure the lube reaches all the spaces in the slot and that the bracket moves smoothly up and down through the various wiggles of the pathway. (Don't you just love my technical terms?)
Then I put the ribber back on the machine and test it again by moving it up and down.

 

[liz.roberts]

I am in the UK and I don't think you can get Lori-Lin here. May be wrong.

All I have is Ballistol Oil, WD40 or Silver 'Knitting Machine' Silicone Lubricant Spray, which I think is for spraying the yarn with.

Liz

 

[Rita in Raleigh]

WD 40 tends to evaporate and not lubricate much. Try the Ballistol oil, although I think it is too thin. Can you get Vasoline? or maybe the silicone stuff in a tube for using on bicycle chains?

 

[susanjoy]

Vasoline or a general purpose grease will work well. Oil is a bit too thin for this job.

 

[MostlyKnittingMachines]

I was told over 30 years ago by a knitting machine engineer that you should never use WD40 on any knitting machine or ribber.

The same engineer told me, just in time, that under no circumstances should you ever use silicone spray to lubricate a knitting machine, as the silicone dries creating a coating on all of the metal parts which is very difficult to remove. As the spray also ends up inside the needlebed, it is very costly to have the machine stripped down completely to remove it.

He also believed it was not wise to spray silicone spray on the yarn you are knitting with, as it would still end up coating the needles.

I had sprayed my machine a few times before he gave me that advice, and my carriage had become extremely heavy to punch across the needlebed. Fortunately I was still able to get it cleaned off quite easily. I never used it again!

 

[Ferol Pat]

I'm having the same problem on the one side I cant drop the ribber. Tried oiling with the machine oil, nto much difference, will try the vaseline thanks

 

[MKEtc.com]

Sometimes it helps to clean the bracket with denatured alchohol first to remove old stiff grease before regreasing. Putting oil or grease on top of old hardened grease does very little. The hardened grease is the cause of many problems with the machines.

 

[Azzara]

The ribber brackets were almost frozen on one of my standard machine when I picked it up.
I removed them and did a soak and clean and I was surprised how much grime came off it. Then I greased it, just how MKEtc described, and it worked so well that the first time I lowered the ribber it dropped so fast and smoothly that startled me.

 

[Ferol Pat]

Ah, but how did you remove them?
and what did you soak them in?

 

[MKEtc.com]

Very common. As Aussie said, hard to believe how easily it moves if cleaned before greasing. Only takes a little more effort to clean it first.

Another place is the stuck carriage buttons. A lot of people suggest hair dryer to unstick. Good suggestion to get it to work but will probably stick again as the grease is past it's life and although heat melts the hard grease and it works it will probaby get sticky again if not used for a while.

Another place I find is the cardreaders have the same issue. The grease on the inside and underside of the gears hardens and makes moving the carriage hard in KC position. If the belt doesn't move smoothly and easily it's probably time for a good cleaning. It's literally amazing how easily they move when taken apart, cleaned, and regrease. Almost no difference in how hard carriage moves when KC is engaged.

 

[Azzara]

I just reversed the method of installing them, found in my machine manual. I soaked them for just a few minutes in denatured alcohol. I did scrub them a bit with an old toothbrush, wiped them dry and greased them.

 

[Ferol Pat]

Mine look complicated to remove, they were attached already when I got the machine and no instuctions in manual on how to install or remove. Will try with the alcohol and a cotton bud to clean.
thanks

 

[susanjoy]

Push the ribber to its highest position, then once you have removed the ribber from the machine, you turn the brackets through 90 degrees and they come off the machine fairly easily.

 

[Ferol Pat]

Thanks so much, will do

 

[liz.roberts]

The vaselene method seems to have worked. Thank you.

Liz