Spindle/Bearing Lube


I have a Nottingham table and the bottle of oil that came with my table is about empty. What does anybody use for oil? I see people on AA saying to use motor oil and synthetic stuff but the oil that came with my table is thicker than motor oil and it is red and smells like standing right beside a refinery. Do different tables take different oil? What oil would people suggest and where do you get it? Thank you.
motdathird
Another "Amen" from the choir!

Now taking a completely unchoir-like approach -- try using Wet Platinum, a "personal" silicone lubricant. It works great on my TT's spindle bearing. And you may have some left over for ... ahem ... "other" uses.

Best regards,
Paul
4yanx, the new oil is more of an amnber color. It still smells like an oil field.
Of course A'gon and AA are also full of people who post strong opinions about things they've never actually listened to. ;-)

Can I get an amen?
Of course A'gon and AA are also full of people who post strong opinions about things they've never actually listened to. ;-)

It takes all kinds of people to keep this place from becoming boring, which fortunately it never is.

P.S. I've never heard either oil, or even a Nottingham for that matter. Therefore I have NO opinion about any of this!
I guess, Pittsflyer, you haven't visited Audiogon or AA very often! They are full of such "pseudo-scientific" nonsense, but unfortunately, nobody can "hear" the difference.
Bob P.
Thanks for a dose of reality, it's been a long time since I've seen such pseudo-scientific nonsense. No wonder we have DBT-free zones.
John, it is probably true that Tom Fletcher worked with a lubrication specialist since he knows nothing about lubricats. The specialist must have had a chuckle with that contract! Imagine, as the perceived differences in sound were reported to him, he simply went to the catalogue and "developed" another lubricant.
I or any of you could have done the same for cheaper, I am sure!

Salut, Bob P.
John, is it the same red/amber color and smell like driving by a refinery? :-)
My impression at the time was a sense that the music seemed to "flow" more. Backgrounds seemed "darker". The effects were subtle; but noticable. The story that I have heard was that Tom Fletcher worked with a lubrication specialist for a year developing this new oil. That may be hype or true; I have no way of knowing.
Tom Fletcher of Nottingham Analogue has a NEW oil out for his TTs. It is wimsically called "Snake Oil". There is a small but noticable improvement over the old oil. At $100/bottle it ain't cheap; but it is available from any Nott. dealer.
Our telephone number is (408) 971-6158. We can indeed help you with your Nottingham table.

Cheers;

Brian
Or Hollywood Sound or Audio Revelations. Both A'gon dealers, both Nott' dealers, both very responsive.
Motdathird,

Try asking The Analog Room in San Jose CA. Great reputation and I think they're a Nott' dealer. Even if they're not they probably know the answer.
Thank you to everyone who responded. The dealer I bought my table from went under and I have had zero luck with ASL before. Maybe another Nottingham owner will pipe up or I guess I could ask another dealer. I think that nondetergent oil would be a must.
Different bearings DO require different lubricants. Just because some oil works best in an AR (or any other TT) doesn't make it the right oil for a Nottingham.

There's no upside to guessing. Like Rlxl and Jbello suggested, ask your Nott' dealer or the USA distributor, Audiophile Systems. http://www.aslgroup.com
I've owned various incarnations of the AR turntable from the early 70's onward. They've always included a small plastic vial of oil. In the owner's manual, the recommend #10 weight, non detergent, machine oil.
Audiophile Systems in Indianapolis will provide you with more of the red stuff.
Based on your description, it sounds like automotive manual transmission fluid (which makes sense). I wonder if Nottingham will tell you what "weight" the oil is. If they do, you might be able to pick up a bottle of good, synthetic gear lube (Motul, Redline, etc). A quart of the stuff at your local automotive or motorcycle performance shop would probably set you back about 15$ and you'd have enough lube for several lifetimes. And if you have a car with a manual transmission, pick up enough change your transmission fluid--good gear lube makes a big difference.