What cable lubricant can I use for rewiring a lamp–and what kind of store carries it? The old wire won’t slide out of its jointed 18″ tube, and I expect the new wire will be just as difficult to pull through. Ordinarily I would just buy a new lamp, but it is part of a matched pair that came with the house. Bother. Janet
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Replies
Murphys oil soap probably would work, or furniture polish etc.
Thanks, Mark!
I can use Murphy's or polish on the new wire, but I wouldn't be able to get the lubricant on the old wire inside the tube.
Oh, wait a minute. There's no law that says I have to use the same stuff for both wires. I have silicone spray, WD-40, and 4-in-1 oil. One of those ought to suit.
Janet
The right thing to use is real pulling lube. Your mileage may vary on those other things. The problem is they want to sell you a quart or more and you need a few teaspoons. I could squirt some in a zip bag and mail it to you.
Thank you, that is very kind! I will try the other things first to save you the trouble. Already got the old wire out using 4-in-1 oil, but will have to clean it out of the tubes now that I know it is not good for the wire.
Does the pulling lube eventually dry up?
Janet
Pulling lube is water based so it will dry up once it is out of the bottle. The slippery part is paraffin, petroleum jelly and mineral oil.
http://www.idealindustries.com/media/pdfs/products/msds/yellow_77_plus_wire_pulling_lubricant.pdf
The slippery part is paraffin, petroleum jelly and mineral oil.
Which is pretty much the formula for some hand lotions.
Whatever it takes to get the old stuff out.
For the new wire, in theory you should use "pulling lube", but any sort of liquid soap will work, or hand lotion. Don't use anything with a petroleum base (oil, etc), as it's not good for the wire.
Pour a little vegtable oil down the tube. Pull the wire back and forth alttle in each direction and let it set a short time. Repeat that untill you see oil on the exit end of the wire.
Pull in the new wire by using a piece of solid #14 or #12 bare wire as your pulling line attached to the new cord with a tight crimped hook.