Written by: John A. MacInnes
One thing I’ve discovered after building more than sixty book nooks is that manufacturers have an almost touching faith in tiny blocks of wax.
Apparently, according to some instruction manuals, you simply rub this mysterious little cube over whatever isn’t moving properly and, as if by magic, everything suddenly glides around like Fred Astaire on an ice rink.
Reality, as usual, has other ideas.
Half the time the wax snaps in two, the other half it leaves little flakes everywhere, and on one memorable occasion I managed to apply so much that the drawer became less “smooth running mechanism” and more “brick wall with aspirations.”
After a fair bit of experimenting (and the occasional colourful Scottish expression) “Aah ya *$^&*@£*^$.
I’ve ended up trying just about every lubricant that’s sensible to use on a book nook. Some work brilliantly. Some have their place. Others are rather like putting butter on your toast with a shovel—you can do it, but it doesn’t mean you should.
So here’s what I’ve learned so far.
Wax– The Traditional Favourite
Let’s start with the little block that arrives in nearly every kit.
Wax isn’t bad.
In fact, for simple wooden runners it’s perfectly adequate. Rub a little onto the contact surfaces, give it a quick polish with a cloth and away you go.
The important phrase there is a little.
If you can actually see the wax sitting on the wood, you’ve almost certainly used too much. More isn’t better. It’s just…more.
Too much wax starts collecting dust, clogs gear teeth and can actually make mechanisms feel rougher than before you started.
Trust me. I know. I’ve done it. Several times.
Perfect for
- Wooden drawers
- Sliding shelves
- Basic runners
Not so brilliant for
- Fine gears
- Precision mechanisms
- Anywhere you need absolute consistency
Silicone Spray – The Clean Freak
Now we’re getting a little more sophisticated.
A proper dry silicone spray leaves behind a very thin slippery coating after the solvent evaporates.
Notice I said dry silicone spray.
The ordinary oily stuff belongs on squeaky garden gates rather than beautifully finished miniature libraries.
One important tip…
Never spray it directly onto your book nook.
Unless, of course, you’ve always fancied cleaning silicone overspray off tiny books, windows and wallpaper.
Spray a little onto a cotton bud or cloth first, then wipe it onto the moving parts.
Five minutes later it’s dry and ready to go.
Your lungs, your workshop and your furniture will all thank you.
Best used for
- Plastic runners
- Mixed plastic and wood parts
- Hinges
- Sliding tracks
Graphite Powder – Brilliant…and Annoying
Graphite is one of those products that’s absolutely fantastic…
…right up until you touch it.
Then you discover you’ve somehow managed to get black fingerprints on absolutely everything within a three-foot radius.
Graphite is wonderfully slippery, doesn’t attract dust and lasts for ages.
Unfortunately it also has all the manners of a toddler with a chocolate ice cream.
It gets everywhere.
For hidden mechanisms it’s excellent.
For visible decorative areas where you’ve spent three evenings carefully positioning microscopic books…
Perhaps not.
Use a tiny artist’s brush, apply the smallest amount you think you’ll need, then halve it.
Seriously.
Ideal for
- Hidden mechanisms
- Locks
- Internal sliding joints
- Enclosed gear assemblies
PTFE Dry Spray – My New Best Friend
Every now and then you buy something because you need it for one particular job.
Then six months later you’re using it on absolutely everything.
That’s pretty much my relationship with PTFE dry lubricant.
It dries quickly. It doesn’t stay oily.
It doesn’t seem interested in attracting every speck of dust floating around the workshop.
And best of all…It simply works.
Whether it’s sliding walls, rotating gears, secret doors or awkward little mechanisms hidden three inches inside a book nook where only a seven-year-old with double-jointed fingers could normally reach, PTFE just gets on with the job.
Again, don’t spray directly onto the model.
A quick squirt onto a cloth or cotton bud is all you need.
Leave it for ten minutes while you make yourself a coffee, then carry on building.
Simple. No need for thanks!
Perfect for
- Sliding walls
- Gear trains
- Lift mechanisms
- Rotating parts
- Hidden doors
- Almost everything else
So…Which One Should You Buy?
If you only build the occasional kit, don’t rush out and spend a fortune.
The little wax block supplied in the box will probably do perfectly well, provided you don’t try to recreate an oil refinery with it.
If you build regularly, however, I’d strongly recommend buying a good PTFE dry lubricant.
It has become the one product I automatically reach for whenever I encounter a moving mechanism.
Wax still has its uses.
Silicone spray is excellent in the right places.
Graphite remains king for hidden mechanisms.
But if someone told me I could only keep one lubricant on my workbench…
I’d be hiding the PTFE behind my back before they’d even finished asking the question.
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