NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Astro Compass maintenance
From: Zvi Doron
Date: 2005 Mar 24, 18:22 -0000
From: Zvi Doron
Date: 2005 Mar 24, 18:22 -0000
I have just obtained an A.M. (Air Ministry?) Astro Compass Mk II Ref 6A/1174 4.C. It is in great condition but had been stored for many years and the grease had hardened inside the mecanisms. The bearing plate and the LHA knob are a bit hard to turn although functional. The Latitude and declination adjustments are fine, although there is a slight mismatch (about 0.7 degree) between the main latitue scale and the micrometer drum. The difficulty in turning resembles what happens to Aluminium sextants leke the Freiberger sometimes. My questions - Can the LHA drum be stripped, lubricated and re-assembled easily? It has three screws on each face. Can the bearing plate be dis-assembled and lubricated? What lubricant should I use? Is there a way, using the little screw on the latitude micrmeter drum, to align it perfectly with the main scale? Thanks for any information and happy Easter.
