compass fluid

[owen]

does anyone know what fluid is used in plastimo compasses. thanks in anticipation

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[VicS]

The subject crops up regularly here. The best advice any one can give you is to contact a professional compass repairer, such as Sirs Navigation in Meopham, Kent or BPSC Marine who is a regular contributor to these forums.

Follow duff advice and you could well wreck the compass.

A search or two should find what has been said before, once only a week or two ago.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[doug748]

I think my Contest had white spirit in it. Worth a try if you have little to lose... You may have to replace the compass anyway. Brian

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[isandell]

I have some oil that I rescued from a Plastimo Contest. If you pm, I can send you some.

Ian

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[pvb]

If you're asking the question, the assumption is that you've got a bubble in the compass. If this is the case, you've also got a leak. There's no point topping up the liquid unless you find and fix the leak first. It's not really a DIY job. VicS suggested a couple of compass repairers - I've had a bad experience with SIRS so wouldn't recommend them. I would recommend <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.seath-haztec.com>Seath Instruments</A> in Lowestoft. Hope your compass gets sorted soon.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

What an excellent idea to have kept the fluid from an old compass, this must be Owens best bet. One way to test if two liquids are the same is to drip one into the other with both at the same temperature you should not get interferance patterns, which would be evident with two different liquids.

I repaired a leak on my plastimo compass with super glue, but you must remove all the liquid from the compass and clean the inner globe with a biological powder solution, this removes the oil film and the white residue on the face of the globe. The compass liquid if hazy can be filtered to bring it back to be bright and clear.
One final note the plastimo I have is definitly not filled with white spirit.

Good luck
Trevor

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[VicS]

One forumite, who I know personally, discovered that his compass (plastimo I think) contained Bay tree oil! I think that info came from Sirs, but in the event he used ordinary domestic paraffin.

You can may be able to confirm that you are using the correct fluid by watching how the new and old mix. Two different fluids will almost certainly have slightly different refractive indicies and you will see the difference as you add one to the other.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[Steve_N]

Bay tree oil

I think there may be some confusion here with 'Bayol' - a highly refined paraffin oil from Esso, which I was informed was the correct oil to use in my Whitlock compass.

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[VicS]

Re: Bayol?

You could be right.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[Born_Free]

Don't know what Plastimo use in theirs, but I've refurbished several compasses over the years and have always used glycerine, as taught me by my old Chief and mentor many years ago. Did my own with it about five years ago now, and it's still working just fine.
Regards
Martin

<hr width=100% size=1>Born Free!
Now I'm expensive

 

[bpscmarine]

Bayol 35 to give it its correct name is no longer available from Esso, we have spent some time coming up with an alternative which we can offer to anybody with an oil filled compass they want to top up
www.bpsc-marine.co.uk

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[snowleopard]

<Follow duff advice and you could well wreck the compass.>

too right, i followed the advice of a self appointed expert may years ago and topped up a compass with vodka. the insides turned black soon after!

wonder what it does to my insides!

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[Rum_Pirate]

Somebody (ie denial od responsibility) mentioned that the aviation hydraulic fluid had been used with some success. I cannotmake any recommendation.

I do have two large ship's compass' at home in storage, Anyone want them for a small sum? Buyer collects.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

a small sum (2+2)=4 /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[iangrant]

Johnsons baby oil worked for mine..

Ian

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[iangrant]

Baby oil worked for mine.

Oam

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