Air Scribes:

Before every use:

Air scribes should be lubricated once per day with a drop or two of air tool oil- either in the back of the tool or in the end of the air hose. When the air pressure valve is opened, let it run for a few moments, pointed away from the specimen, to let the lubricant work its way though the tool.

Check the status of the desiccant chamber. Orange silica gel turns a greenish grey as it gathers moisture, blue silica gel will turn pink. Change desiccant as needed.

After every use:

Inspect tool body and connectors for cracks or gummed up parts. Check entire length of air hose for cracks or 'soft' spots. Alert the Collection Manager if the hose is not in perfect shape! Wipe down stylus and tool body. Put the scribe in the correct box.

Paleo-ARO

Like the micro jacks, the ARO has an easy release fitting on the connection to the hose, which makes it easy to oil the tool directly. Pressing the two orange rings together allows the hose to be pulled free from the tool. A drop of oil for each days work can then be placed into the back of the tool. The hose is then pressed back into the orange fitting until you feel it seat. 

MicroJack

Micro-Jacks all have an easy release fitting on the connection to the hose which makes it easy to oil the tool directly. Pressing the two orange rings together allows the hose to be pulled free from the tool. A drop of oil for each days work can then be placed into the back of the tool. The hose is then pressed back into the orange fitting until you feel it seat. Microjacks only work at a single speed. If turning the valve does not start the tool, try gently tapping the barrel of the micro jack against the table. If that doesn’t work, try loosening the tip with a slight twist of the knurled forward portion of the tool. If it still doesn’t work (and you have checked to see that the air line is open) or if it keeps stalling out, the most likely problem is a degraded o-ring. To replace an o-ring, turn the knurled portion of the micro jack to unscrew it completely. The o-ring fits inside the base of the stylus. Neither the o-rings nor the styli are interchangeable between the various sizes of micro-jacks, so you must choose the one of the appropriate size. Replacement parts are kept in the red toolbox. Replacement parts are color coded.