Hello all,
In searching for graphite grease for my power feed, I couldn't help notice that lithium based grease is much more readily available. Is that perhaps because it is better than graphite?
Put another way, would you clean out the graphite and start using Lithium grease, or order from the real thing from
Best Line wasn't terribly opinionated on the subject. They were pleasant, but "sure, if the thickness is about the same" isn't really an answer. Or is it?
Bill
Clean out the old if you decide to change . You don't want to mix lubricants, it's asking for trouble. I don't think I would change from the spec'd lube unless i knew why it was chosen in the first place. I might be inclined to use a moly based lube instead of the lithium. All of that said I have seen dried out crapped up graphite based lubes continuing to work just fine.
As you may know, you can make your own graphite grease by mixing dry graphite with ordinary grease, if you have a local source for the graphite. Another way is to add enough graphite to STP oil treatment until it forms a stiff paste. In my opinion this works even better for many uses, but in case of doubt I would follow the machine builder's recommendation.
Mike
The lithium in lithium base grease is soap and is the carrier for the lubricant. Graphite is a lubricant. If the manual says to use graphite then use it. If a lithium soap based grease with oil as the lubricant dries out it means that the lubricant is gone and all that remains is the soap. A graphite containing grease, if it dries out, will leave the graphite behind. So even a dried out graphite grease will still leave a high pressure lubricant behind. ERS
While I have no hard data to prove anything, it seemed that when we changed over to teflon loaded grease [the aqua colored stuff] the slides seemed to move easier and stick slip was reduced. This was on an old mill and several old lathes so may not mean much but it is something that you can try for not much money.
Uncle George
Used to be you could buy little squeeze bottles of pure graphite, for locks, etc. Lock-ease was a low-viscosity product w/ suspended graphite.
Grind up pencil leads??? Carbon-arc torch rods? Mebbe not! Iffin I remember correctly from chem, seems graphite had a slightly different super-structure than plain old compressed carbon--loosely bonded into flat molecular small sheets/rings, which would then slide over each other.
Mike,
I didn't know that; I probably can get the graphite, though I can just as easily go with the vendor I've found for the grease. I do have to ask what is meant by "ordinary grease" though. A few weeks ago, I'd have read right over that, but having seen so many base types, the world isn't that simple anymore ~:0
No offense to the guy at Best Line, I don't think they have a strong opinion, or if they do, I haven't found the person who knows the reason.
Thanks!
Bill
I think what I will do is just order this stuff:
Thanks!!
Bill
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.