grease for exposed gearing

I would think some sort of grease that is used on wire ropes,very thick and black,can't think of a name though.

I can't think of the name of it either, but it sounds like the right stuff. It's the grease that gave the name to the "Black Hand Gang" on the Welsh Highland Railway project. But any thick grease should do. Thick grease won't evaporate so easily.

Best wishes,

Chris

This will sound silly but it also needs to be waterproof so it doesn't wash off in the rain.

Molybdenum grease, perhaps? Or perhaps Graphite grease?

Google " "open gear" lubrication" for a number of answers. You can either use very thick grease or dry film lubricant depending on the application. An easy option that's cheap in small quantities is motorcycle chain lube. It now comes in the inevitable aerosol can. with a thin tube so you can stick it just where you want.

John

Nick,

You should have put this up last Friday, I have a very large tub of the stuff in the garage and I would have given you some. Will look on tin tomorrow for spec, just got out of bath so not getting dirty anymore today :-))

Martin P

Google " "open gear" lubrication" for a number of answers. You can either use very thick grease or dry film lubricant depending on the application. An easy option that's cheap in small quantities is motorcycle chain lube. It now comes in the inevitable aerosol can. with a thin tube so you can stick it just where you want.

John

Thanks for all the advice, I had been thinking in terms of stern tube grease as it presumably has water resistant properties and is probably available from the canal-side chandlers just up the road (lazy!). But the wire rope stuff sounds a better bet and clearly, had I bothered to google 'exposed gearing' I would have found that there is stuff specifically for the purpose (luffing gear on Lacey Green windmill BTW - the drums of ex WD gloop have finally run out!). I shall investigate price and availability.

Thanks again

Nick H