Grease - is there no better way? Can we talk about this?

[YanmarFever]

We bought a cordless ryobi grease gun, it leaked so bad I went back to a manual one with a lock & lube. I use synthetic grease on the Bransons.
I also keep a roll of paper towels near the grease guns.

 

[SPYDERLK]

One of the things I hate most about working with equipment is grease. I recently decided I was going to make it easier by getting a battery powered grease gun. Then I opted to put a lube lock fitting nozzle thingy to try to reduce the mess.

It helps but the grease and mess still gets everywhere.

All over my hands. Ruined countless numbers of rags. All over the tractor in places I'd rather not have it. All over the grease gun and even some of my other tools.

Is there a better way? Are there any products I should look into?
Is there no newfangled alternate to grease that isn't quite so messy?
Clothe
Grease makes the already unpleasant task of maintaining equipment even less pleasant.

Clothe your grease gun in an old cotton sock. Change as needed.

 

[pmsmechanic]

When young, my dad insisted I grease his equipment until 100% clean grease came out. We went through a WHOLE LOT of grease!
I have greased my equipment as you do for many years.

What a lot of people don't realize is that too much grease in a ball bearing makes it run quite a bit hotter untill the excess grease is pushed out of the bearing. Whether that's bad for the bearing I don't know. What I do know is that pushing the seal off by over greasing is bad for the bearing.

 

[greenie]

I've had guys on my crew grease tractors to the point I couldn't hardly walk by the tractor without ruining clothing. The grease that oozes out of pins and bores does no good; Usually I pump one shot per fitting and occasionally wipe up the mess with a gasoline soaked paper towel.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I wear a pair of cheep leather gloves. I wipe off the grease fittings with them and what ever else needs wiping. Once they get too dirty I rub a healthy dose of hand cleaner into them and throw the gloves into the wash with my work clothes. I let them air dry and reuse them till they are worn out.

This keeps my hands and clothes relatively clean enough so that they not usually an issue to operate equipment.

The grease gun nozzle usually gets wiped off on the grass or tire or what ever else is handy. If it's really bad then a wipe with a paper cloth is usually sufficient to clean it up. Once in a long while the whole grease gun will get a bath in my varsol tank or more often lately just a good spray down with brake clean.

I'm of the opinion that a lot of people think that if a little grease is good then a lot is better. My mower deck bearings only get 2-3 shots. Any more and you run the risk of pushing the seals out. Any needle bearings don't need more than the same. Bushings I like to see the grease come out somewhere but I'm probably over greasing them. U-joints get grease till it comes out all 4 of the needle bearings. That way you know that all 4 got grease.

I don't grease the telescoping part of u-joints at all. [[[Spraying WD40 is good enough for me.]]] I hate it when the telescoping part gets so full of grease and dirt that it's a struggle to get it to move. Yes it wears out faster the way I'm doing it but it won't wear out in my lifetime. I'm good with that. I lube my pto connections the same way for the same reasons.

If you ever pressure wash your equipment make sure you grease it and use it a bit after. It pushes the water out of all the bearing surfaces. Your ball bearings will thank you by lasting longer.

Best Iv found. Slick. Sticks. Does not evaporate.
Amazon.com

 

[Crank Shaft]

I keep a roll of paper towels next to the 5 gal. bucket that the grease guns are put into.

I also store my grease guns in a 5 gal. bucket and am surprised at how much oil leaks out of the grease and collects at the bottom of the bucket.

I did some research and discovered that grease guns should be stored horizontally and not vertically. In horizontal storage, less oil will separate from the grease and the oil that does separate tends to stay in the grease tube.

I plan to now store my guns on a large cookie sheet.

 

[ranger13256]

I agree that greasing eqiptment is a major PIA. I have a Milwaukee battery powered gun that is just about impossible to purge air from. I also have used the grease fitting lock device with mixed results. I use cream colored synthetic grease that makes me think everything is cleaner even though it isn't

 

[Little Red Tractor]

Years ago I was doing some tractor work for a local nursey.
I was supposed to go and rototill a field for planting.
I hitched up and went to get the grease gun to lube everything before starting. Just like I would do on the home farm.
When I couldn't find the GG I went and asked the owner.
He said, "I don't like to grease equipment. It makes a mess."
"OK"
I went to work.
After an hour one of the U-joints broke. The needle bearings were just rusty dust.
It was all my fault for abusing the equipment.
Next day he had a GG.
I was just there to get my 1 days pay and I was out of there.
Your equipment will stay nice and clean if you don't grease it.
It will be broken with no chance of getting dirty.

All too true. I once worked on a farm whose owner didn't like to take time for routine maintenance. One busy summer day the guy in charge of our day's work handed me a grease gun and told me to get all the silage wagons and the silage blower greased while he did the chopper. The owner chewed us out for "wasting" half the morning...but that summer we had no failed bearings or other breakdowns due to lack of lubrication.

My solution to the messy hands is buy gloves. Harbor Freight sells boxes of nitrile gloves that last at least long enough to do one full lube cycle on all my equipment. I also keep lots of shop towels around.

 

[Lena]

One of the things I hate most about working with equipment is grease. I recently decided I was going to make it easier by getting a battery powered grease gun. Then I opted to put a lube lock fitting nozzle thingy to try to reduce the mess.

It helps but the grease and mess still gets everywhere.

All over my hands. Ruined countless numbers of rags. All over the tractor in places I'd rather not have it. All over the grease gun and even some of my other tools.

Is there a better way? Are there any products I should look into?
Is there no newfangled alternate to grease that isn't quite so messy?

Grease makes the already unpleasant task of maintaining equipment even less pleasant.

grease or new parts $$$. I will take grease anytime no matter how messy. besides it shows anyone that sees it that I care about my equipment.

 

[dieselscout80]

I like my electric grease gun so much, I bought another one. I keep Molly in one and Red & Tacky in the other. I use a manual one I converted to use way oil for my Mill. The Mill has grease fittings but they are for oil.

Side Note: If your Lock & Lube tip is leaking, replace the rubber seal with one of the extras they give you. If it's still leaking, your grease fittings are probably clogged--Replace them. If it's still leaking, clean the grease paths.

What kind of oil do you use in your grease gun for your mill?

 

[Johnb0311]

One of the things I hate most about working with equipment is grease. I recently decided I was going to make it easier by getting a battery powered grease gun. Then I opted to put a lube lock fitting nozzle thingy to try to reduce the mess.

It helps but the grease and mess still gets everywhere.

All over my hands. Ruined countless numbers of rags. All over the tractor in places I'd rather not have it. All over the grease gun and even some of my other tools.

Is there a better way? Are there any products I should look into?
Is there no newfangled alternate to grease that isn't quite so messy?

Grease makes the already unpleasant task of maintaining equipment even less pleasant.

I hear you. Greased tractor yesterday and had trouble with grease gun getting airbound. Grease all over me, tractor, equipment and driveway.

 

[Reapoman]

Grease is like diesel fuel. You cant get within 50' of either without getting it all over yourself.

 

[panamaguy]

One of the things I hate most about working with equipment is grease. I recently decided I was going to make it easier by getting a battery powered grease gun. Then I opted to put a lube lock fitting nozzle thingy to try to reduce the mess.

It helps but the grease and mess still gets everywhere.

All over my hands. Ruined countless numbers of rags. All over the tractor in places I'd rather not have it. All over the grease gun and even some of my other tools.

Is there a better way? Are there any products I should look into?
Is there no newfangled alternate to grease that isn't quite so messy?

Grease makes the already unpleasant task of maintaining equipment even less pleasant.

Sounds like you need to make sale and move to a apartment in the city.. Does not sound like you a a hands on type of guy

 

[dkmc]

What kind of oil do you use in your grease gun for your mill?

I'll answer that.....Way oil......except real way oil has gotten very expensive. I've seen mention of 'bar & chain' oil and always though it was a joke. Recently I picked up a quart of same, and come to find out it's the right viscosity and has tackifier added to it just like 'real' way oil. And it's cheap! From now on, I'm
using bar & chain oil on the machine tools.

 

[kenhar]

A grease gun is one of the most profitable tools you can have if you use it often and correctly.

 

[ranchito]

A Dealer told me that most people use too much grease, and they need to learn to only put in enough to do the job.

I've gone back to manual pump grease guns. I have one with a solid tube and another with the flexible tube. I use the solid tube for almost all my fittings, which is fast and easy.

I've tried a few different brands of manual grease guns but haven't really noticed much difference in them. For most of my fittings, I only pump it a few times. I've been doing it so long I just sort of know when to stop so grease doesn't come out of the seals. Some might get 2 pumps, others get 5. On my backhoe I have a few places that get ten pumps, that's my most extreme fittings.

Yes, too much grease only makes a mess and attracts dirt. Daily greasing was expected, no demanded when I ran a Cat 966 years ago. A couple pumps kept the passages clear and saved the cost and hassle of unnecessary pin and bushing replacements. My favorite gun was an Alemite that I still have today 50 years later although I more recently bought a pistol grip made of Chinesium that allows one hand operation on light duty stuff. I store mine vertical so the oil runs out and doesn't leave a trail on the garage floor.

 

[JimR]

what techniques do you have for purging air in newly replaced cartridge manual grease gun? that's my only issue & don't mind getting messy when gun works properly. regards`
do pneumatic guns work better in that regard? my experience is no

Do not tightened the outer tube all the way in. Release the spring operated rod at the bottom. The air in the tube will purge out. Then tighten the outer casing. I have been doing this for over 50 years.

 

[kenhar]

Too much grease is messy, but the worst thing is you can damage or even push a grease seal out. The fitting should always be wiped clean before greasing. Dirt on the fitting can be pumped into what you are greasing and damage a bearing.

 

[Tinhack]

What kind of oil do you use in your grease gun for your mill?

It's Way Oil. I don't have the brand in front of me but I buy it by the gallon. I think it's the Mobile Vactra. I also have it in a pump can to lube the ways on the lathe.

 

[dkmc]

A grease gun is one of the most profitable tools you can have if you use it often and correctly.

As a machinist who's made parts for worn out equipment, I disagree with that statement