I HATE grease guns!

[canoetrpr]

Yeah no kidding. I'm going to go the route of a manual Lincoln. My auto mechanic said that I could use his businesses name when buying from them.

Trying to decide between the lever style 1148 and pistol style 1134. I find that it always took me two hands anyway even with the pistol style so I just might get the lever style based on some of the suggestions here.

You ever tried the lever style Scooby?

 

[Scooby074]

Ive used the lever style. Not the 1148 in particular though. The 1134 is their best reasonable priced manual gun in my opinion. They got one "precision" model manual gun that costs something like $200. I like the pistol style so i can have a hand free to hold the hose on the nipple and move around. And i think the pistol style is higher pressure 7500 vs6000 PSI. If you have normal hand strength the pistol style should be no problem. I actually find it less fatiguing than lever style.

 

[scott_vt]

And i think the pistol style is higher pressure 7500 vs6000 PSI. If you have normal hand strength the pistol style should be no problem. I actually find it less fatiguing than lever style.

Good Evenin Scooby,
I agree I like the pistol style gun better myself ! As you stated you have your free hand to position the nozzle on the zerk and remove !

Although I do remember trying to get some air out of that gun, and I backed out the little screw at the end of the gun just a bit too far one time ! What a mess !

 

[Runner]

I just bit the bullet and bought the 12v Lincoln from Tractor Supply. Seems to work OK, but still couldn't get the fitting off the nipple on one of my finish mower spindles (the one that's two inches down through a little hole in the cover).

Wound up taking half the belt cover off so I could get a screwdriver under the fitting to pry it off. Looks like I'll keep doing that one with the old lever action manual gun. The fitting on the new gun does not seem to be able to unscrew for adjustment. I may have to switch it for one of my old ones that can be unscrewed to loosen the jaws.

Anyway, the electric one seems to put out lots of grease and I didn't have any priming problems with it.

 

[Scooby074]

Although I do remember trying to get some air out of that gun, and I backed out the little screw at the end of the gun just a bit too far one time ! What a mess !

Evening Scott
Ah yes, the famous bleed/fill screw Been there done that.. only once though Ive had pretty good luck getting that gun to prime most times. Amazing how fast that grease will come out that little hole with that spring behind it

 

[mjncad]

I have a lever type manual gun and I can't stand it since I don't have three hands. That's why I got the Lincoln 12v, to make my life easier.

 

[LRH]

As for the NAPA grease guns; the super cheapy ones are silver unpainted,from China, the better ones are dark blue and used to be supplied by Walker/Lincoln, but are now just labeled China or India, the top o the line model was for years supplied by the Alemite division of the Stewart-Warner Corp. I have 2 of the Alemite guns, 1 @ 17 years old and 1 at about 7-8 years old. Both work just fine. About 5 years ago the Alemite name vanished, but gun was still made in USA, about 3 years ago they also changed to made in China. Lincoln has sent all it's (floor jack) production machinery to China a few years back, but supposedly operates the plant themselves. I don't know about the grease guns, but the floor jacks have about a 60% failure rate in the first 90-180 days of service.

Another old name in grease/fluid dispensing products is Balcrank (not to be confused with NAPA Balkamp), but I am not sure they sell any hand pump stuff. NAPA does market some Balcrank items under the NAPA Balkamp service line, as do many professional tool warehouses.

 

[slaveToHorses]

Geez men, I have a few tractors, many implements, truck, various cars and vehicles, a few trailers and a whole bunch of nursery equipment. I have a lot of zerks. I still look at those electric and pneumatic grease guns and say to myself, why? This is coming from a gadget freak. I do want to have an excuse...

I have two manual guns, one trigger with a flex hose and one lever with a slight crook rigid hose. They are both high quality units. I have had the pistol one for well, ... hmm... must be a long time since I can't recall ever not having it. They have been dropped, thrown and generally abused. Between the two I can get at all my zerks. Some are in really devious places. Having the two guns is nice. I would rather have the two manuals than have only one powered (I think).

But so far I just can't justify a powered gun. I suppose if it made it more fun, but I just don't see that happening and if it requires any maintenance itself then forget it!

I don't have to think about it being charged or close to an air hose. Just how much of which grease it has in it.

Honestly, the best accessory for greasing is disposable gloves. Or paying someone else...

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

At work I use a 12V lincon. I love it. If you get one make sure not to leave the battery on the charger only recharge it when it starts slowing down. As for the manual guns a lever gun has more power than the pistol. As for needing three hands, add a second or longer hose so you can set the gun down while you are pumping it.

 

[AchingBack]

Stimw - by 'work it' you're not suggesting that I put my finger over the outlet hole with the air hooked up and hit the trigger - are you?

Just trying to follow what you are suggesting. Sorry - I might be missing something obvious.

No, don't do that. If you do, this could happen:
Astronauts end space walk marred by lost tool bag
AP Photo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A spacewalking astronaut accidentally let go of her tool bag Tuesday after a grease gun inside it exploded, and helplessly watched as the tote and everything inside floated away. It was one of the largest items ever to be lost by a spacewalker, and occurred during an unprecedented attempt to clean and lube a gummed-up joint at the international space station.