Topics include, Machine Tools & Tooling, Precision Measuring, Materials and their Properties, Electrical discussions related to machine tools, setups, fixtures and jigs and other general discussion related to amateur machining.
I'm re-structuring my tool storage to cut down the number of little Kennedy 520's and similar boxes. Trying to build something more vertical.
I got a Kennedy mechanics rollaway for cheap. Going to put some other drawer units on top of it.
It's nice for machinist tools too, because unlike most mechanics boxes, it has a number of narrow drawers and not just all deep ones:
The drawers are friction slides. The drawers with micrometers and rulers are OK, but when you get to the bottom and you have things like angle blocks, the drawers are hard to pull out.
Any recommendations for drawer lube?
I realize that I could have bought one from Horror Freight with ball-bearing slides, and theirs are nice and a good value, but have too many deep drawers:
Years ago I came across a really good deal on a Lyonn (IIRC?) high density storage box, think Lista/Vidmar storage. Anyway, it was perfect for my almost identical need with something like 21 drawers, most being 1.5" deep (again, IIRC) and lined with dense felt. Came from Honeywell, probably used for the same type of storage. Anyway, to get to my point, the deeper drawers at the bottom were perfect for my 123, 1x2x12, angle blocks, heaver girder parallels, and so on. The very very bottom one became virtually a solid chunk of steel/iron about 2" deep. That's a lot of mass resisting from inertia alone, and still opens/closes with one finger, assuming someone shows some dedication to achieving it with 1 finger. For a lesser ball bearing box, like my tall HF (which also has a lot of shallow drawers used for single layer general/automotive tool storage) I don't think that would be a good idea. For a slider box (like my old early 80s Craftsman Professional), I think it's an utterly lost cause regardless of any grease or mechanism applied. Of course you may not desire to pack that tightly, but still...
All that said, years back I dismantled my old Craftsman (back when they used thick steel, good casters, and good slides) to clean and refurbish the slides. I used automotive NLGI 2 bearing grease, which turned to be not so good an idea. Didn't slide so well, buggered up, and collected dust. Soon it was worse than before I did the work. Tear down again, clean all that mess up and flush out the slides, then sprayed with a Teflon dry(int) lube. That has worked well enough, but that box is now for house/wood/framing/drywall/paint storage, so not much load. But if I were to repurpose it for something like you describe, I think the Teflon drying spray lube would be my choice again.
I use silicone grease. I have a Proto, Craftsman, and Armstrong boxes & rollaways all with sliders.
The silicone grease isn't sticky like regular grease, so it doesn't have an affinity for dust. It also doesn't harden up like regular greases do as fast. And, you can give them a shot or two now & then with silicone spray to relube without all the hassle.
I haven't tried the silicone grease, but sounds like a good choice to me. Not sure on the dry paste, never used that either.
But I happened to recall one thing I have heard recommended and tried in the past, that I no longer ever use, is White Lithium grease. I absolutely hate that stuff. Everything I've ever saw it used on I count a failure due to the way it hardens and leaves surfaces virtually unprotected (lubed), at least hear in the desert SW. I just had to dig a bunch out of my latest expedition truck build rear gate window regulator, which was all but seized up (and badly worn/galled) due to lack of lubrication while providing roughly a pint jar of hard white useless crumbles.
That's a problem with most greases, and why I started using the silicone years ago.
Stuff I have is Dow #33. We used it in the V-nozzles on the fire suppression systems, so when the plastic caps got knocked or blown off, there was still something to plug the nozzle and keep the water & muck out. And....it would remain pliable, so if the system had to be used, the grease would still blow out.
I had a tube, so I tried it.
I was just reading on the suggestions from Magicniner. Looking at the "Molybdenum Disulphide 60% Dry Paste", I noted it in certain anti-seize products, and it reminded me of someone somewhere suggesting that anti-seize (perhaps this?) was fantastic for certain lubrication uses. Just a vague memory, not sure about this one.
But that Tungsten Disulphide powder, wow what a job to use, particularly in a home/small shop. I found 2 related pages that describe some of it's application methods. One Two
Regular moly grease hardens up, but attracts dust before it does. I tried the Moly-Dryslide, but you have to apply it way to often. Works great for a little while. I never tried the dry paste.
They do make silicone grease with moly in it, but I never tried any of that either.
Anti-Seize will harden up exposed to the air. It's what I use in my ratchets though, as it lasts a lot longer than regular greases. Might be worth a try.
Tungsten Disulphide is a bit above my pay grade and patience....
I just remembered something else (my memory is terrible). I actually have used silicone grease quite a lot, for pumps, valves, and o-rings; mostly around my pool. I now also recall using it on some weather-pack connectors to ease operation and insure air tight seal. But never for general mechanical/machine/bearing use. Not sure why that didn't click sooner.
What I'm finding on that Dow #33 is "Dow Corning Molykote 33", which sometimes seems referred to as a thickened silicone grease, sometimes silicone is not mentioned. But the name seems focused on "Moly". Is that the stuff? And I'm wondering, since I'm inside the doors and gate refurbing (or replacing) window regulators, is that an environment you think that this stuff would work well? I was planning on just leaving the factory stuff in the NOS regulator I'm putting in, but on the reworks, was planning on the spray on dry teflon. Big difference from under a cap that might get displaced in a wet environment.
I also tried the Moly-Dryslide a long time ago, and didn't like it for the reason listed. The Teflon dry-on stuff seems better, but I've only been using it for a few years, so can't yet say for sure on long term. I have some "Tri-flow" spray that is fantastic as a sort of "loosen it up now without disassembling" penetrating like lubricant, but again, no idea long term viability, and haven't relied on it in a long term hard to service solution.
That must be the stuff....the last tube I'm using is pretty old. I had several...one in this tool box....one in another. MolyKote must have been bought by Dow....or something.
It is silicone, and the stuff I have is medium. Nice pretty pink stuff in a toothpaste tube. No mention of moly in it....and no black either.
Good thing about it...is it lasts a lot longer than conventional greases, and water doesn't wash it out. I use it in electric motors among other things. Places where you don't grease often, or don't want to. I used it when I replaced the tailgate latch on my pickup, and on a sticky door latch on the Explorer.
Used it in a bathroom fan motor, that didn't want to turn more than 6 RPM anymore. That was 15 years ago.....still zippin' along.
Spendy....so I use it where it seems like a better solution than other lubes.
