What Are Lubricating Tools?

When operating machinery or tools that contain moving parts and surfaces, there will often be a need for lubrication to deter the harmful effects of friction. It is important that lubrication is applied with care to ensure correct amounts, and there tools such as grease guns, also known as grease oilers or grease pumps, that are specifically designed for smearing surfaces with the help of a lubrication fitting. In this blog, we will discuss the common lubricating tools that one may use, allowing you to see which may be best for your particular needs or application.

The grease gun is the tool of choice when working with grease, and they apply the lubricant through a nozzle that correlates with the fitting in question. If used in a professional setting, it is likely that the grease gun will be electrically or pneumatically powered, though many simplistic versions require manual operation. As manually operated grease guns are the most commonly available type, we will discuss their operations in particular. Hand-operated grease guns feature one of two loading styles, the first requiring one to remove a cap so that the body can be filled with grease. This method can often lead to messes, as well as open up the chance of contamination if dirt and moisture enters the lubricative chamber.

The other loading style involves the removal of the cap from the handle so that grease can be inserted with a loader or bucket-type pump. The handgun loader is a heavier container featuring a manually operated pump and a fitting that will mate with the opening situated on the grease gun handle. The loader will only begin to pump lubricants into the gun when the tool is placed on the loader valve, and it is capable of transferring one pound of grease for every seven pump strokes. While requiring more tools, the fact that contamination and messes are avoided is highly beneficial. Based on the fitting in question, it is important to have the correct nozzle. Most of the time, couplers and adapters may be used to ensure compatibility.

Depending on the application in question, a grease gun may or may not be a suitable choice. For example, in a gun mount roller path situation, a grease gun will not be suitable as its size may not be able to accommodate the need for a large quantity of lubrication. If a system or assembly needs multiple lubricant types, then it is recommended that one utilizes multiple grease guns, each loaded with a separate type of lubricant.

For the general process of adding a lubricant to an assembly, it is important that one first utilizes a lubricant chart so that the fitting in question can be identified. From there, the fitting should be cleaned with a lint-free cloth before the required lubricant is applied. It is important that you do not add an excessive amount of lubrication, as it can result in excessive heat. Once application is finished, any excess grease should be cleaned off before checking the fitting on your tracking chart.

Whether you are in search of grease gun tools and parts or lubrication supplies, we can help you secure all you require at ASAP Industrials with rapid lead times and competitive pricing. Sourcing our inventory from leading global manufacturers that we trust, we present over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find components that are ready for purchase from our database at any time. To begin the purchasing process, first request a quote for your comparisons through the submission of an RFQ form. Once received, you can expect a customized solution that caters to your needs in just 15 minutes or less.

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