Press Lube

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battman4312

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What kindve lube do you guys use for your press? I know the Hornady One shot stuff is specifically marketed for their press but its a little expensive (Maybe not for some of you but $8 a can and not being readily available makes it worse)

So what have you guys used for initial cleaning and lubricating of your press and how often would you said it should be greased?


Thanks.

(I have a Hornady in case that wasnt apparent)
 
Whatever is nearby. Typically I oil my guns with 3-in-1 and use it for other household chores like on the press. I've even used - *GASP* - WD40, and not had any issues.

Usually I don't oil it unless I notice it binding or dragging or otherwise just not doing something right.
 
I use white lithium on the ram, Breakfree on the pivots. The reason is they are what I have handy since I use them for my guns.

The lubricant doesn't make near as much difference as keeping the parts lubed so they don't run dry.
 
EEZOX Lube..

I bought, on closeout, from MidWay USA, a large quantity of Eezox all purpose lube. Let me tell you--it is the BEST.. A lot like BreakFree CLP, but I think better.
I use it on my guns, press, and almost anything that I want to clean/lube.
Google up Eezox and read up on it...I think it's GREAT...Bill.;)
 
I've even used - *GASP* - WD40, and not had any issues.
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That's a bad idea since WD40 is a penetrating lube it will work out in a hurry. It's good to clean the grit off the ram etc. and to get things moving freely, but that's about it since it offers no friction protection.
 
For close tolerances I use Breakfree.

For loose tolerances I use synthetic motor oil.

For areas that will never see the light of day, I use Lubriplate or other heavy grease.
 
On the ram of the LNL-AP I use a syn grease. Note on this press you lube it when the ram is all the way up so the grease will get in the grove. I only do it once every 2k rounds or sessions. As for the shell holder plate I use the One Shot . Have used light grease in the past as well as oil, but if you spill any powder you have to clean it up right away. With the one shot you just keep on truckin.

Lube for guns are a very different story..
 
The lubricant doesn't make near as much difference as keeping the parts lubed so they don't run dry.
Click to expand...

This is the essence of reloader lubing. I use Dexron ATF, 3-in-1 Oil, 30 wt motor oil, CLP or whatever is at the front of the lube shelf. I wipe it down with a clean cloth/rag after any de-priming session (on single-stage & Dillon 550) then lightly lube the ram with a clean cloth dampened with the lube du jour. If I load clean de-primed cases, I check it after a few hundred rds to make sure it hasn't dried or gotten dirty from another source. Once in a blue moon I disassemble the ram and handle from the press, clean everything with brake cleaner or the like, lightly lube & reassemble. Then I might use a grease like Mobil 1 synthetic (because I have some) or Lubri-Plate (same reason) or GI rifle grease (yep, same reason) on the pivot points. Mike Dillon recommends 30 wt motor oil on his presses, nothing more, so refer to the quote above for the straight skinny. If you have a burning desire to read 10,000 posts, search THR for recommend lubes on your _______ (fill in the blank).
;)
 
I use heavy grease via the grease fittings and regular gun oil on any other metal surface that isn't oiled by the fittings.

WD-40?? I was under the impression that WD-40 is not a lubricant, but simply a water displacer. Once the WD-40 dries there is no lubrication to speak of, save for what was not cleaned off from the last lube job. Please correct me if I am wrong.
 
WD-40 was made as a water displacement and surface protector for the aircraft industry. It is a blend containing solvent that cleans the surface and displaces water. Another ingredient is a lubricant similar to paraffin which acts as a surface protectant. WD-40 is a light lubricant, but there are far better lubes on the market.
 
S T P is what i lube my press with. it clings like crazy, and i have always been a fan of it since i tried the screwdriver test back in the late 60's. if you can not pick up a screwdriver with it on your fingers, it certainly should be able to lube something as slow moving as a loading press!
 
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