It is new to me having a vise on the back of my truck. I literally take it apart every few weeks and add a bunch more lube and before long it will feel dried out again. Dust all over where I drive of course. Right now I am using white lithium in a spray can because that's what I had laying around. There must be something better or more appropriate.
Is an option to have it on a removable mount? Mine slots in vertical receiver mounts in the back bumper. I have one either side. It stays in the back when not in use. My last truck had it bolted to the bumper and it was dusty as hell through summer and covered in snow through winter. I had a cover but didn't find the cover helped that much.
I use Moly type grease because Moly impregnates the surface contact areas...Wilton vise 28yrs old, couple times per re-paint... Mounting on both sides, thumbs up...that is handy.
Napa Sil-Glyde? Supposed to be waterproof, I think it's silicone/glycol compound. Comes in a squeeze tube.
Electrical NoOx grease. Easiest most convenient one is always in my truck toolbox (LOL) and is sold also at HD as well as electrical supply. The grease doesn't dry up, we use this on all exterior parts of the equipment as typical grease regardless of this one or that one or assembly lube or antisieze or whatever simply dries up and tends to remind me of old caulking when I remove the fastener. Thus the NoOx solution.
Dry film graphite-impregnated silicone lube would be my choice. Dust and contamination would not stick to it.
5th wheel lube AKA "Jet lube" ? https://www.permatex.com/products/lubricants/permatex-fifth-wheel-lubricant/
This is the stuff. Best part about it is that within seconds of application it is dry to the touch so dust, etc, won't stick to it ....... https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/en/product/MOLY-DRY-FILM-AEROSOL-13-OZ/_/R-LCT39895
How about a canvas bag and wrap that rascal.
just pull it out once or twice a year spring and fall and clean up threads quickly and brush the heck out of it with anti-seize. for me it stays pretty good all year even with the salt and de icing brine hitting it.
well no one asked is it a sealed vice or just a standard bench vise
It is just a regular Wilton vise, I didn't even know there were sealed ones.
I use this ring and pinion, chain, gear and cable grease in a spray can. Works great. Two times a month I pull the cable out of my one ton service crane, and grease it along with the turntable. I also do my rigid pipe vise too works great Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fluid Film?
'Cling' grease, or wire rope grease, is the stuff in the spray cans. Some sort of bituminous stuff is added to the grease so it sticks permanently to what it is sprayed onto. Good stuff.
I agree with Nige. I was going to suggest spray graphite. Andrew
x2 on the graphite, also great to lube locks so they don't freeze Fluid film is good, I also like motor cycle chain lube for things like this.
I usually did mine twice a year with whatever grease was around. I must have been really spoiled. Dusty yes, but never had a lock freeze and no salt. If its that cold, we just stay home.
We used spray dry-film graphite as a PM tool on (amongst others) door locks, door, panel & hood hinges, seat rails & suspension mechanism pivots, and grader circles. IIRC the kit that came from the warehouse to the shop with all the filters for a PM also had an aerosol of spray graphite in it as part of the PM kit and usually the whole can got used in one PM.
Yea where I worked head office was just outside of Dallas, we always got a kick out of it when we got the email message saying the head office was closed due to weather! 10º F and 6 to 8 inches of snow is almost shirt sleeve weather for us!
Why not drill and tap a couple of holes for grease fittings ?
Wish I could say that.
I got a can of spray on moly based lube from McMaster to use on a couple rack-and-pinions under a table saw, and NOTHING sticks to it, not even that super-fine MDF dust. Not sure how it handles water though.
Fluid film works decent but collects. The Amsoil Metal Protector works similarly but has a solvent and dries firm and does not attract or collect
Slip-Plate. I think it's about like the stuff Nige was talking about.
While researching wear resistant coatings... http://hpcutah.com/coatings/unusual-item-ceramic-coated-work-bench-vise-in-polished-aluminum/
Wait, isn't rain a lubricant? Cosmoline might help, its a rust inhibitor I spray on finished engine parts sometimes. The dry film silicone stuff sounds like a good idea though...
Hasn't been a drop of rain here for months and none in the forecast. The amount of dust building up on everything is unbelievable.
That is going to NORMAL!
Birken, Old thread, but, I went dirt bike riding the other day, and as I sprayed chain lube on the chain... I remembered your question! The dirt bike chain lube isn't messy, clear with only a little greenish color, it sticks really well and is very persistent, and it doesn't seem to attract dust. And you prob already have a can of it.
I actually just started a website dedicated to mostly restoring and maintaining vises....I'll add a section on lubrication after seeing this. I haven't published the section on the shop tools and techniques for restoring/fixing them, but some of that is included in the blog posts. It's http://mivise.com if you want to poke around and look at pictures. If your Wilton doesn't have a round body it's not sealed....the Tradesman line is what's most commonly seen on work trucks for the pipe jaws, and fact that they're sealed from the weather (mostly).
This is great, nice site. I must have seen some of your restorations for sale on Ebay. I have 3 Wilton bullets, one which is missing the end cap, that back cap of the bullet is how I describe it, its preventing the vise from expanding on its own, where can I source one of these end caps?
This is great, nice site. I must have seen some of your restorations for sale on Ebay. I have 3 Wilton bullets, one which is missing the end cap, that back cap of the bullet is how I describe it, its preventing the vise from expanding on its own, where can I source one of these end caps?
Thanks! It still needs a lot of work, but it's getting there. I've only sold one vise on eBay so far, and just listed another, but I may try more in the future. I really like finding them and fixing them up more than keeping them. A factory end cap or dust cover can be hard to find for anything but the newest models, but some folks use an engine block freeze plug of the correct size....it doesn't look quite right, but will work. If you want the best solution you can order a cap machined out of solid steel from Kevin at www.wiltonviseparts.net They cost more, but won't ever dent, which is nice. If you look at his site there's an option to get the partially finished version you can clean up with a grinder and flap disc that saves you something like 20%. If you have trouble sorting that out, give him a call....he's a super nice guy.