Find the Perfect Specialized Lubricants 5 Tips to Help You

Tips On Finding The Perfect Specialized Lubricants

No matter how specialized they may claim to be, if you pick the wrong lubricants to use in your industrial equipment, you're going to wind up with a real problem! However, there is a ton of information about specialized lubricants floating around, and unfortunately, most of it practically requires a degree in Rocket Science to understand.

So, is there an easier way to wind up with the perfect lubricants for your specific needs?

Yes! Just follow these five tips:

1. Figure out the correct criteria for each lubricant

It's always a great idea to start with your owner's manual for recommendations!

If you're looking at oil, the first thing you need to look at is the viscosity (thickness). Once you've found a viscosity that's right for your equipment, you can move on to other factors -- for instance, whether or not it's biodegradable.

When it comes to grease, viscosity (aka NLGI) is also the first thing you need to look at. From there, though, you can look for other options -- like whether or not it's shear-stable, water-resistant, waterproof, has the proper tackiness, or whether or not it contains ingredients that enable it to withstand higher temperatures. For example, Schaeffer adds copper and graphite to some of its greases so that it can handle very extreme temperatures.

2. Don't forget about the additives

We touched on additives briefly with the Schaeffer grease example in Tip #1, but additives are so important that they require some more in-depth discussion. After all, they can dramatically change a lubricant's texture and effectiveness!

For example, grease can become thicker, thinner, or water-resistant depending on which polymer is used. Certain additives can make it safe to use on industrial food equipment, while other additives can minimize dust's impact on your mining equipment. Or, if you've got certain additives in your hydraulic oil, they can remove the varnish so that it keeps the hydraulic system clean in your logging equipment.

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all additive! Instead, you'll have to think about what kind of work you're doing and what kind of circumstances you're doing it in.

3. Check out the shelf life

Some types of Schaeffer grease can sit on your shelf for up to 4 years and still be just as effective as the day you bought them. Others, however, aren't quite as "shelf-friendly." That drum of oil sitting out in the barn covered in dust and cobwebs probably is too old to use. Before you buy any type of specialized lubricant, figure out how much you'll use in a week, a month, or a year, and then figure out if you'll be able to use all of it before it starts to lose its punch. After all, those big, industrial-sized containers of lubricant don't do you any good if you throw half of the contents away!

4. Figure out if "high performance" translates to the correct performance for your needs

It's one thing to say that a particular type of biodegradable hydraulic oil works in extreme temperatures. Still, it's a whole other thing to read the fine print and double-check that it will be able to withstand the high temperatures at your job site.

The same goes for pressure extremes. Before you can add a lubricant to your machinery, you need to make sure that your equipment falls within the lubricant's extremes.

5. Learn how it needs to be applied

Some specialized lubricants are especially convenient because you can add them manually or load them into an automatic lube system. Just make sure you know exactly how to add the lubricant before you buy it so that you don't risk damaging any of your equipment!

It would be best if you also found out how often your specialized lubricant needs to be maintained.  You've got to know precisely what to look for, though. For example, when it comes to hydraulic oil, you'll be given a drain interval -- which is a fancy way of describing the amount of time you can go between maintenance.

You can count on Schaeffer Oil Manufacturing Company when it comes to reliability and quality.  Find Schaeffer oil for sale here at stores.buy1oils.com

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