Silicone grease in Dualco gun?

[scotsbikester]

I've got a big tub of this - Sealy silicone grease. I use it for rubber/plastic components (on and off the bike)

I've also got one of these - Dualco mini grease gun - which is currently loaded with axle bearing grease.

The silicone grease is pretty thick. Has anybody put very heavy grease in one of those Dualcos? To be clear, I'm thinking of buying another gun, not trying to use the one I've already got.

Thanks.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I get your question, but it's kinda weird. I cannot think of a single application where you have to inject silicone grease, via grease nipple. Where do you want to apply the rubber grease.

Yes that stuff is thick and I'm pretty sure it will not work with that type of grease gun. A standard piston-behind-the-grease gun will work - you knkow, those mastik type guns designed for inserting a soft sausage of mastik.

I've always just used a vetirinary syringe for such applications.

 

[scotsbikester]

I get your question, but it's kinda weird. I cannot think of a single application where you have to inject silicone grease, via grease nipple. Where do you want to apply the rubber grease.

Yes that stuff is thick and I'm pretty sure it will not work with that type of grease gun. A standard piston-behind-the-grease gun will work - you knkow, those mastik type guns designed for inserting a soft sausage of mastik.

I've always just used a vetirinary syringe for such applications.

I don't need to apply the grease "via grease nipple". I want a clean way to neatly apply a small amount of silicone grease to a component. At the moment I have to stick my finger in the hole in the cap and smear it on the component.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I don't need to apply the grease "via grease nipple". I want a clean way to neatly apply a small amount of silicone grease to a component. At the moment I have to stick my finger in the hole in the cap and smear it on the component.

OK, I understand. I think a grease gun is an overkill. Try a syringe. Trim bits off the nozzle until the hole is just big enough for your application. I think the Dualco will frustrate you. Their so-called self-activated priming is poor.

 

[scotsbikester]

OK, I understand. I think a grease gun is an overkill. Try a syringe. Trim bits off the nozzle until the hole is just big enough for your application. I think the Dualco will frustrate you. Their so-called self-activated priming is poor.

Thanks, I'll see what's available. They are certainly cheaper than the dualco. Ideally something with a large enough diameter that I can fill using the plastic-cap-with-a-hole-in-it thing. As spooning silicon grease out to fill is messy. I've just learned.

 

[scotsbikester]

OK, I understand. I think a grease gun is an overkill. Try a syringe. Trim bits off the nozzle until the hole is just big enough for your application. I think the Dualco will frustrate you. Their so-called self-activated priming is poor.

Many thanks for the advice. I found 3 syringes for £9, less than half the price of a Dualco: syringes

It says single use, but I assume that's just for hygiene purposes. The opening to fill it is nice and big, so fits over the hole-in-plastic-cap that the tube of silicone grease has, in common with lots of other tubs of grease type stuff.

In fact, I wish I hadn't bothered with the Dualco and Park mini grease guns I bought, I think these may well turn out to be as good.
I've already used one for the silicone, and another for Copaslip.

 

[figbat]

One thing you may encounter is incompatibility between the grease and the plunger seal. Not a big deal really but could lead to the seal swelling, shrinking or otherwise decomposing.

 

[Drago]

I get your question, but it's kinda weird. I cannot think of a single application where you have to inject silicone grease, via grease nipple.

You're clearly not a regular gimp suit wearer.

 

[scotsbikester]

One thing you may encounter is incompatibility between the grease and the plunger seal. Not a big deal really but could lead to the seal swelling, shrinking or otherwise decomposing.

Would that apply to silicone? I was under the impression, maybe incorrectly, that mineral oil was harmful to plastic and rubber. Anyway, we'll see.

I've actually made an error there, vastly overfilling the silicone one. It'll be ages before I get through all that. Unless, as Drago hints, I start getting invited to different parties.

 

[figbat]

Would that apply to silicone? I was under the impression, maybe incorrectly, that mineral oil was harmful to plastic and rubber. Anyway, we'll see.

I've actually made an error there, vastly overfilling the silicone one. It'll be ages before I get through all that. Unless, as Drago hints, I start getting invited to different parties.

Silicone is pretty safe but it does depend on what elastomer is used in the seal.