What Are Grease Guns?
A grease gun is used for lubrication purposes and is one of the most common tools. The tool is used in workshops and garages and is great for different applications. It comes in a handy design that lets you use it for mechanical parts. Whether for professional purposes or hobbyists, grease guns are suitable for different practices. It comes with a rotary bearing and there are also different types of grease guns.
Where You Utilize Grease Guns?
As we have said a grease gun can be great for different applications. You can easily use it for professional purposes or DIY works. It lets you use it for agricultural equipment, auto maintenance, processing systems, landscaping, and gardening. The main purpose of using a grease gun is to lubricate the bearing or joint so that there will be improved precision.
Steps to Use Grease Guns?
It is important to know how to handle a grease gun. You will have to keep in mind that you have to fill it with lubricant or grease. Although it is a simple process, one has to do it correctly for having a smooth operation. Grease gun lubricants are usually available in cartridges. It offers better convenience as you can slot them directly into the body of grease gun. It adopts the plunger mechanism which helps to release the existing cartridge and replace it with a new one.
However, there are different kinds of grease and lubricants available for grease guns. Each of these can be suitable for different purposes. Even the cart sizes can vary accordingly. It is important to learn what type of grease will actually serve the purpose. It is also advisable to use grease guns effectively with protective gloves and safety glasses. You must be careful while loading as it is vulnerable to contaminants that can damage the bearing. Keep the nozzle clean and try to prevent spillages. You must store the cartridges and grease guns in a cool and dry environment.
The following is the process on how to replace the cartridge of a grease gun. You will have to note that most of grease guns have the same operating mechanism
Step 1 – Begin by pulling the plunger back. You will have to rest it in the tool body’s catch.
Step 2 – Now you need to unscrew the body from the head. In some cases, it can have an old grease tube which you will have to remove.
Step 3 – Remove the existing grease cartridge and open a latest lubricant cartridge. You will have to insert the new lubricant cartridge into the tube. Before doing, it is important to check the manufacturer guidelines.
Step 4 – In the next step, you will have to screw refilled tube tightly. Follow it by giving one full turn.
Step 5 – Re-tighten the cylinder to the grease gun’s body by pushing the plunger back.
Step 6 – Check the nozzle by pumping a small quantity of lubricant. This is in case you happen to replace old grease with new grease.
When it comes to usage, it completely depends upon the type of tool. For manual grease guns, you can attach a nozzle to the grease fitting. Following this, you will have to apply steady pressure so that the right quantity of grease will be dispensed. When it comes to pneumatic grease guns, all you have to do is to set them correctly with the appropriate generator or compressor.
How Do Grease Guns Operate?
You will have to get yourself acquainted with how a grease gun works. It is important to know the tool as well as its application. A grease gun comes with a barrel or tool body, plunger, head or the actuator assembly, and hose at the end. In some cases, it will also feature a rigid nozzle. There are grease guns where the crank opens and closes. Additionally, some will let you use it with the help of hand pressure.
One of the best things about grease guns is that it offers many options due to the availability of different models. Even though it looks similar, there are different types of grease guns.
What Are the Types of Grease Guns?
There are different types of grease guns available with different configurations.
Pneumatic grease guns – These are air-powered models that offer great power. It can be perfect for commercial applications and is usually attached to a compressor through the hose.
Hand pump grease gun – In a hand pump grease gun, you will find a piston or a pressurized pump handle. It comes with a trigger mechanism that helps the lubricant to flow.
Lever grease guns – A lever grease gun has a pressure trigger mechanism. It has a manual operation and allows you to control the force with the physical squeezing force.
Battery-powered grease guns – Even battery-powered grease gun offers the same functionality. However, you don’t have to worry about applying pressure.
1. Pneumatic Grease Guns
When you use a pneumatic grease gun, you can have maximum convenience. It is also quick to operate and many people also refer to it as an “air pressure grease gun”. A pneumatic grease gun is air-powered which can force the lubricant with the required pressure. It is an automatic model as it does not require manual effort.
How a pneumatic grease gun works is that it offers highly pressurized air through the airline or hose. It is the force that makes the grease flow from the outlet nozzle. However, there is a high risk of injury or component damage when pneumatic grease guns are used incorrectly. For this reason, it is important to have extreme care and experience while using the tool.
2. Manual Grease Guns
A manual grease gun is easy to use when compared to a pneumatic grease gun. Also known as a lever grease gun, it lets you control the lubricant flow with the piston or handle. What makes it more reliable than the pneumatic grease gun is that you don’t have to connect it to any external devices. Often it is the force that indicates the pressure level and speed.
3. Hand Pump Grease Guns
Hand pump grease guns also have a manual operation. However, it features an additional trigger mechanism that will unlock the grease flow. It comes in the form of a pistol grip grease gun so that there will be appropriate pressure. A hand pump grease gun is a blend of convenience as it can exert the right amount of force. However, many models can come in fully automatic or manual design.
Conclusion
Grease guns can be a perfect tool for mechanical parts. However, it is important to have the right type of grease gun for the purpose. You must be fully aware of how to use a grease gun after going through the above article. Always calculate the right amount of grease required for re-lubrication of bearings. You need to handle things carefully and keep the dispensing nozzle clean. Make sure that you use the proper grease at the right grease point. Never store the grease gun unpressurized.
