How to Use a Grease Gun

Depending on the type of grease gun you are using, cordless, pneumatic or manual grease gun, you’ll first need to fill it with grease or lubricant before using it. In some older grease guns the grease was manually added to the gun from a grease drum, but most newer grease guns use a replaceable grease cartridge.

Most lubricants designed for use with grease guns today are normally sold in cartridges. The grease cartridge fits directly into a tight-fitting tube or cylinder on the body or handle of the grease gun itself. A plunger mechanism below the cartridge is often used to help release the old grease cartridge and fix the new one in place as well as priming it for use.

It’s important to note that there are many different types of lubricants and greases made for use in grease guns, and various different grease gun cartridge sizes available. You’ll need to know the recommended grease or lubricant type for the job or machine you are working on.

How to Replace a Grease Gun Cartridge

  • Unscrew the cylinder from the body of the grease gun and remove the old grease cartridge
  • Insert the new lubricant cartridge into the grease gun tube.
  • Open the tube from one end, inserting this end down in the cylinder, then opening the other end
  • Screw the refilled tube back onto the body of the grease gun until tight, then back it off one full turn
  • Push the plunger back in and re-tighten the threaded cylinder onto the body of the grease gun
  • For different grease types, pump a small quantity of new grease through the nozzle of the grease gun to clear out old grease

Once your grease gun has been fitted with a new lubricator cartridge, the way to use it will depend largely on which type of grease-gun you have. In the case of most manual or lever operated grease guns, just attach the grease gun nozzle firmly to a grease nipple fitting on the bearing you want to lubricate and apply steady pressure until you’ve dispensed the appropriate amount of grease into the bearing. For pneumatic or air-powered grease guns, you will need to get them set up correctly and attached to the appropriate air compressor first.

Best Practice Tips for using Grease Guns

  • Always wear protective safety glasses and gloves when using grease guns, as the lubricant will be often pressurised
  • Don’t mix old and new grease types – use only the correct type of grease for the job or application
  • Check that the grease gun you’re using is approved for the type of lubricant
  • If you have multiple grease guns for different lubricants or applications, mark them clearly
  • When loading a new grease cartridge be careful not to introduce any contaminants which could damage the bearing.
  • Always ensure that the grease gun nozzle is clean and clear of old material before applying any new grease
  • Make sure grease nipples and fittings on the equipment to be greased are clean before attaching the grease gun nozzle
  • Make sure all couplers, threading, and connections are closed tightly but not over-tightened as this could cause failures in pressure and flow
  • Always clean up any grease spillages immediately as grease left around on surfaces and floors can be a hazard
  • Store grease guns and cartridges upright in a cool and dry environment. Ideally
  • Place a cap or over on grease nozzles and grease couplers to minimise the risk of contamination

With a variety of grease dispensers on offer, GF Plant Spare’s grease guns come in different capacities, styles and pressures. Contact Gary at 086-253-2715 for more information or send your inquiry through the Ask a Question form.

Grease Guns for Sale Ireland

If you’re in the market for a grease gun in Ireland for your workshop at home or on the job site, GF Plant Spares in Longford offer a range of heavy-duty quality made grease guns and lubrication tools.

Grease guns are handy tools used for applying lubricants and greases to various mechanical or moving parts in machinery. They are widely used by mechanics, engineers, DIY’ers and hobbyists alike. Grease guns are designed to deliver lubrication in the form of grease under pressure, forcing it into areas of a rotary bearing through a grease nipple which may otherwise be very difficult to reach without disassembly. In general, grease guns are used in auto maintenance, heavy plant and equipment, agricultural vehicles or equipment, industrial plant and factory processing systems (such as conveyors and other goods-handling machinery) and in home DIY applications such as lawn-mower or chainsaw maintenance etc.

Grease guns dispense grease to lubricate various parts of plant and machinery but by far their most common use is on non-sealed bearings, which require regular top-ups of lubricating grease. Grease ensures moving parts are not directly rubbing against each other and don’t create too much friction. Depending on the machine or equipment design, many areas can be incredibly hard to apply grease and this is where grease guns can aid in greasing these tight areas quickly and with minimal effort. There are many types of grease guns on the market in Ireland, including battery powered grease guns, air powered grease guns or simple manual grease guns.

Grease Gun Types

  • Cordless Grease Guns –  also known as battery-powered grease guns, are similar to the manual guns except that the battery pack provides the power to create the required pressure build-up for greasing.
  • Hand Pump Grease Guns – also known as lubrication grease pump, features a pressurised pump piston or handle as part of the gun, which is primed before use to create a build-up of pressure, and then released via a trigger mechanism to force the grease or lubricant through the fitting.
  • Manual Grease Guns – also known as lever grease guns, are operated via a simple pressure trigger mechanism, enabling the user to control the force and flow rate of grease through their own physical squeezing force.
  • Pneumatic Grease Guns – also known as air-powered grease guns, attach to an air compressor via a length of hose, and provide greater power and speed for industrial or larger commercial greasing or lubricating applications

Cordless grease guns are usually more expensive than manual lever or trigger style grease guns, however, in many machine applications a cordless grease gun will help you complete the greasing job a lot faster.

GF Plant Spares stock a wide range of high quality cordless, pneumatic, and manual grease guns. There are many attachments such as extension hose, adaptors, grease gun couplers or replacement batteries that you can also purchase to enhance the grease gun’s capability.

Air Grease Gun or Manual Grease Gun

Unlike battery powered grease guns and air powered grease guns, manual grease guns have a relatively small and lighter form-factor, this allows them to be easily transported, maneuvered, and contorted into tight clearances in machinery. They are ideally suited to low-volume greasing; while they offer greater control over the amount of grease dispensed, however, you can quickly become tired using one on a large lubrication job.

Battery and pneumatic (air powered) grease guns are much more powerful and effective when dispensing a large volume of grease. They eliminate user fatigue and reduce the time required for greasing.

With a variety of grease dispensers on offer, GF Plant Spare’s grease guns come in different capacities, styles and pressures. Contact Gary at 086-253-2715 for more information or send your inquiry through the Ask a Question form.

September Cordless Greasegun Offer

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SEPTEMBER SPECIAL OFFER

20% off all Alemite Cordless Grease Guns during the month of September 2016

  • Alemite 585 14.4 Volt €250
  • Alemite 586 20 Volt €300
  • Alemite 595 18 Volt €350

All Prices ex vat and only while stocks last.

Order yours now at 086-253-2715