extractor lubrication

[twb]

Do you get food grade lube?  Then do you need a food grade lube gun to apply it?  What all needs to be greased?  I have a Dadant 6 frame motorized that I purchased used.

[Brian D. Bray]

Do you get food grade lube?  Then do you need a food grade lube gun to apply it?  What all needs to be greased?  I have a Dadant 6 frame motorized that I purchased used.

A little FGMO (Food Grade Mineral Oil) will work for lubracating your extractor.  There is a food grade grease available, I forget thebrand  name, check with restuarant/bakery supply houses.

[HAB]

Rossman Apiaries
Food Grade Lubricant @ $7.00 Tube

[twb]

Yup, I actually bought some grease in a tube thinking I could use a caulking gun to apply it.  Oops, I see now that I need a grease gun of coarse.  But the grease guns I saw this week at the big box store have their own lube on them to make the lever work properly so I wondered if there are food grade grease guns available for this application.  Could I get by without a grease gun altogether?

And, what do you actually grease on the extractor?

[heaflaw]

It seems like a waste of money to buy a grease gun for the food grade grease when you will probably only use it once every year of two.  Is there a better way?

[Greg Peck]

Steps to use if you dont have a grease gun

1- Open end of grease tube {normally there is a plastic end that will come off and go back on when you are done)
2- Place finger in grease and rub on extractors gears or other friction spots.
3- Put plastic cap back on grease tube.

The only reason you would need a grease gun would be if you have grease fittings on your equipment

The grease gun pumps grease through the fitting so if you dont have fittings all the gun will do for you is dispense grease. You can do the same thing with your finger.

[Pi]

Just get some Crisco or veg oil.  It's food grade of course, and it'll get you through unless you have a large operation.
Works for me and my one day per year use.

[Michael Bush]

I use crisco.

[greg spike]

Vegetable oils can go rancid and add off aromas, nothing wrong with it if used sparingly, and cleaned often. When I was a brewer, i used vasiline to lube seals and mecanicals. It's safe, but not rated for consumption.(Don't make biscuts out of it)
Non-scented baby oil can be a good subsitute for food grade mineral oil very good for sharpening knives, again, safe but not food grade.
Remember to use even food grade stuff sparingly, even fgmo will give some the trotts if too much is consumed.