Grease for plastic components

Poignard

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I have had a hell of a job removing the large plastic backnut from a Whale Flipper galley pump. This is a very large plastic nut working on a plastic bodied pump. It had probably been overtightened when it was originally installed. Access is difficult as it is underneath the worktopand the situation is not helped by it needing a very large spanner. To avoid difficulty in future I thought I would grease the threads [and be careful not to overtighten it], but specialist plastic grease is very expensive, especially as I only need a tiny amount.

Anyone know of an alternative lubricant that might be found in the average domestic garage or kitchen [or bedside table /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif!]?
 

KenMcCulloch

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[ QUOTE ]
Silicon grese is the way to go, Vaseline tends to dry out

[/ QUOTE ] And the place to obtain it is a plumbers' merchant or B&Q; it's used for assembling some types of plastic waste-pipe joints.
 
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Anonymous

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I keep a small pot of TurboGel which is PTFE (Teflon) in silicone grease. Brilliant for lubricating large plastic zips, etc. Worth having a pot on board and in the toolbox at home and on the boat.

TurboGel thread
 

Krusty

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[ QUOTE ]
I keep a small pot of TurboGel which is PTFE (Teflon) in silicone grease. Brilliant for lubricating large plastic zips, etc. Worth having a pot on board and in the toolbox at home and on the boat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do too: excellent stuff for all kinds of 'plastics' under light/medium pressures but I found it lost its lubrication properties in some situations; e.g. haliard winches on the mast became stiff, and on strip-down the TurboGel had become dry and powdery: maybe by interaction with salt spray?
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for the warning. I use PTFE spray (dry) for running rigging, blocks, falls, etc. and it works like magic when things stiff /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Over £8 per can, tho', but you don't often use it and when you do it's worth every penny.
 

rutten

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from the bedside: for dry greasing use a candle. that will not attract dust or filth and is cheap whatever the quantity.
succes
 

Poignard

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Spoilt for choice!

Thanks for all the answers. As usual on the Forum, you get several helpful suggestions based on people's knowledge and experience.

Problem now is, which one to adopt!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Perhaps a cocktail of Turbogease, Vaseline, candle wax, Teflon spray.....
 
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Anonymous

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Re: Spoilt for choice!

You should have a pot of Vaseline to hand at all times. If you scratch some steel or a tool threatens to go rusty,..... a quick dab is excellent first aid.
 
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