Greasing your reload case.

Found some lengthy discussion on this forum about greasing "O" rings but not alot about reload cases. I know one guy in our local club uses only vaseline, others swear by Slick 50. I don't need any more discussion on the "O" rings, just what you all use to grease your reload cases, if you grease them at all, or what you use to clean them up afterwards. Thanks.

I'll use vaseline [or whatever generic equivalent] on the liner tube if its a tight fit, especially with my 29-40/120 casing that I bought in 1991, it needs all the help it can get.

For cleaning, I'll use the occasion of the night before the next launch to suddenly realize that I never cleaned out any motor casings due to being too lazy or too tired from a long drive home after the last one. I grab whatever flathead screwdriver is within reach to begin separating the old liner tube which has no vaseline between it and the inside of the reload case because I didn't think that far ahead when assembling it on the launch site all those months ago. I then use needle-nose pliers to get a grip on any piece of the paper liner tube, and pull out a piece of liner tube not much bigger than what was actually gripped by the pliers themselves. This repeats until I have plucked out all of the pieces of liner tube within reach of the pliers. This whole process begins again from the other end. Eventually, I get the liner tube out, swearing to never again forget something, anything, to facilitate this process which WILL take place immediately after this launch, and This Time I Mean It.

To clean the reload case, I'll wad up a paper towel and push it through the casing with a wood dowel. When this doesn't work, I'll swipe the bottle cleaner from the drawer next to the kitchen sink promising my wife, who has overheard all manner of colorful language during the liner tube removal procedure, to replace it at a Walmart on my way home from the launch.

That's how I keep my reload casings like new.

Good description DJDeadParrot, I have been there a time or two myself. I just use vaseline for the cases, closures, and O-rings. I keep a pack of "tidy wipes" in my field box, and if not in too much of a hurry, will take the case apart and clean it with the wipes, they work really well. There is a little bit of alcohol in the wipe (I guess) that helps clean up the residue. Good luck
Matt

I use a tiny amount of superlube on the o-rings and case threads. I clean them with dish soap.

Nothing!

After switching over to Breakfree CLP I dont grease the outside of the reload, I do grease the O-rings but not the liners.

kramer714 said:

Nothing!

Breakfree CLP

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Where exactly and how do you put it on the reload?

I was too lazy and tired to clean a 29-180 case and forgot about it. When I did get around to it the residue had corroded and pitted the case. Not happy

Vinegar, hot soapy water, carburator cleaner, whatever, clean them as soon as you can or they could end up ruined:shock:

My favorite is Hoppe's Gun Cleaner.

I started with SuperLube, and have since switched to just cheap high-temp wheel bearing grease. $2 for a supply that'll probably last me 10 years.

Do not use Dow 111 on liners (I don't grease liners, btw) -- it often turns into paste when heated, and can make it very difficult to get the liner out.

-Kevin

troj said:

... and have since switched to just cheap high-temp wheel bearing grease. $2 for a supply that'll probably last me 10 years...

-Kevin

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I use that, too. But at the rate I fly, it is more like a 20 year supply!

Greg

Vaseline on the rings and threads of the casing, nothing on the liner. I make sure I clean them after each time I use them. Water, rags, baby wipes, done. All the way up to 54 mm casings.

As others have mentioned, I use superlube on the o-rings and threads. Also try to clean casing while its still warm - wad up some baby wipes & push through casing with a dowel. Cleans up nicely.

Has anyone ever used this stuff for clean up?

(Link is courtesy of Greg Gleason and YORF.)

Gary

If you use CTI motors, no greasing or difficult cleanup AND almost instant ignition (great for clusters).

Tsolo Dann, the cluster man

L2
NAR 82124
TRA 10359

gary7 said:

Found some lengthy discussion on this forum about greasing "O" rings but not alot about reload cases. I know one guy in our local club uses only vaseline, others swear by Slick 50. I don't need any more discussion on the "O" rings, just what you all use to grease your reload cases, if you grease them at all, or what you use to clean them up afterwards. Thanks.

Click to expand...

I use Superlube usually, from a tube I bought years ago, and sometimes wheel bearing grease that I bought for my AMW casings. I'll never have to buy any more of it.

I stopped greasing the liners too, after I read an explanation Troj posted about why he doesn't. I've been perfectly happy with the results. I grease the O-rings, and the inside of the delay cavity (per the directions), and that's it. No problem.

MarkII said:

Has anyone ever used this stuff for clean up?

(Link is courtesy of Greg Gleason and YORF.)

Click to expand...

Funny you mentioned that. I use Hoppe's No. 9 and a soft tooth brush for cleanup. After it's clean, then I spray the "Wonder Spray" on it, wrap it a clean paper towel, then put it in a Ziploc. The paper towel wicks away anything the motor doesn't need.

Greg

Since I stopped using so much grease, I've found it very rare than I need anything more than a baby wipe to clean my cases. When I do, unless I make the mistake of letting them sit for months, I've found that hot soapy water and just a few minutes of scrubbing leaves them clean, without the greasy mess of WD40, Hoppes, etc.

-Kevin

A member of Tripoli Austin recently discovered that carburetor cleaner did a great job of case cleaning. However, I am not sure what vendor the case was from.

Greg

Vaseline turns to a liquid when heated & was never designed to be used it a heated environment;

https://www.answers.com/topic/petroleum-jelly

I wouldn't use it for building reloads.....


JD

Is the greased liner supposed to make for easier clean-up and/or spent liner removal?

How about some type of powder, like maybe baby powder, for the liner?

Just thinking out loud.

(While I do have an RMS, I have not yet used it...)

JDcluster said:

Vaseline turns to a liquid when heated & was never designed to be used it a heated environment;

https://www.answers.com/topic/petroleum-jelly

I wouldn't use it for building reloads.....


JD

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I've used it in a pinch, but I agree that it's definitely not ideal.

Recently, I've had good luck with white lithium grease.

McKailas Dad said:

Is the greased liner supposed to make for easier clean-up and/or spent liner removal?

How about some type of powder, like maybe baby powder, for the liner?

Just thinking out loud.

(While I do have an RMS, I have not yet used it...)

Click to expand...

Yep - I have always greased the liner, and the few times that I haven't were some of the most difficult clean up jobs that I've had. Of course, there are plenty of people with the opposite experience (like Kevin).

As for powder? I doubt it would do much, but you can try it if you want and let us know how it works out.

Most of the techniques learned while flying LPR don't carry over well to MP & definitely not HP; For example: Baby powder, elastic shock cords , & Vaseline..

Baby powder which consists of either talcum powder & or corn starch.




JD

McKailas Dad said:

Is the greased liner supposed to make for easier clean-up and/or spent liner removal?

How about some type of powder, like maybe baby powder, for the liner?

Just thinking out loud.

(While I do have an RMS, I have not yet used it...)

Click to expand...

GregGleason said:

Funny you mentioned that. I use Hoppe's No. 9 and a soft tooth brush for cleanup. After it's clean, then I spray the "Wonder Spray" on it, wrap it a clean paper towel, then put it in a Ziploc. The paper towel wicks away anything the motor doesn't need.

Greg

Click to expand...

I've just used baby wipes on mine. Since I always have to be fidgeting with something when I'm at the range, I end up dismantling them as soon as I can handle them anyway. The liners are usually easier to take out than they were to put in, and I have not had any difficulty with that step either. Clean up of my RMS motors is a breeze. With my Pro38, there is no clean up step in the sequence.

I grease the O-rings with Superlube.
I use spray Superlube for the liner. No freezing, no mess, and the liner slides out really easy. Case clean-up with soapy water is all that is needed.

I use Superlube as well. It's what AT recommends and it works great.

I was able to get the tube at my local Harbor Freight for $4.99. Just watch the tube in your range box though. With mine, the threads holding the cap onto the tube broke off and it made a real mess.

I now use a wrap of electrical tape to hold the cap on. It's not ideal however and hopefully I can find a small squeeze bottle or something to transfer the grease into.

I used Vaseline when I first got into RMS and for awhile afterwards and had no problems with it. I used it on everything from 24/40 loads up to 38/480 loads with no adverse effects.

cjl said:

Recently, I've had good luck with white lithium grease.

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That is what I've been using for high-power after reading around some forums. After one flight, it has a success rate of 100% .

I'm still working through the small jar of Vaseline I bought when I first started flying reloads. I have used it in motors up to G64s without any issues, and still use it for mid-power, but I'll probably switch to something better once it runs out.

With both greases and with all motor sizes, I have always greased the liner.

As for clean up, the best stuff I've tried is a $1.00 bottle of "Pro Power Orange" generic cleaner from the small general store in the town my club flies out of (forgot to bring my bottle of Clorox Green Works... it's the only thing that doesn't fit in the range box ). I'm one of those folks who religiously cleans their casings right after flight, so the APCP gunk has never had time to really set up, as I've heard it does with time.

Been using Vaseline since I started on up to G64. I coat all o-rings, all threads and all the parts of the case on the inside. I then use Lysol wipes as soon as I get the motor disassembled and everything wipes out easily.

I really do like the CTI loads. No need for grease and really not much cleanup.

I use lithium grease on the o rings, and nothing on the liner.
to clean, on the field i use baby wipes.
back in the lab i use an ultra sonic cleaning bath which will shift almost everything, especially from the threads.

I use HiTemp axle grease on the liner, the stuf is dirt cheap and works as well as anything else I've tried. I use Dow 111 on O Rings, but I'm sure the axle grease would do just as well. I use the Dow111 because I have a surplus of it.

For clean up I use Low Odor mineral spirits (paint thinner).

Aerotech ships a small tube of Superlube with the Hobbyline RMS motors. The instructions specifically say to use Vaseline or similar lube when you run out of the Superlube. I've used nothing but the original Superlube or Vaseline on my Hobbyline cases for the last seven years and have never had a problem that I could say was lubricant related.

I do not grease cases or liner and use Vaseline on everything up to and including 54/1706. I've never had a liner stick in a case.

It doesn't matter what the heat resistance of Vaseline is because the only purpose of the lube on the o-rings is to prevent the o-rings from tearing or failing while assembling the motors. Once the motor is assembled, the o-ring seals the motor and the grease is no longer needed.