It's either a well kept secret...or old news!

[GareyD]

The manual that came with the Mighty Mite recommends "Slip Plate" lubricant for anywhere there is metal to metal contact on the mill...such as the risers on the legs...the cross beam on the saw head, etc. It is a graphite based paint that dries hard and won't attract sawdust, etc.

So, I went on a quest to locate some "Slip Plate" but figured the manual being about 35 years old, that my chances of success were slim.

Yesterday at Tractor Supply, on the back of one of the bottom shelves..I found "Slip Plate" in quarts and aerosol cans...YIPPEE...

Took it home and painted the mill where needed...after it dried, I tried out the mill...WHAT A  DIFFERENCE...adjustments that used to take quite a bit of strength to make, now are almost effortless...and sure enuff...sawdust don't stick to it!!

Now maybe everyone else already knew about this and was keeping it a secret form me, but if not....ya really oughta try to find and use some of this stuff...it is simply amazing.

[Tom]

It might be a product that would have saved me a lot of head-aches over the past 5 years.  I have a lot of metal on metal on my mill that won't retain grease.  I finally resolved myselve to just wiping grease on every once in a while but it is almost a useless effort.  If Slip Plate will stay on the joint for 5 to eight hours it would be a God-send.  

I'm going to go look for some too.

[SwampDonkey]

Sounds like some nifty stuff to have in the tool box. If yoy can't find it, I wonder if you could use teflon to line the metal surface that makes contact with another metal surface. Used to stand up good when used to line the spade of a potato harvestor. Saved on the wear of the elevator beds too. They even made the rollers from teflon that made contact with the harvestor beds. The old fastened bed where steel rods (digger legs) that rubbed on steal rollers. Teflon lasted alot longer where anything was rubbing.

Just a thought if ya can't find the graphite product.  ;)

[Larry]

Got my interest up to.  I have a 4 poster band mill...manufacture said to use WD-40 on the acme threads but it really didn't work to well and the "up" was always slow.  Switched to ATF couple years ago because of a suggestion of a FF member and had a big improvement.  Off on a search for Slip Plate now.  Google found this:
http://www.slipplate.com/

We need to get Mark to check out this stuff and give a full report. ;D

[Tom]

I'll bet our Resident Lubricant Manufacturer, Mike of Rust Reaper, can tell us what to use in these situations too.

[DanG]

Funny you should mention that! :D  I was at the tractor dealer the other day and ran across Slip-Plate on the shelf. Sez I to myself, "This might work good on the crossfeed."  Put some on today and it seems to work well. ;D 8)

[sawguy21]

Hope I can find this stuff here. Label has to be bilingual or we can't get it. Anyway, back to the topic. Gripo makes a mechanical log splitter that hangs up on the return stroke if the beam gets coated with pitch or debris. I have tried WD40, Pam, and various other concoctions with limited success.

[etat]

There for a while slick 50 was making a spray lubricant that was about the best I'd ever seen.  For a long time auto zone sold it and then I think they quit making it in the spray. I can't find it any more.  After that I found a guy on ebay that had a couple of gallons of the stuff along with some pump type spray bottles that went with it that I bought.  I been babyin it for nearly two years.  I'd down to less than a gallon and dread the day I run out of it. That stuff is so slick that trash won't hardly stick to it and it don't evaporate off like WD40.  

[KENROD]

Slip plate has been around for awhile. It is used frequently by farmers here, mostly on grain handling equipement. You should try climbing out of a gravity wagon that has been painted with that stuff sometime. Slicker'n greased owl s...

[Mike_P.]

A product with which I am familiar is a conveyor chain lubricant that contains molybdenum disulfide which is a friction modifier like graphite or teflon.  The effect was similar in that you can have "dry" lubrication that won't attract dust or dirt and still provide lubrication and a pretty good film strength.   It surely is some slippery stuff.

One of the reasons that molybdenum was used rather than graphite was that the graphite would eventually flake off rather than bond to the metal surface like molybdenum disulfide.  However, graphite was stable at higher temperatures.  Graphite mixtures are also used on bakery oven chains.

It sounds as if the Slip Plate product, with which I am not familiar, uses some sort of a carrier that helps the graphite remain in place.  I expect it would work well on slides and in areas that didn't have tight tolerances.  

We add a different molybdenum compound to Rust Reaper to provide some of that same effect, but we depend on some synthetics and extreme pressure agents in the liquid part of the base to do part of the work.  And we are using solvents to act as a carrier and cleaner along with wetting agents to move these ingredients into minute areas..  

Thanks,

Mike

[Paschale]

I wonder if this Slip Plate might work well as a dry lubricatant for the insides of tools.  My table saw gears are all gummed up with sawdust right now, and the reading I've done on it has suggested using a dry lubricant.  Sounds like this might just do the trick for lubricating the gears, without allowing buildup of sawdust gumming up the works.

[Paschale]

Found this link:  http://www.lubeplanet.com/SuperiorGraphiteProducts.html

[DanG]

I'll look at the lable on my can of Slip Plate and see what info I can glean from it. The cans were old and dusty, but apparently they still make the stuff. There may even be a website name.

On a similar note, I was in Fred's the other day, and found some engine degreaser for a buck a can. It's yer ordinary foaming type stuff in an aerosol. Turns out it is the best of it's type I've ever used. I also picked up a couple of cans of brake parts cleaner in the same brand for the same price. I haven't tried it yet.  

[etat]

Lots a stuff to clean up on my ole tractor yet.  Looks like I'm a gonna make me a trip to Freds. Thanks

[Mike_P.]

I probably should know the answer to this, but here goes.  What is a Fred's?

Thanks,

Mike

[Paschale]

DanG,  what was the brand on that engine degreaser you found for a buck a can?  I always use Gunk, but I'm a fan of finding better stuff too...especially if it's cheaper!   ;)

[DanG]

Mike, Fred's is an up&coming chain of discount general merchandise stores.  I understand they have over 500 stores nationwide. They seem to be a cut above the Dollar General genre, but not as big and comprehensive as something like a Walmart. They have some really good prices on lots of stuff.

When I manage to get my lazy carcass out to the shop, I'll look at the brand name, but then it will be tonight before I'm back on here. Probbly will have forgot again by then. : :D :D
Anyway, it is in a silver and black can, and is the only one they have for a buck. ;)

[DanG]

Hey Mike_P!  I saw the write-up on RustReaper in the new Farm Show Annual. Cool! 8) 8)  I saw in there that you now offer a degreaser, so I checked out your website again. The stuff sounds great, so I'll be ordering some soon. I've been using that purple cleaner/degreaser from Advance Auto Parts. It's a pretty good product for light jobs, but you have to be real careful about painted surfaces. I found that the way it removes grease is to remove the surface to which the grease is adhered. :D :D :D  Almost stripped my truck down to bare metal before I discovered that. :D  How does your stuff do on paint? :P

[MrMoo]

This kind of on the same line.

Has anywone ever used Fluid Film? I have used it on some exposed metal applications and it works good. When it goes on its kind of a goopy stuff but it dries and sawdust won't stick to it. It is a good protector against corrosion.
http://www.eurekafluidfilm.com

Its used alot in the fishing industry & by the navy. I guess it stays put once its dried.

I have been happy with it.

[Mike_P.]

DanG:  I have found our degreaser/cleaner to be pretty tolerant of paint.  It is a water base cleaner without any abrasives.

Most applictions will work with a dilution of 10 parts water to 1 part degreaser.  That's the ratio that I generally use and recommend that folks start with.

Heavy grease might require a stronger dilution up to 5:1.  

Thanks for mentioning Farm Show.  We have received a number of inquiries from that article.

Mike

[Norm]

Hey Mike that degreaser sounds like what I need for my stove and hood. Is it ok to use on brushed stainless steel?

[OneWithWood]

Has anyone tried Fluid Film for the rails on a Woodmizer?  I am using the recommended ATF but I am looking for something a little more durable.

[WH_Conley]

OWW, I tried fluid film, couldn't really tell any difference.
Your experience might be better, never know.

[Mike_P.]

Norm:  

I would be cautious about using the degreaser on brushed stainless steel.  This is an application that I hadn't thought about.  We've got a stainless hood in our kitchen and still have not found the right cleaner.  It just never occured to us to use the RR degreaser.  

In theory, there is nothing in it that should affect stainless, such as abrasives or chlorine.  I visited with our surfactant supplier about this issue and they felt the same way.  

They suggested trying to clean a small out-of-the-way area to assure there are no ill effects.  We will do a little cautious experimentation and let you know what we think.

Thanks,

Mike

[Norm]

Thanks Mike, we used to buy a commercial degreaser when we were in the restaurant business that worked well but have not found anything in the regular stores that work.

[GareyD]

Thought I'd give an update on the Slip Plate..

Finally got to run the mill 4-5 hours today and see how this stuff works and holds up to the usage...

I"M IMPRESSED...it started out slidin' smooth and slippery...and as time went by...it just seemed to get even better...in fact, things got so easy to move, I finally had to stop and tighten up on the cross feed adjustment...when I was cuttin' the edger blades wanted to back away from the log...

I think I've found me a new best helper  ;) ;) ;)

[DanG]

I agree, Garey.  I put some on my crossfeeds last week, and it's still holding up well. Things are running a lot smoother.  

Tom, if you can't find it there, let me know. The tractor dealer here has it, and I can send you a can.

[isawlogs]

Dan
 How much is it  and I wunder if it can be shiped up here ....