Don't think it would be a good idea as it is more of a protective sealing wax based in carnuba than it is a lubricating wax. It doesn't build well on metal. Just as there are different types of oils, there are different types of waxes. Just get a stick of doorease or the like.
Best lube for toolbox drawer slides
- Thread starter Dan Jacobs
- Start date
Don't think it would be a good idea as it is more of a protective sealing wax based in carnuba than it is a lubricating wax. It doesn't build well on metal. Just as there are different types of oils, there are different types of waxes. Just get a stick of doorease or the like.
What is the consensus on silicone spray?
I was going to use white lithium grease on my drawer slides because it doesn’t run and is less messy than other gr.
But if silicone or some kind of spray wax would work just as good or better I would rather use that.
*I know this is an old post, but I would still appreciate any feedback! Thank you so much!
I was going to use white lithium grease on my drawer slides because it doesn’t run and is less messy than other gr.
But if silicone or some kind of spray wax would work just as good or better I would rather use that.
*I know this is an old post, but I would still appreciate any feedback! Thank you so much!
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Ricky Joe
Well-known member
.Try Kroil graphite lube. Any lubricant will work; it really depends on how much maintenance you are willing to do. I like graphite lubes because you do it once and that’s it.
seber
Well-known member
I just cleaned up another box someone had used that $&$R%^% white lithium on. What a damn mess. Gets hot and runs all over the place. Takes hours to clean up. Snap-on recommends paraffin wax, as in candle and I've found it works well for me going on 55 years of use.
RTM
Well-known member
I just cleaned up a Kennedy box, the slides were sticky, and covered with black sludge. Cleaned w WD-40, then lubed with Paraffin wax. Don't use beeswax, its sticky.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Everyone has told me to use Super Lube so since I have it for my ratchets I use it on my old toolbox slides as well.
bob15
Well-known member
This stuff works well on an old Kenndy box's friction slides. Also won't attract **** like white grease (or grease in general) does.
Ok. Then what would you recommend?
bob15
Well-known member
dupont non-stick dry film lubricant
RAS61
Well-known member
I went through this last year when I picked up an old Valley top chest and the consensus was wax. I bought a puck of what was supposed to be best (can't remember brand name) and applied. I was a little disappointed with the smoothness, ok but expected better. I think it has a lot to with the limits of friction slides, and maybe mine aren't the best to begin with. I'm sure grease would be slicker, but runs the risk of gumming up over time. For a box in an industrial setting with a lot of dust (like the auto body shop mentioned) grease is probably a mistake, but in a home shop or garage I think grease would be fine, just may need a cleaning every 5-10 years, so depends on how important that little extra slickness is to you - my 2 cents
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I agree. I put grease on some of my toolboxes years ago, and it has hardened (from oxidation I presume) to such a degree that I can barely open some of my drawers.
rockinacummins
Well-known member
I use either Vaseline or KY Jelly depending on what mood I’m in.
Oh wait, I think I’m in the wrong thread…
Oh wait, I think I’m in the wrong thread…
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Do you guys run your engine oil for 15 years????
I pull my slides and wipe out the old grease and with a q tip and acetone/brake cleaner. Then take and reapply some synthetic grease with a syringe. Do it every year at the beginning of the year. Slide great. Did this with my kennedy work box for years. Every one had the same box and the slides after 15 plus years had started wearing out. Mine were still good with hardly any wear. If I hadn't had so many tools I wouldn't have turned in my taco for a large 72" box as the ball bearing slides where not as strong
I pull my slides and wipe out the old grease and with a q tip and acetone/brake cleaner. Then take and reapply some synthetic grease with a syringe. Do it every year at the beginning of the year. Slide great. Did this with my kennedy work box for years. Every one had the same box and the slides after 15 plus years had started wearing out. Mine were still good with hardly any wear. If I hadn't had so many tools I wouldn't have turned in my taco for a large 72" box as the ball bearing slides where not as strong
BTL-A4
Well-known member
Would any dry film lube work? HD has Blaster lube with Teflon. The reviews are positive:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Blaster...pinstock-_-204960991-_-202532762-_-N&#overlay
I have some older Kennedy boxes that could use some lube. Anyone with any firsthand experience using this particular lube for toolbox slides?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Blaster...pinstock-_-204960991-_-202532762-_-N&#overlay
I have some older Kennedy boxes that could use some lube. Anyone with any firsthand experience using this particular lube for toolbox slides?
AirMech#406
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2021
- Messages
- 142
Yup. I used to do it every year on my Waterloo box and later my Craftsman. I would remove the old grease with acetone or rubbing alcohol and then reapply a light coating of moly grease.
My new Tekton/Rousseau box is a bit of an odd duck though since it does not have traditional drawer slides. It came with no lubrication/maintenance instructions, and from what I can tell the carriage system it uses relies on having a clean dry surfaces, so I have not touched them with any lubricant, dry or otherwise. It doesnt really need it anyways. It glides very nicely without any lube at all.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Depends on the setup. For small boxes, and small drawers, not so bad. I have 30 or so to deal with, several 72x30 drawers, meaning they need 100% unloaded. Even some of the 36x30 need unloaded. I just spray them with some penetrating oil if they ever feel sticky. A couple of cycles smooths them right out. Now, these are modern ball bearing snap-on slides. If they get problematic, I just warranty them.
For my old snap on boxes with friction slides, I cleaned the rails and guides in the box/drawers, and scuffed some candle wax on the slides themselves. Worked pretty well, but it's a home box. Smelled like candle wax though, who'd have thought?
AirMech#406
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2021
- Messages
- 142
Yeah, I can definitely see how that would be a huge pain to have to unload every 72x30 drawer. My back hurts just thinking about it.
When cleaning the slides inspect them also. Run your fingers along the sliding surface and check for burrs or galling. A minute with a wet stone can do wonders to smooth things out and reach a much lower friction level. Just like deburring a newly machined part, its second nature to a machinist.
lg
no neat sig line
lg
no neat sig line
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
How are y'all applying paraffin wax? I've got a 1976 Snap-On roll cab and top box with a MAC side cab. All the drawers could use a little TLC.
Thanks!
-Ryan
Thanks!
-Ryan
seber
Well-known member
We get plenty of 100 degree days here. When it's that hot, the candle almost melts in when it is run along the slide. When I was further North, I made sure to leave some chunks in the line to get mushed out as the drawer was worked.
On my Craftsman friction type drawer sliders I use a Teflon dry film lube that's marketed for bicycle chains (Finish Line brand IIRC). Pretty much the same type of lube that's in the DuPont spray can, but being for bike chains it comes in a dropper bottle that lets me apply it more precisely versus a spray.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
Can't say I've ever had the problem since I'm a neat freak but all I can add to the conversation is that Accuride (the originator of the full extension drawer slide) uses white lithium grease. Nothing against anything else (which likely works fine) but these are the experts and that's what they use.
seber
Well-known member
Actually Accuride uses wheel bearing grease, but only in ball bearing slides. They pretend they have never made friction slides.
gda659
Well-known member
All the roller bearing slides in the used Snap On boxes I bought in early 2018 were gummed up with grease, almost unuseable. I pulled them all out and cleaned them with diesel and they've been rolling beautifully ever since.
Anyone know where that thread is?
I have three bottom drawers of my Beach roller that must have suffered water damage in prior ownership. Top grooves of the slides had rust and the drawers worked like junk. Finally did something about it. Wire brushed the scale off, leaving shiny but slightly pitted metal.
I then experimented with lubes. I used candle wax (possibly paraffin but not way to say for sure), dry graphite spray, the two combined, and white lithium.
Hands down the white lithium was the best.
I then experimented with lubes. I used candle wax (possibly paraffin but not way to say for sure), dry graphite spray, the two combined, and white lithium.
Hands down the white lithium was the best.
Wait a few years and I bet you'll change your mind. Grease will separate and dry out over time.
Quite possibly, however the previous owner of my other chest used the same thing and there is no evidence of such. I've owned that one at least ten years. I'd rather clean and relube every fifteen years than suffer crappy drawer action. As they say YMMV.
Have cleaned old friction slides with WD40 toothbrush &rags Reassemble & lube with Fluid Film wipe any excess around on drawer sides &inside of chest for corrosion protection. Once a year or so hit slides w little shot of FF works well enough
Definitely YMMV. I've refurbished a number of old toolboxes with crusted grease all over the drawer slides that took a great deal of effort and time to remove. Hence my dislike for grease. But some of these were probably 50 years old, and who knows what combination of random lubricants had been indiscriminately applied over that time. Not quite the same as a careful application of a quality grease, I'm sure.
I'll readily admit that a thin coat of a quality modern grease will probably work well for a number of years, and may be a good choice for some folks. My garage is fairly dusty (dirt road, dirt driveway), and thus I prefer to apply paraffin wax that I know will never degrade, will never attract dust or grit, and can easily be refreshed in a few minutes should I ever need to.
I would recommend 40% of 3-in-1 oil, 10% grease, 10% WD40, 20% liquid film, 19% vazeline and 1% unicorn sweat mix.
Alternatively, you can use Gulf Wax - works pretty well on my 1955 KR-56 and 1963 KRA 58B. I suspect I used it on K-200 roller, but do not remember for sure....
Alternatively, you can use Gulf Wax - works pretty well on my 1955 KR-56 and 1963 KRA 58B. I suspect I used it on K-200 roller, but do not remember for sure....
Gulf Wax Paraffin Wax Household - 16 Oz - Shaw's
Shop Gulf Wax Paraffin Wax Household - 16 Oz from Shaw's. Browse our wide selection of Canning Supplies for Delivery or Drive Up & Go to pick up at the store!
www.shaws.com
... look at the image provided by lilredex here on the bottom of left page is SO recommendation
www.garagejournal.com
Lubing snapon slides? Any tips?
I have a kra-510 ? Set and the drawer slides are a little sticky. Does anyone have any good recommendations for lubing them?
www.garagejournal.com
Junkman
Well-known member
Personally, I prefer Brazilian Wax jobs. Never a problem sliding in or out.
seber
Well-known member
Every time I have to clean a box that has been lubed with grease I wind up doing a lot of swearing and hating on the jerk that put it there. It is the worst kind of job I know of short of plumbing. It is always crusty where it should be working and sloppy messy where it ran out and separated. My boxes have always been lubed with paraffin. It is permanent and works just fine.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Tip: A heat gun will melt just about any grease/wax and speed up friction slide cleanup.
WWheeler
Well-known member
Got a link for that unicorn sweat? I have everything else and want to give it a try.
I use a dry chain lube on my slides these days. I also used a moly grease before and while it wasn't as neat and clean looking it has worked really well also for a really long time now. Any grease or lube that won't pick up dust is what I've always looked to use.
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Walkers
Well-known member
I have found unicorn nut sack oil to work much better, but watch out for the hooves when you are trying to stretch it into the box to get that half of the slides.Got a link for that unicorn sweat? I have everything else and want to give it a try.
I use a dry chain lube on my slides these days. I also used a moly grease before and while it wasn't as neat and clean looking it has worked really well also for a really long time now. Any grease or lube that won't pick up dust is what I've always looked to use.
Walkers
Well-known member
Now that we have this all ironed out, can we get a firm decision on the best motor oil and the best brand filters, and wether or not to pre-fill them?