Powdered Graphite 4 Jaw Lube ?

[boats]

Have the 4 jaw off for cleaning, frequent job. Saw a Utube that recommended powdered graphite for lubing the jaws. I use powdered graphite for other special purpose lube jobs, on the chuck too makes sense.


What do you guys think. How about a hybrid plan, graphite on the sliding parts grease on the screw ?

Boats

[Mike279]

I like to use grease inside and the jaws get a wax based motorcycle chain lube that sprays on nice and leaves a dry wax film. When I use graphite, I might just as well put it all over me as that is where it ends up by the end of the day. Mike

[boats]

Am going with grease inside for sure. I use powdered graphite for several lube jobs, messy but nothing better when you don’t want foreign material to stick to your lube. Never thought about waxing the jaws.

It’s clean no lube, now. think I will graphite two wax two put it back on the lathe, see how they work.

Thanks

Boats

[BCRider]

I think I'd want it the other way around. For me the primary reason for needing to break down the chuck for cleaning is swarf that enters into the scroll through the openings in behind the jaw scroll teeth and stick in the scroll grooves. The sliding ways for the jaws are pretty much self cleaning.

I also agree that I don't think the graphite is going to be any better than light oil for staying in place where it's needed. I think that it would fly out pretty darn quickly.

What's really needed is a dry film sort of lubricant that bonds in place if we are going to use anything other than grease. But dry film lubricants are easily worn away from any high pressure contact points and there's no "smearing" (there's another word for it but I can't think of it now) that pulls more lube in from around such points like grease does to ensure that things stay lubricated.

I don't see graphite and wax being a good idea either. Wax is a poor metal to metal lubricant because it's so easily scuffed away and like a dry film lube it really doesn't have any of that trait to smear around and recoat any spots rubbed bare.


I've played with a couple of dry film lubricants. I've got a can of fancy Moly film lubricant that goes on quite dark grey and dries to the touch and I've got some EEZOX I' currently use for my rimfire handguns. I found that the moly film worked well at first but in applications where it was subjected to small points that drag it wore away rapidly and the slick feel was lost along with that wear. The EEZOX treated rimfire semi auto handguns are doing fine. But they don't see the same strong pressure points.

[RWO]

My fav chuck lube is this: https://www.skygeek.com/molykote-g-n...bly-paste.html Does not gather dust and will not sling off when applied thinly. It gives a dramatic friction reduction in heavily loaded metal to metal contact.

RWO

[BCRider]

My fav chuck lube is this: https://www.skygeek.com/molykote-g-n...bly-paste.html Does not gather dust and will not sling off when applied thinly. It gives a dramatic friction reduction in heavily loaded metal to metal contact.

RWO

Now that's interesting.... So as it is a paste I take it that it doesn't really dry?

I could see just a little of that being applied and spread around to form a very low tackiness film quite neatly.

[boslab]

I watched a video of mr Booth single pointing an acme nut, material Durbar, I remember an old machinist showing me how, same process but the addition of a rubber ball puffer with lockmakers graphite in as lube, although durbar is “cast iron” it’s more steel like, semi steel.
The powder graphite is dry lube for it, works too. There’s not a lot of free graphite in malleable iron really.
Chucks are the same, cast iron but not with the free graphite to lube, adding some is fine.
Mark

[boats]

It’s Adam Booth that recommended Graphite on 4 jaws. His refurbishing a big Cushman series.

Besides locks I use it on Powder Measures. Work smooth as silk, gunpowder and oil don’t do well together either. Two I use most have brass barrels cast iron body’s, They need something to work smooth. Hot shots in our fishing club used to Graphite lube surf fishing reel sleeve bearings for distance competition. No good for actual fishing great for minimum drag maximum rotation on long cast. Grandson uses it on his Pinewood Derby race car too.

Anyhow it’s on my 4 Jaw now. Will see.

Boats