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  1. #1

    Default Best way to store a loaded grease gun

    Yeah, I know some of you millennials are heading to Wikipedia to find out what a grease gun is. But anyway, yeah, I still own cars with grease fittings on tie rods, ball joints, U joints (actually, probably a lot of you same millennials have them too but just don't know it). But at any rate, it takes YEARS to use a whole tube of grease. In fact, I usually have to dump it out because it thins and turns to oil sitting in a cabinet in the garage. If you own one, I KNOW you know what I mean. Plastic bags deteriorate and leak. It's always a disgusting mess every time I need to use it. Covered in an oil slick and it's dripping everywhere etc. Is there any good way to store these without such a huge mess? I'm thinking about just throwing out the tube each time I use it and buying a new one every time I want to use it but that seems like such a waste.

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Grease the sucker with a Zerk ball. Jam it in the end with a piece of hard plastic, and then tape it over with electrical tape.


    Same as the Main Well ball you'd find in a YFA Carter carb.


    10, 9 or 8/64ths, depending on How big your balls are.



  3. #3

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    Imho, I view stuff like that similar to how I view when people do not buy a bunch of baggies just for car work - they're saving $5-$20 by not buying the "correct tools", and making things more of a pain.

    Fine, just have a tow truck come, pick up the car, drop it off at the dealer, have Enterprise bring a car to you. ;-)


    The issue I have, is that my grease gun is still "icky" after I use it. I can wipe it with a zillion paper towels. Imho, it's still icky.
    So, I spent a massive $10 and bought clear kitchen trash bags. Actually, I use them for other storage items also.
    This way, I use 2-3 trash bags to cover the grease gun. I always throw out the inner most trash bag after I'm done. That way, it keeps the grease gun a little less "icky".

    Yes, that does that translate into a massive ~17 cents!
    However, I'm richer than Bill Gates and Elon Musk combined. That's how I can afford such luxuries like throwing out a 17 cent trash bag. ;-)


    I actually buy the trash bags at my local market.
    But, that may be because of local preferences or trash laws?

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXEU7YM/
    Hefty Recycling Trash / Garbage Bags (Clear, Kitchen Drawstring, 13 Gallon, 60 Count)
    Price: $9.49 ($0.16 / count)


    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Cle...75-Ct/51254134
    Hefty Clear Recycling Tall Kitchen Flap Tie Trash Bags, 13 Gallon, 75 Ct
    ~$7 Stock varies by store and location







    I can't resist - I have to say the very precise and accurate technical term "icky" one last time.
    :-D :-D


    Oh yea, I also clean grease gun casing, the hose, and the tip of with paper towels before I put the grease gun in the clear trash bags. I use three bags in case the outer bag gets a rip tear. My grease gun lives on a bottom self with other rarely used specialty tools - like my OTC 7045B spring compressor tool. I throw/grab stuff from that self. All the stuff on that self could survive being beat on.
    Last edited by stangPlus2Birds; 04-22-2018 at 06:05 PM.

  4. #4

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    Thanks. So you agree with me that there is no way to avoid that giant mess? Seems like in 2018 someone would be able to make a tube of grease that would not ooze everywhere and we would have to bag it multiple times to contain it. I have bags as noted above in my post. That does not prevent a giant mess in any way, shape or form.

  5. #5
    FEP Super Member sowaxeman's Avatar
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    I had a brand new grease gun that came with it's own hard plastic storage case. I have two other grease guns so I gave it away for a charity silent auction at a car show.

    Perhaps you could find a case big enough to store it in....like for a gun or something? Just speculating as I'm not a gun owner. Kind of like a chain saw....I don't know how you can stop the oily mess, but you can at least contain it.
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    I go through a couple of tubes a year in my gun and it still drips/leaks oil. I store it with the nozzle up which probably isn't the best for keeping the grease closest to the outlet, but it does minimize the mess on my floor. When I transport it I put it in my oil drain pain. When I am done I wipe the barrel of the gun down for next time.

    I like the trash bag idea, but I'd be taking it in and out of the bags all the time. I'll just deal with the minimal mess.
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  7. #7
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    Keep mine hanging on a peg board with a rag hanging on the peg below it. Whatever drips off just lands on the rag under the gun. Probably change out the "diaper rag" about every 5-7 years.

  8. #8

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    Some better grease guns come equiped with a zerk fitting in the top. When done, hook the hose up to the fitting and push the pump arm the rest of the way down. You could drill the top of yours, if it isn't already, and do the same thing. The only other thing I do is put a big rubber band the handle and body so the arm doesn't get moved up to a loaded position.

    Kenny

  9. #9
    FEP Senior Member gt4494's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinVarnes View Post
    I store it with the nozzle up which probably isn't the best for keeping the grease closest to the outlet, but it does minimize the mess on my floor.
    Like he said but before i use it again i squirt out a bit to get rid of the "Dead" grease.
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  10. #10
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default cheaper handy bags

    Stow in a section of, say, 4" pvc drain pipe with one threaded end cap?
    The right sized dia pipe would keep the pump lever secured.
    Reuse the oil drips collected for hinge pins, etc?

    Grease guns are always sticky. Like a caulk gun, release pressure on tube to store.
    Special grease gun stow clamps work good. Mount horz to minimize drips.

    Plastic shopping bags pile up quick.
    Plastic bag mittens work fine doing grease jobs.
    Found out used as 'rags', they attract and retain sticky grease real well.
    Minimal smearing was noted. Rub, turn, fold, discard.
    Use plenty like paper. Less mess and cost than paper.
    Plastic bags quickly clean thick bearing grease off hands and tools really well.

    Packed two wheel bearings today outside. Nice weather finally.
    Had no throwaway gloves. Too cheap to buy them.
    Hands got greased up big time. Unplanned mess using a KD bearing packer.
    Forgot how it worked. Wound up doing brgs by hand, then stowed in sammy baggies.

    Done. Now, final hand cleanup, but cant do grease in a sink.
    Do not want to burn thru many good shop rags. No paper towels handy (again).
    Or wipe in grass, then track into house later.
    Bags, used as rags, did hands and fingers quickly, cut the thick grease gobs down to a very thin film.
    Thin enough to finish hands w/small amount of hand cleaner and nylon brush.

  11. #11
    FEP Senior Member rodster's Avatar
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    My solution is simple and it's worked for me for years after being frustrated by the same situation you describe. I picked up a clear plastic storage box with a snap on lid. Lined the box with an old towel and store the grease gun in there. It's grease so no matter what you do, it's always messy but at least I don't have liquid grease inside my storage cabinet any longer.

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Duh forgot i stored mine in the bench top 5 gal recirculating parts washer.

  13. #13
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    I use what my Dad used. He put an old tube sock over the grease gun. I do the same and store it in a plastic container.
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  14. #14
    FEP Senior Member rodster's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MIKE'SVO86 View Post
    I use what my Dad used. He put an old tube sock over the grease gun. I do the same and store it in a plastic container.
    The sock is a good idea! Beats the taped on rag I use.

  15. #15
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    I pop the pressure off the grease and store it in a sealed plastic box with a shop towel. Grease decomposes faster in the presence of oxygen so a quick shot of a pc duster before closing the lid (CO2) all but stops that.

    ive has the same tube of grease a very long time.

    same trick works with wheel bearing grease.


    Love the tube sock suggestion above, BTW

  16. #16
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    This thread saved me time yesterday not having to look for it. Rarely use it.
    Put it to use greasing a new outer tie rod end on the Ranger before tightening castle nut.
    Went well. Tested in trash can how many pumps would be needed.
    Except grease oil drizzled out from the plunger end when tipped vertically.
    On a corner of the work pad on the ground.
    Good thing i noticed that before laying in it.

  17. #17
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Now if i can get the thing to be less messy using it.
    Always drips out the bottom.
    Time to sock it (to it).
    The other day, tries to grease a ball joint on the Ranger, 4000 psi flex hose popped out of the gun end crimp.
    Reinstalled the 12" metal tube extension it came with for now.
    Its a brute. Ford blue with cast in logo, bought from Ford tractor dealer, lever type. Has zerk for refilling.

  18. #18
    FEP Member SECESH's Avatar
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    We use quite a few grease guns around the farm; need two in each machine shed, one flexible, one not. They are always messy and leave their mark on the wall around the nail from which they hang. I do all the machine maintenance here and my work gloves get stained black pretty quick. A case of grease cartridges lasts a month or so, depending on the season. I've never found a means of preventing a grease gun from weeping lube out of every joint. Some of these machines are pre-WW2. Grease keeps them going and the grease guns never suffer from disuse.
    If I was going to have to store an opened grease cartridge for an extended time I would seal it in plastic as has been suggested and put in the coolest location I could find. Might even refrigerate it, but I'd use the fridge at the barn, not at the house.

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