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O-ring lube

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:21 pm
by squeaks
Okay people. I'm wondering what you guys use to lubricate o-rings, where to get it, and how much it costs. I'd be especially interested in what Gort uses, but I understand he doesn't want everyone knowing. If you read this Gort you could just PM me 'cause I'm not looking to replicate or mass produce your valves. I'm just looking to find something that works better than your common household vegetable shortening and doesn't destroy or weaken the o-ring's rubber.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:36 pm
by thrasmussen
What ever paintballs have inside works good. I've had a gun that sat and still is very loose!

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:39 pm
by jrrdw
Swimming pool places sell o-ring lube for o-rings in pool pump skimmer lids and such. The stuff i worked with was blue in color, water based, and slicker then a babies butt! I think it was called Water Lube , it's been since 2000 when i did work for Van Dorn Pools. Me, i just squirt some wd-40 up in my pilot chamber when the spring stops returning the piston to the barrel. I find out when it needs it when i fill for the next shot, i hear the piston slam against the barrel. Then it's time to relube, just a little bit works fine. I figure it won't hurt it because it's constently getting blowed out.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:50 pm
by squeaks
I think the paintball stuff might be the ticket, but I'm wondering where to get it and how much it costs.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:03 pm
by Bluetooth
He means paintball paint. It's actually fish oil and dye, thats why it smells bad.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:38 pm
by squeaks
Well never mind that then, anybody got anymore ideas?

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:44 pm
by ProfessorAmadeus
Gold cup paintball oil. Its like 3 dollars for an ounce of it. It last a long time.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:56 pm
by boilingleadbath
Personaly, I use petroleum jelly - I believe it's ok with nitrile 'rings, though I generaly use viton O-rings

As a side note, I don't know if viton is 10x better than nitrile for our uses... but, hey, even at 5-10 times the cost, that's what - an extra .9$ per ring? Who cares?

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:21 pm
by pyrogeek
I've never tried it, but wouldn't something like KY "personal lubricant" work? "Stuff" like that is water based, right? And if it's good enough for "personal use" then it should be good enough for shooting spuds at stuff.

Most of the O-rings I run into are for paintball stuff, so I just use gold cup lubricant. It's not the cheapest stuff, but I'd rather use something that's known to be good than risk screwing up my gun.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:32 pm
by beebs111
i dont know if it would last too long that stuff is pretty not-viscous, im not sure, but wouldn't a lithium based grease work?

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:27 pm
by pyrogeek
Hey, I havent ever used "personal" lube. Heck, I'm still a virgin. So I don't have any first hand experience with the stuff. I just heard it was like silicone based and didn't have petroleum.

Lithium grease is kinda thick stuff. I guess it would depend on what O-rings you are needing to lube. If it is like the one on a paintball CO2 tanks, then yeah it should work. If it's like on the bolt, which moves, it would probably slow it down and hinder performance.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:27 pm
by frankrede
Ky would blow out and wouldn't work as well as its water based. Keep it for yourself and whatevr you do iwth it litium grease sounds liek it would work I use ift on my endcaps and it seals.