A grease gun that doesn't suck

[pelesl]

So I bought a "generic" grease gun at the auto parts store. It seems to be a total piece of crap.

1. It drips grease everywhere. I had to keep the box as a catch basin. Every single joint on the thing is spewing grease. It's in the garage, so it's seeing temperature fluctuations, but this is ridiculous.
2. It's a pistol-grip model. I figured, nice---one handed operation. Except the handle doesn't come back on its own. WTF? So it takes two hands to do anything anyway.

Are all grease guns this bad? Do I have to go find a 50 year old one and refurbish it?

Also,

3. I've been told some greases shouldn't be mixed. So I guess once you put a particular type of grease in a gun, that gun's done for as far as anything else is concerned? I imagine they are nearly impossible to clean. So do people have a couple of grease guns in their shops labeled with the grease that's in them?
4. Are there grease guns that measure how much you're squirting out? I've seen maintenance manuals for machinery that say "insert 2 cubic inches of grease every 6 months".

[basketcase0302]

Dave is right about "overgreasing" I've seen failures of parts due to this through the years, (especially bearings). And you are absolutely right about mixing greases, (I learned this a very long time ago in the USN). In a nutshell...if you have lithium grease in it-stay with lithium grease.
http://www.mindconnection.com/library/h ... compat.htm

[averagef250]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#grease-guns/=bz827f

Mcmasters has everything, but the best prices. Everything I've ever purchased from them has been shipped very quickly, packaged well and at a fair price. They tend to sell made in USA or higher quality items.

[mrsnicks]

Northern Tool has the pistol grip lincoln grease guns. I bought one with the flex hose.. Think i was into it 30-40 bucks out the door.

Can't complain about it.

Patrick

[zakt]

I have a pneumatic grease gun, just hook on the compressor and go although it has its problem, always when changing out the cartrige it seems to not work and have to fiddle with it..... then I have a pistol grip large one and a long handle large one for spare....

[1972hiboy]

I have an lincoln electric grease gun...its been awesome and worked great for the last 5 years. only thing I had to change was the grease cartridge holder...wore it out.

[webbee]

Another vote for the Lincoln pistol grip greaser.

[BobbyFord]

Lincoln used to be good but now, like everything else, most of it's made overseas. I found this out when I tried to get parts for my 20 yr. old floor jack
Try Alemite grease guns...still made in the U.S...> http://www.alemite.com/catalog/details. ... ifier=guns
#555-E is the one that I have but it's the older style.

[pelesl]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll try to get my hands on an Alemite---I've seen many a tool go the Lincoln Electric route: you buy it 5 years ago and it's great so you go get another one and it's only a crap copy of the original.

FYI you have to be careful with McMaster. The customer service is great but not everything they sell is great or the cheapest. I just bought some stainless steel turnbuckles and the thread is so far from standard it strips when you look at it.

[pelesl]

Found this at Home Shop Machinist BBS (http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=48099):

Got an e-mail back from Alemite:

" Mike,

We make several different models. Here are the models we make in the USA:


* Heavy duty series- Lever
* Heavy Duty series -Extra Long Solid Lever
* High Pressure Series
* C 600


Our Model 500 Series are made in China to our design and quality standards."