ram's oil recipe

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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by Ranch Dog »

lead-1 wrote:I just use a little 3 in 1 oil or something thin, have even rubbed a little Ed's Red on the ram a time or two. Now with that said, I used to work on industrial embroidery machines (car and truck floor mats) and they didn't want oil stains on the carpet so we used a vegetable oil. I really don't see why it wouldn't be press friendly if it was used on very fast moving sewing machine parts.
I've thought about the vegetable oil as I use it quite a bit on my farm equipment either as a lube or rust preventive. For instance, preventing rust on a seeder or fertilizer spreader while it is in storage. These implements need to be free of anything during use and the vegetable oil is very easy to clean off. As far as a lube, it is used on all kinds of parts such as PTO shafts, not the grease fittings but where the two shaft halves overlap and the U-joints where they slide onto the splines. I mean it is used on everything!

I have a large trailer that I rebuilt, all the metal is bare. I have to wait for better whether to prep and apply a finish but I need the trailer now. I sprayed it down with vegetable oil and it has been in use, out in the weather, and there is no rust forming on it. Once the temperature is up, I will wash it with Dawn detergent and get busy prepping and painting it.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by mdatlanta »

Probably any type of light oil or thin grease will work, but this is what I use--only because I keep a bottle on my bench for general use:

Red Oil recipe:

3 quarts automatic transmission fluid (red F type)
1 quart 10W or 30W non-detergent motor oil
1 pint STP oil treatment
4 ounces Hoppe’s #9
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by Steve »

I use a 50-50 mix of STP and 90 weight synthetic gear lube on the rams of all my presses. This is a high pressure lube. Just a few drops coat it well and it stays for a long time.

A used loadmaster I picked up must not have been as fortunate as the one I do all my loading on. Everything on the used one fits loose, (probably not lubed properly) It's primary use is decapping. The Loadmaster I have probably loaded 50K+ rounds on is still in excellent condition. I use a good quality gun grease in the pins every few thousand rounds.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by daboone »

30W motor oil because it's inexpensive and has had tons of research to do a very dirty job extraordinarily well.
High speed and extreme temperatures are not issues for a ram. What is important is that the oils forms a protective film over the surface and keeps dust, dirt, spent primer residue, carbon, etc suspended to keep them from scraping the contact surfaces and keep a coating that surface. ( I know your car needs to be warmed up but that is because warm oil is easier to pump and keep oil moving thru the filter. But there is still a coating of oil on the moving parts even when your car has been sitting for several days.)

All the advertising done to promote all the super duper fantastic claims for the various oils for engines, guns, and everything else is interesting and convincing, I guess. So what ever you use just remember that your press will still collect dust, dirt, spent primer residue, carbon, etc so spend as much money as you want but regular maintenance should be a part of your process.
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When setting a job up for myself it must be Idiot Proof as well, as I am a bigger idiot than most people I know, and I prove it to myself everyday.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by DaveInGA »

I'm a big one to keep my presses clean and lubed. I typically will clean and wipe down the ram every time I use it and replace the old grease with new. I'll use any sort of wheel bearing grease that's out in my garage and handy, but that's been mostly Mobile 1 Synthetic with Moly in most recent years. It smells bad, but lubes well and stays on in very thin coats well. I will typically leave enough on the press will not run dry and wipe off excess after I'm finished and put the press up.

Next time I take it out, I'll clean it first and start again.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by Steve »

There is always some lube left on my primary loading Loadmaster. It is fastened to the desk in the computer room. When I am done using it I wipe excess lube off the bottom of the ram and handle pins.

Then to make sure oil doesn't drip on the carpet I slide a plastic bag over the bottom, hold it in place with a spring loaded clamp. It has caught a few drops and is no problem. I came up with the idea because in the past I noticed a oil buildup starting below the Loadmaster I use to decap with in the shop.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by DaveInGA »

I wonder if over time, grease could drip the same way if one is not careful.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by Maximumbob54 »

I have several different cans of what are pretty much different brands of 3in1 oils that I've collected over the years. I give everything a tiny spray now and then and wipe down the exposed steel. Anything that ever starts to feel the slightest drag gets a spray. Any excess gets wiped up and any build up gets cleaned up.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by Steve »

DaveInGA wrote:I wonder if over time, grease could drip the same way if one is not careful.
A definite yes to that. Some of my drips has been grease.
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Re: ram's oil recipe

Post by 62chevy »

Steve wrote:
DaveInGA wrote:I wonder if over time, grease could drip the same way if one is not careful.
A definite yes to that. Some of my drips has been grease.

I'm like Dave wipe it down every time I use it and apply fresh wheel bearing grease. Any excess is taken off so no chance for grease to drip. 30 weight oil stinks and will drip, I know it is what Lee says to use but I just can't get past the smell.
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