The lithium in lithium grease is bound up in an almost completely inert compound, and will not react with anything.
So why is it there?
It is part of the portion of grease which is chemically known as a soap. It is the "thickener" from which oil is dispensed. All soaps contain one of the rare earth metals: calcium, sodium, or lithium.
Grease is a mixture of oil and an inert component, soap, which dispenses the oil slowly over a long period of time.
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
"Michael MacClancy" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Lithium Grease The term Lithium Grease can be slightly misleading as the lithium content is actually the thickener used to thicken the oil content to make it a grease as opposed to an oil.
Quoted message said:
Hey I wonder if you could use engine oil and flour, sorta roll your own.
Which brings up the question of when the oil and soap concept for grease was invented. I'd love to know, but I'd bet that lots of things were tried. Flour and sawdust might have been obvious choices, but one wonders if these would be more likely to turn rancid.
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
The comments about lithium based greases are BS and urban legend. Ignore them.
On the other hand my father says his old department conducted some tests on molybdenum disulphide which showed that at aero engine running temperatures it was a most effective abrasive :-)
Guy === ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ (BT ADSL and dynamic DNS permitting) NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer work. Apologies.
Which brings up the question of when the oil and soap concept for grease was invented. I'd love to know, but I'd bet that lots of things were tried. Flour and sawdust might have been obvious choices, but one wonders if these would be more likely to turn rancid.
A quick Google search on "invention of grease" reveals that Andrew Carnegie invented grease in the late 1800s, to lubricate some bearings that always failed rapidly in his steel mills.
I was surprised to learn that this occured so late.
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
A quick Google search on "invention of grease" reveals that Andrew Carnegie invented grease in the late 1800s, to lubricate some bearings that always failed rapidly in his steel mills.
I was surprised to learn that this occured so late.
I am certain that tallow, lard, etc., have been used as grease-like lubricants for as long as there have been mechanisms to lubricate. The fact that they tend to liquefy at elevated temperatures probably didn't matter when rotating speeds were slow and bearings were made of wood. That covers most machines before the age of steam.
"Jim Adney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
All soaps contain one of the rare earth metals: calcium, sodium, or
lithium.
ob pedant : no way can calcium, sodium or lithium be described as 'rare earth metals'.
Well pointed out, Clive. Sodium and lithium are alkali metals; calcium is in the smae part of the periodic table (Group II) as magnesium, sometimes described as "alkaline earths". "Rare earth metals" is, I believe, a term covering the lanthanide (f-block) elements such as cerium.
On the other hand my father says his old department conducted some tests on molybdenum disulphide which showed that at aero engine running temperatures it was a most effective abrasive :-)
Really? What were the conditions?
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
On the other hand my father says his old department conducted some tests on molybdenum disulphide which showed that at aero engine running temperatures it was a most effective abrasive :-)
Quoted message said:
Really? What were the conditions?
They tested it in certain bearings on a Dart turboprop IIRC - it knackered the bearing in double-quick time. I'll ask for chapter & verse next time I see the old man.
"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Mike Latondresse <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Hey I wonder if you could use engine oil and flour, sorta roll your own.
"David E. Belcher" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Only just noticed this comment, and highly appropriate it is too, bearing in mind what day it is tomorrow....
Tomorrow?? City of Chicago's Birthday on 4 March? What else?
Shrove Tuesday, hence the remark about oil & flour (vaguely pancake related, I suppose!). Obviously not a major affair in the States, whereas it's very popular on this side of the Atlantic.
Tomorrow?? City of Chicago's Birthday on 4 March? What else?
Shrove Tuesday, hence the remark about oil & flour (vaguely pancake related, I suppose!). Obviously not a major affair in the States, whereas it's very popular on this side of the Atlantic.
In article <[email hidden]>, pLime [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
David E. Belcher said:
Quoted message said:
Tomorrow?? City of Chicago's Birthday on 4 March? What else?
Shrove Tuesday, hence the remark about oil & flour (vaguely pancake related, I suppose!). Obviously not a major affair in the States, whereas it's very popular on this side of the Atlantic.
"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
David E. Belcher said:
Quoted message said:
Tomorrow?? City of Chicago's Birthday on 4 March? What else?
Shrove Tuesday, hence the remark about oil & flour (vaguely pancake related, I suppose!). Obviously not a major affair in the States, whereas it's very popular on this side of the Atlantic.
Any advice on tossing whilst riding?
As this is cross-posted to r.b.t, we could always revive the aluminium vs. steel debate on there - applied to frying pans this time!!
I am certain that tallow, lard, etc., have been used as grease-like lubricants for as long as there have been mechanisms to lubricate. The fact that they tend to liquefy at elevated temperatures probably didn't matter when rotating speeds were slow and bearings were made of wood. That covers most machines before the age of steam.
Right, but there were a lot of years in the steam age before modern grease came about. They probably knew about oil and used it in places where we now use grease. This probably meant more frequent maintenance intervals.
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
On 3 Mar 2003 09:37:50 -0800 (David E. Belcher) said:
Quoted message said:
"Jim Adney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
All soaps contain one of the rare earth metals: calcium, sodium, or
lithium.
ob pedant : no way can calcium, sodium or lithium be described as 'rare earth metals'.
Well pointed out, Clive. Sodium and lithium are alkali metals; calcium is in the smae part of the periodic table (Group II) as magnesium, sometimes described as "alkaline earths".
Sorry, that was brain fade on my part. I paused with indecision when I wrote that, but couldn't think of what was wrong with it. The right term just couldn't find its way to the surface.
Thanks for the correction. Alkali metals it is.
- ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA -----------------------------------------------
