I have a dovetail slide printed from PETG and wondering what would be a good lubricant? It doesn’t need to withstand any harsh conditions.
Thanks
If excessive moisture is not present try soap.
Use an old and dried up soap bar if you have otherwise go for a plain and hard laundry soap bar.
Especially if the mating surfaces and not perfectly smooth and shiny the soap with fill those voids and create an easy glide effect.
Works well for god knows how long with wooden runners on drawers and such, so plastic is not much different as long as there is enough roughness for the soap to hold on to.
Remove the loose excess after moving the parts a few times with a blower or little brush.
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That sounds perfect, thanks!
I used it mainly for PLA parts.
If it won’t stick properly on the PETG try a soft flame on the mating surfaces.
When the dull looking plastic turns shiny again it is just right.
This trick also helps when you have to glue PETG or Nylon parts.
That answers another question…thanks.
I use the same product I maintain my printer rails with: Super Lube Oil, and it works really well!
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I use this with plastic to plastic or plastic to metal moving parts.
MOLYKOTE (DUPONT really) know his business.
Anything silicone based. The Bambu leadscrew grease is a silicone lubricant though it’s a bit messy
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Why do I NOT use grease or oils for printed parts ?
- You never really know how it might affect the plasticisers and other ingredients of the plastic.
- Oil and grease can and will migrate through cracks and gaps - if the print is not airtight you sooner o later have the stuff inside your print.
- Cleaning it off if you need to re-lube is often not easy as it is printed and not always perfectly smooth.
So why soap or wax instead?
Because it won’t make a mess and the soap goes fully away with just water…
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I didn’t have any hard soap, but wax worked nicely. Thanks again for the suggestions.