Lubing jointer dovetails?

[Michael Weber]

I dissembled my 6 inch Delta 37-190 6 inch jointer. Never could get it adjusted correctly so decided to get it to where I could give the dovetails an inspection and good cleaning. Now that I have the tables off and before remounting them, do I need to lubricate the dovetails with something? A little oil or grease or should I leave them dry as they appear to be now?

[Duane Meadows]

I'd use PTFE dry lubricant.

[Mel Fulks]

I have put never seize on them while they were down that far .Assembled ,I have occasionally sprayed Ballistol through the tube right at the juncture ,and it is good at seeping in. That works but there might be something better .

[Lee Schierer]

Leaving them dry is not a good idea even though they don't get moved often nor very far, I would put on a light coat of good machine oil, it will make the surfaces slide more easily and will prevent rust in the event the tool ever gets wet or sweats a bit due to a temperature swing.

[Mel Fulks]

I considered just machine oil but after a while it seems to just disappear and some of the surfaces are hard to reach. The never seize just seems to last forever on slow moving surfaces.

[Todd Burch]

Google way oil.

[Mel Fulks]

Todd,thanks . That's a good tip,but I would still use the never seize. It must be compatible with oil since it is sometimes used in assembly of machines that will have pumped oil after start up. Theoretically the jointer will only be torn down once .

[Todd Burch]

I've also become a recent fanboy of Fluid Film too. Available from your local John Deere dealer.

[Mike Cutler]

A light coating of wheel bearing, or chassis grease, will do what you need it to.

[Benjamin Miller]

Way oil is designed for sliding surfaces like this, and has tackifiers in it so that it will stay on the surface.

Mobil Vactra #2 is the standard way oil, but chainsaw bar oil is pretty similar and can usually be had locally.

Honestly, the duty cycle here is so low that just about any lubrication or lack thereof would be fine.

[Mel Fulks]

The last one I had to take down and adjust was completely dry . It was made in 1939 ,so some are around a long time and it's a lot of work to access those surfaces. I don't think the short duty cycle apples in such circumstances.