Alternative food safe lube to Dow Corning 111

[Dink0617]

Was wondering if faucet grease would be an alternative to Dow-111, it is heat resistant to 350f and is food safe. Having a tough time locating Dow, my local hardware store carries it but of course they are out of stock. I need it for a La Peppina I just acquired.

Thanks

[HB]

Common faucet grease is surely safe for incidental contact, but I doubt it's heat temperature resistant. Lubricating a lever espresso machine suggests several sources of Dow Corning 111. Tim mentions Taylor HP lube in Cremina 67 Piston Seal Jiffy Lube, which may be easier to source locally from restaurant supply stores, with the caveat that Olympia only recommends Dow Corning 111 for their equipment.

[Levergirl]

Not to advertise for anyone, but I got Dow 111 from Amazon.com. It came quick and shipping was minimal.

[caeffe]

try orphanespresso.com
i hear the owner(s) are certified lever geeks
and guitar players...

[orphanespresso]

Somebody mention GUITARS?! Maybe it's Guitar Geeks and Lever Players....you know...we can make Beautiful music together!

[mrgnomer]

I just posted my experience with lubes other than Dow 111.

I did a bit of research about a year ago into food safe lubes. It's a relatively new field. Big demand for food safe lubes in the food manufacturing/distribution sector.

There a several rating categories from no contact with food, incidental food contact to direct food contact. So far Dow 111 is the only readily available direct contact lube I know of. There are other lubes I found but they were rated for either incidental or no food contract. For lubing piston seals and walls the Dow 111 would be safest.

I couldn't find Dow 111 either so I thought trying other lubes would work just as good. Incidental food contact rating was a compromise for availability. I don't know what your Peppina's like by my Cremina is a brass cylinder, brass piston and fit with new stock seals. I've tried only 3 other lubricants- olive oil, a mineral oil lube and a teflon zinc oxide lube- and none other than the Dow 111 lubricates as well, sticks as well or resists washing out on my Cremina. So, not only is Dow 111 rated higher for food contact it also works better than anything else I've tried. Personally I would do what I could to find some Dow 111. It shouldn't be that hard to find.

[stefano65]

here is a "small quantity" solution for it
http://espressocare.com/Qstore/Qs...ME=Dow+Corning+111

[mrgnomer]

Hi Stephano,

I got about 4 little tubes like the one you carry. A little goes a long way I found. To completely lube up a Cremina I only used less than 1/2 of the small tube. I don't plan on freshing up the lube for another 6 months atleast.

[ira]

I just ordered a tube from http://www.drillspot.com which was drop shipped from Grainger. $17 delivered.

Ira

[caeffe]

I just ordered a tube from http://www.drillspot.com which was drop shipped from Grainger. $17 delivered.

Ira

That's not bad for a large tube of the stuff, 150 g. But....

I just finished 'refeathering my peacock' (europiccola gasket refurb) and find that like mrgnomer, I used less than a quarter of what looks like a small sampler tube of the stuff (6 grams). Both espressocare & orphanespresso carry the small tubes. A 150 g tube can do a lot of lever machines that's for sure.

[mrgnomer]

Second day now and about 4 pulls from the Cremina. The other lubes got thick by now. The movement with the Cremina's lever is still light and smooth with the Dow 111 even with a cold machine. So far so good.

[youngbunny]

hi,

i own a food mfg company and use a FDA rated H1 lubricant (this is the most safe type that comes into contact with edible items) that is good for high temp use. We run high pressure food substances at around 220 F and this grease won't budge. Even running it through a sanitizing dishwasher that goes up to 205F and a pressure of 150 psi won't wash it away. An H1 grease is designed to come into contact with food and leave no odor or flavor, let alone dissolve into the food. There are several brands that come in tubes but one good product is by Mobile:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/..._222.asp?Print=yes