Any ideas or knowledge of Dow vs. Amsoil? I know Dow is silicone while Amsoil is "aluminum complex." But that doesn't really mean anything to me. And there is much talk about Dow, but Amsoil is much less expensive than and it is described as non-toxic and USDA approved as well....

????????

Tom

Tom@Steve'sEspresso wrote:And there is much talk about Dow, but Amsoil is much less expensive...

Expensive? Stefano's Espressocare sells enough Dow Corning 111 to lubricate a lever espresso machine for years that only costs $3 a tube.

HB wrote:Expensive? Stefano's Espressocare sells enough Dow Corning 111 to lubricate a lever espresso machine for years that only costs $3 a tube.

Chuckle, I made the mistake of ordering the Dow 111 150 gr tube. I have enough for the rest of my life and I can pass it down to my kids. A little goes a long ways.

Mark

HB wrote:Expensive? Stefano's Espressocare sells enough Dow Corning 111 to lubricate a lever espresso machine for years that only costs $3 a tube.

Yes expensive- Amsoil 14 ounce/ 397 gram tube=$8.00. An equal amount of Dow in 6g tubes would be around, hmm, $200, or $30 for 2- 150 gram tubes.

But cost figures aside, I was looking for more of a performance-based view regarding the silicone vs. the synthetic aluminum complex.

"USDA H-1 rated for incidental contact with food" ain't NSF-61. There's plenty of information on this website about the difference.

Just for reference, Grainger here in the US carries DOW 111 in the 150g tube for about $8.00 on the shelf, no order.

Your tax may vary. I was thinking that the 150g tube might be a lifetime supply.

-Cecil

The knowledge that people on this site have still amazes me..............

Tom@Steve'sEspresso wrote:The knowledge that people on this site have still amazes me..............

Have you seen the electron microscope analysis of the grind from the espresso grinders yet....

Mark

You have your Ford men and your GM men and I personally am a Dow 111 man...haven't used the Amsoil but those little packets of Dow give a good controlled dispensing of the lube....I think that over lube is just a good way to load up the lip seals on the piston. I have used 4 packets in a year having rebuilt approximately 30 machines. I just wish I knew a good way to get it washed off my fingers.....GoJo hand cleaner doesn't even touch it. I think if I had a 150 gram tube I might be inclined to overdo it. Dow 111, a little dab will do ya.

orphanespresso wrote:I just wish I knew a good way to get it washed off my fingers...

When I was in the emergency room recently (son rolled ankle at soccer game) I helped myself to a pair of these powder-free aloe-lined non-latex beauties:

I use Lubri-Film Plus: http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...oupparts/lubricant for greasing the threads on my Mazzers. $8 for a 4oz(113g) tube from CC but you can find it from $3-$5.50 on the web. No E61 levers to grease so I figure I have a life time supply with one tube. As for the greasy fingers I wear Nitrile gloves when I apply it.

mhoy wrote:Have you seen the electron microscope analysis of the grind from the espresso grinders yet....

Mark

No I haven't seen that one yet... but when/where does the information cross the line and become madness?

JohnB. wrote:I use Lubri-Film Plus: http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...oupparts/lubricant for greasing the threads on my Mazzers.

Lubri film is good stuff as well, but the melting point is only about 200*F, not really meant for high heat applications. That much I do know.

Tom@Steve'sEspresso wrote:... but when/where does the information cross the line and become madness?

Where: Right on these pages.

When: A long, long time ago.

Since this question appears in the Lever Espresso Machines forum, we can assume the subject is piston-seal lubrication. This is an area exposed to high heat and elevated pressure, directly in the path of potable water. I would personally avoid "food-grade" lubricants rated for "incidental contact" and opt for NSF-61 (potable water) rated lubricant. You're exposing yourself to these substances typically several times a day over many months or years. Silicone may be silicone, but there are additives in the food-grade lubricants that are not meant to be ingested on a routine basis. I'm no chemist, but the combination of high temperature and elevated pressure may break down bonds and release some of these additives that might otherwise have remained encapsulated.

I think Timo888 raises a very important point. When I bought lubricant for my Europiccola last week I opted for 'potable water' lubricant instead of 'incidental contact with food' lubricant. The product I found here in the UK is called Rocol Aqua Sil. I think it's an alternative to Dow 111. It's silicone based and is rated to 200 C. There is a governing body that lists these 'potable water' lubricants on their website:

http://www.wras.co.uk/Directory/materia ... ction=5160

I thought this could be a good way to find alternatives to DOW 111.

oddly, most of them are marked as being good up to 85 C which I think is not strictly true. Molykote 111 (Dow 111 rebranded for the UK) is in this list as well as the Rocol lube stated above and they are marked as being good up to 85 C. It must be legislation of some type...