The linear rails are supplied with a protective oil coating on them. It is strongly recommended to prepare your work surface with paper towels and to wear disposable gloves.

Paper Towels

Linear Rail

Carefully open one end of the linear rail packaging and remove the rail. Place the rail upon the paper towels and dispose of the packaging

The oil on the rails protects them from rusting. You must either replace this oil after cleaning (as directed below), or make sure not to remove all of the original oil during preparation

An easy solution to both protect, and lubricate the rails, is using a light oil such as 3-in-1 or sewing machine oil

Apply a small amount of oil to a paper towel and then apply the oil to the rail by wiping it with the oiled paper towel. This may be done prior to, or after installation of the linear rails.

More advanced users may wish to fully grease the rails & carriage with a specialised bearing lubricant. It is important to use the correct grade and make sure there are no additives such as PTFE, graphite, molybdenum disulfide, etc. The recommended grade of grease is EP00 or EP000 as these lubricate well, without being too viscous.