oiling your machines

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Ive got a gear head enco lathe, the guy I bought it from said he filled the gear box and carriage with regular 30 weight oil. What are you guys using for the various parts of your machines, bedways, spindle heads and gear boxes? I know vactra number 2 is what bridgeport reccomends for its ways but Im looking for common alternatives for spindle, gearbox, and way lubrications, preferably oils I can get at local auto or hardware stores. Im trying to avoid doing a bunch of mail orders
Reply:whether thr substitute lubes will work ok depends entirely on duty cycle. how many hours per day or week will you use the lathe ? you can order a combo pack of oils from fleabay.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:i was taught/told to use non-detergent oils in machinery..tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Originally Posted by bruceri was taught/told to use non-detergent oils in machinery..
Reply:Awhile back I called a machine sales shop about our old drill press and was told AW32 hydraulic oil. Apparently it's all they've ever used in their machinery, lathes, mills etc, it's not the only person that's told me that neither........Mike
Reply:I am unsure totally about the gearbox oils to be used. For the ways there is no match to actual way oil with tackifiers. I use chainsaw bar and chain oil for the ways because it has the tackifiers in it. Work very well and helps eliminate the stick-slip problem.For my headstock bearings, gearbox bushings, and other stuff I just use nondetergent 30wt oil.
Reply:There's a 50's era monarch lathe in the shop that I work in.  We fill it with auto transmission fluid.  It's the closest match to the lube indicated on the machine case that we could find.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:I am not totally sure about your type of gears.  I bought this: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/EXX...Gear-Oil-6Y778 recommended to me for my band saw with worm gears.  It quieted down some noise I had experienced.  They make a 140 wt, also.   Some other info provided to me:Mobil SHC 624 – ISO VG 32Mobil SHC 625 – ISO VG 46Mobil SHC 626 – ISO VG 68Mobil SHC 627 – ISO VG 100Mobil SHC 629 – ISO VG 150 = SAE 90Mobil SHC 630 – ISO VG 220 = SAE 90 (middle of range)Mobil SHC 632 – ISO VG 320 = Cusp of SAE 90/140 transitionMobil SHC 634 – ISO VG 460 = SAE 140 (middle of range)Mobil SHC 636 – ISO VG 680 = SAE 140Mobil SHC 639 – ISO VG 1000 = SAE 250 ISO = International Standards OrganizationVG = Viscosity GradeSAE = Society of Automotive Engineers
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTI am unsure totally about the gearbox oils to be used. For the ways there is no match to actual way oil with tackifiers. I use chainsaw bar and chain oil for the ways because it has the tackifiers in it. Work very well and helps eliminate the stick-slip problem.For my headstock bearings, gearbox bushings, and other stuff I just use nondetergent 30wt oil.
Reply:Thanks for the input, the chainsaw oil as a stand in for way oil seems interesting.... To expand on the "non-detergent" oil thing, How does one go about verifying this? does it say "non detergent" on the bottle, or is there some other abbreviated nomenclature that I should be looking for?
Reply:HD30 motor oil has detergent (like any typical motor oil, except synthetic).ND30 oil has none (like compressor oil).
Reply:some  gearhead lathes require a very thin oil so that the spindle bearing will drain properly. too thick an oil will result in oil leaking onto the back of the chuck and being thrown all over.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:2nd on chainsaw bar/chain oil for ways oil. cnczone has a few threads mentioning it as well.miller syncrowave 250hobart handler 140home made 400 amp engine driven in progress...