Spindle/bearing and apron oil?

[BrokenBiker]

Need to change fluids on the lathe for something I know is fresh. It's become a bit more of a concern this afternoon after having a look at the little reservoir on the back of the headstock to see its got swarf in it

So what's good? I remember being told once to use hydraulic as lube for spindles?

 

[wyn]

My lathe and mill run on "universal farm oil" wherever it's needed.

 

[BrokenBiker]

My lathe and mill run on "universal farm oil" wherever it's needed.

Sounds good enough for me, cheers

 

[BrokenBiker]

My lathe and mill run on "universal farm oil" wherever it's needed.

I assume that's the 15w30 made by every man and it's dog?

 

[wyn]

I can't remember what it was but it was good for hydraulics, engine and gearbox

 

[BrokenBiker]

Sounds like the stuff I want, cheers

 

[Tigman]

Doubleboost put some purple oil in his lathe ! If it's good for John it's got to be good

 

[Tigman]

 

[pressbrake1]

ISO 32 hydraulic oil is a good replacement for telus

 

[dieselsamurai]

One of the main reasons not to use engine oil is its designed to keep particles in suspension until it reaches the filter and wont let them settle as quick also can contain additives harmful to certain parts, I always use hydraulic oil in mine as it doesnt have a filter and i have loads of it too !

 

[BrokenBiker]

ISO 32 hydraulic oil is a good replacement for telus

i have some of that...last lot of bottle jack oil i bought was ISO32...i think my compressor oil is as well

 

[BrokenBiker]

so, my concerns are getting worse...the little resevoir that had swarf in was a drip feed for the change wheels, and a little hand plunger to prime it...there was a smidge of oil in there, but not a gread deal...however, the back gear resevoir is bone dry...as is the apron resevoir (because the drain plug was loose so its been dry a while) and its the same for the norton box for the feeds and threads...the spindle seems to have a small amount of oil getting to it from its own resevoir and the tailstock has enough oil to make me slightly worry about an invasion...

im picking oil up tomorrow, its not being run again now until its been oiled fully, ill run it in back gear on a slow speed for a while then flush it out and fill with clean again...my own fault really for not checking, i just assumed that someone who apparently cared a great deal about this lathe would keep the fluids topped up.

 

[MattF]

so, my concerns are getting worse...

No use worrying about it. Fill it, try it, & if there are any issues noted, sort them.

 

[BrokenBiker]

No use worrying about it. Fill it, try it, & if there are any issues noted, sort them.

i dont think any damage has been done...the spindle still runs true, theres no end float that i can measure and everything still turns freely...just owuld have prefered to not have been running it the last week wiht no oil in it.

it was always my intention to change the fluids but noticed earlier the spindle was getting hot while i was facing a chuck back plate in back gear which is what prompted me to start checking.

 

[fizzy]

Remember ANY oil is better than no oil
As Pressbrake mentioned ISO 32 but I find it a bit too thin in my Colchester Triumph so I use ISO46. Morris Oils on Ebay are very good as are Smith Allen.

 

[RichardM]

Iso VG 68 is the recommended oil for my boxford 280 headstock.