oil in lathe gearbox
Francis Morrin
its well past time to change the gearbox and cross slide oil. The
level is low anyway.
The oil is pumped for sure in the gearbox, but I'm not 100% in the
case of the cross slide.
Any ideas on what grade of oil I should use?
Also any recommendations for good instructional books for someone who
has a fair idea but needs a lot of practise and advice on metal
turning - eg types of steel, getting a clean finish (that I know the
lathe is well capable of), cutting threads etc etc etc.... you guys
know the drill!!!!
Many thanks in advance!!
Fran in Ireland
Jon Elson
Francis Morrin wrote:
My Sheldon lathe has 4 different oils in 4 gearboxes! There's the motor
gearbox, headstock, QC and carriage. The carriage, crossslide, apron gears
and nearby parts are lubed by a pretty typical way lube, as the slideways
and leadscrew nuts are the most important surfaces to protect. Given a good
way oil, and running at the low speeds the other parts get, they will do
fine.
A bit unusual to have a true pressure-lubed gearbox, unless it has
hydraulically
shifted gears. My Sheldon has a faily light gearbox lube in the motor
gearbox,
and a different (lighter, I think) oil in the headstock. Maybe they want to
use the lightest oil possible in the headstock to reduce heating.
Anyway, the
headstock is splash-lubed by the bull gear, which churns oil up to a gallery
that spills oil on specific locations. the motor gearbox is pretty much
immersed in the gear lube.
I can get the specific lubricant types for you, if that would be
helpful. I found
a local outfit that repackages industrial lubes from the drums in 5 Gal
sizes, and
they were able to cross reference all the old lubes called out for my
machine.
Jon
Francis Morrin
I've been thinking about this a fair bit!! (since my post) and I think
I'll probably use standard gear oil (EP90) for the gearboxes. Then I
think I'll use a heavier oil for lubricating the ways etc. My
reasoning is that this would be a bit more sticky and might last
longer seeing that this is not a machine that gets use even once a
week, but then might run for 4-5 hours when I do get at it.
I'm also going to invest in a tarp to throw over it to keep the dust
off the lathe.
I got it all washed down last night (diesel in one of those pressure
washers) and wow, what a difference it made!! I now need to make up
new felt "covers" for either side of the crossslide - you know the bit
that sweeps along the bed (see the other post)? and of course the
guard that surrounds the back of teh lathe.
New coat of paint and she'll be looking pretty good!
thanks for the help,
Fran in Ireland
Jon Elson <jme...@artsci.wustl.edu> wrote in message news:<3ECA8BE...@artsci.wustl.edu>...
Gary Coffman
>I've been thinking about this a fair bit!! (since my post) and I think
>I'll probably use standard gear oil (EP90) for the gearboxes. Then I
>think I'll use a heavier oil for lubricating the ways etc. My
>reasoning is that this would be a bit more sticky and might last
>longer seeing that this is not a machine that gets use even once a
>week, but then might run for 4-5 hours when I do get at it.
I'd suggest the lathe manufacturer probably knew what lubricants
would be best. Why not use those instead of automotive lubricants?
>I'm also going to invest in a tarp to throw over it to keep the dust
>off the lathe.
Rig up a way to hold the tarp up so it doesn't touch the lathe. If you
don't allow air circulation, the tarp will hold moisture against the machine
and promote rust.
Gary
Francis Morrin
good idea keeping the tarp out of contact. I'll make up a wire frame.
My neighbour once covered up some outdoor furniture (wood) with tarp
came back a week later to find it badly discoloured!!!
On the oil front, the lathe manufacturer has long since gone and no
manuals have been located for this machine - not even from
lathes.co.uk. I came across one of them recently on an indian website
with secondhand machinery for sale (the power of google!), but the
page was dated 1999!! I put the oil in last night, on teh basis that
putting some kind of oil in was better than the dangerously low levels
of crud alreay in there. If I get a manual down the line, I replace
the oil then,
thanks for the help,
Fran
Gary Coffman <ke...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:<g4rocv8sjb0mh5lav...@4ax.com>...
Gary Coffman
>On the oil front, the lathe manufacturer has long since gone and no
>manuals have been located for this machine - not even from
>lathes.co.uk. I came across one of them recently on an indian website
>with secondhand machinery for sale (the power of google!), but the
>page was dated 1999!! I put the oil in last night, on teh basis that
>putting some kind of oil in was better than the dangerously low levels
>of crud alreay in there. If I get a manual down the line, I replace
>the oil then,
Well, I was mainly trying to gently steer you toward normal lathe
oils. 90 weight gear lube is lots heavier than what is normally used
in a lathe headstock. Spindle oil, also called turbine oil, is normally
roughly equivalent to SAE 20 or 30 weight non-detergent oil. I'm
afraid the bearings are going to run hot using the heavy gear lube
in the headstock.
Way lube is way lube, a specially formulated oil with high tack
properties. Since both of these are normally available in gallon
jugs from the usual machine shop supply places, there's little
excuse to use anything else.
Gary
Tim Manning
Inside my carriage apron, there are a couple of clutches on the
drives. A metal cone fits a mating part and drives the feed. If the
cross slide hits something immovable, it stops and the cone spins.
This metal to metal contact. The clutch is in with the gears and
whatnot, so I wonder if a special lubricant is required so as not to
make the clutch incapable of transmitting power. Do you know if
clutches like this are common?
Tim
Jon Elson <jme...@artsci.wustl.edu> wrote in message news:<3ECA8BE...@artsci.wustl.edu>...
Ned Simmons
ke...@bellsouth.net says...
> On 22 May 2003 08:29:54 -0700, woodtur...@oceanfree.net (Francis Morrin) wrote:
> >On the oil front, the lathe manufacturer has long since gone and no
> >manuals have been located for this machine - not even from
> >lathes.co.uk. I came across one of them recently on an indian website
> >with secondhand machinery for sale (the power of google!), but the
> >page was dated 1999!! I put the oil in last night, on teh basis that
> >putting some kind of oil in was better than the dangerously low levels
> >of crud alreay in there. If I get a manual down the line, I replace
> >the oil then,
>
> Well, I was mainly trying to gently steer you toward normal lathe
> oils. 90 weight gear lube is lots heavier than what is normally used
> in a lathe headstock. Spindle oil, also called turbine oil, is normally
> roughly equivalent to SAE 20 or 30 weight non-detergent oil. I'm
> afraid the bearings are going to run hot using the heavy gear lube
> in the headstock.
For whatever reason, the viscosity numbers on motor oil and
gear lube do not correspond. SAE 90 weight gear oil is not
all that much heavier than SAE 30 motor oil, it's equal to
about SAE 50 motor oil.
A larger concern is that the EP additives in some gear oils
are incompatible with bearing and gear bronzes.
Spindle oil and turbine oil are not the same stuff, though
probably interchangeable in some applications. Spindle oils
are generally very light oils, usually ISO 22 or less.
Personally, I think you'd be pretty safe with an ISO 46 or
68 turbine oil (Mobil DTE Turbine oil, for example). This
would be approx the same viscosity as SAE 20 motor oil.
>
> Way lube is way lube, a specially formulated oil with high tack
> properties. Since both of these are normally available in gallon
> jugs from the usual machine shop supply places, there's little
> excuse to use anything else.
Yes, ignore anyone who advises saving a few dollars a
gallon by using chainsaw bar oil. I'm not kidding, this
pops up here periodically.
Ned Simmons
mill...@gmail.com
I just picked up a Sheldon Lathe, and I have the book coming. Can you tell me what oil you use and where you use it. I just ordered Vactra #2 Mobil Way Oil and DTE Heavy Mobil DTE circulating oil. I was told by another sheldon owner, this was all I need. Could you please help me out?
Regards
ADAM
Gunner Asch
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Jon Elson
> I just picked up a Sheldon Lathe, and I have the book coming. Can you
> tell me what oil you use and where you use it. I just ordered Vactra #2
> Mobil Way Oil and DTE Heavy Mobil DTE circulating oil. I was told by
> another sheldon owner, this was all I need. Could you please help me out?
lathes, a VERY high-end toolroom machine.
Anyway, there is actually an error in the book and lube plate on machines
made over a couple year range. They say to put Vactra in the headstock --
WRONG! They MEANT to say put Velocite in the headstock. So, I have put
Velocite #6 in there, but it is supposed to be Velocite heavy. (Velocite #6
is for the high speed spindle, so I figure it is OK for light use of the
lathe.)
The motor gearbox uses Mobilube EP80-90
The apron and QC box call for Mobil AA, which my lube supplier substituted
Mobilgear 626.
Jon