Hello Folks. Just curious to know how much grease I should add to my lathe bearings which I purchased 2nd hand? It's an older style lathe with 2 screw caps directly above each bearing. I packed them both full with a spatula but is a grease gun the best way to go? Or will the grease gradually work it's way down? They seem ok, not noisy and there's no play in the bearings but can I add too much grease or is that never an issue? Cheers
How much grease on the bearings of lathe?
- Thread starter Shan
- Start date
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If there are caps as opposed to nipples it should probably be oiled rather than greased. What is the lathe? Some like ML8s are designed to have oil running through them and need oiling regularly.
Phil, the lathe doesn't have a make. I purchased it about 6 months back in Portugal and it's a 3 phase heavy old beast. Weighing in at over 200kgs and the spindle is 1 1/2" 8tpi. Fortunately it came with 2 chucks which has been a bonus as really difficult to find anything this size. Had to get a face plate made specially for it. The previous owner used grease so I thought that would be the way to go.
Iirc some metal lathes have this thread, but no wood lathes. You can get a back plate to have threaded - Versachuck backplate - heavy duty with 20mm pilot bore (for one) which you could mount any home made wooden, ali or steel faceplate to or use for a Versachuck or probably other ISO mounting chucks. Someone with more mechanical knowldge than me will be along to give their opinion on the grease/oil conundrum.
Paul Hannaby
Established Member
The bearings are possibly bronze bushes and if so, as Phil pointed out, the caps should be filled with oil rather than grease. If the bearings are noisy, that's probably a good indication they are dry so I would clean out all the grease and replace with oil before you do any damage.
The Denford Viceroy lathe is the only wood lathe I know of with 1 1/2" x 8tpi. Is it one of those?
The Denford Viceroy lathe is the only wood lathe I know of with 1 1/2" x 8tpi. Is it one of those?
clogs
just can't decide
can u post a photo of the oiler /grease fitting....
there are many types.....does it have a screw top lid...?
these were packed with grease and every once in a while the got a twist before starting to get some grease into the bushings...these were used a lot in old woodworking machines......
What can u see at the lower part of the bearing...does it look dry or oily wet....?
this is important as in ur hot climate grease will dry out...and fresh grease will hardly ever get thru to the bearing......
whatever, I would clean out all the grease by hand the use a spray type brake cleaner to soften/clean out the old grease so u can start fresh again....it may take a while to remove old grease without disassembly...
As this bush/bearing has no extreme loading I would go with oil for the lube...
I use a Diesel engine oil for mine with no adverse effect, plus I have it in stock all the time....
It's better to have a little seepage at the front of the head bearing than none at all...
this way u know lube is getting thru......PM sent.....
there are many types.....does it have a screw top lid...?
these were packed with grease and every once in a while the got a twist before starting to get some grease into the bushings...these were used a lot in old woodworking machines......
What can u see at the lower part of the bearing...does it look dry or oily wet....?
this is important as in ur hot climate grease will dry out...and fresh grease will hardly ever get thru to the bearing......
whatever, I would clean out all the grease by hand the use a spray type brake cleaner to soften/clean out the old grease so u can start fresh again....it may take a while to remove old grease without disassembly...
As this bush/bearing has no extreme loading I would go with oil for the lube...
I use a Diesel engine oil for mine with no adverse effect, plus I have it in stock all the time....
It's better to have a little seepage at the front of the head bearing than none at all...
this way u know lube is getting thru......PM sent.....
Jameshow
Established Member
Clogs, thanks for the feedback. Got some photos so will try and attach. Just to add. When I first got the lathe I packed them both full grease and put it on high speed and there was seepage coming through so I wonder if oil would simply seep out? As to the faceplate saga, in my ignorance I thought that it would be easy getting spares etc but fortunately it came with the 2 chucks ( 3 & 4 jaws) and I can use the backplate. I got a 4" made here locally and do believe that Oneway have in stock various sizes 1 1/2" 8tpi but the European stockist didn't have any so went local. Also the chucks weigh about 13kg each so with a blank on its not light! I think that the guy before me used to do metal spinning? as came with a load of tool's for metal work.
Attachments
Paul. Ive attached some photos but the lathe doesn't have a make but seem to be pretty common over here. Cheers
Phill05
Established Member
Yes it would be Grease to use in those cups not oil.
Vann
Established Member
Those are grease cups, as described by clogs.
You fill the removeable cap with grease and screw it back on a turn or two. Every so often you give it a turn and that forces a little more grease down into the bearing. When (in a few years time) the cap bottoms out, remove it, refill it, and start again.
I don't know how often to tweak the cap, but with that setup you can't really over grease it (excess grease will squease out onto the shaft). Probably better over greased than run dry.
Kingfisher still make an identical grease pot - I have four for the ball bearing races on my bandsaw
Cheers, Vann.
Vann thanks for the feedback. Cheers
