Apologies if you already know this, but since the manuals for these machines are so bad, I figured it best to post just in case. I recently got an Enco 100-1525 8x36 mill (2/3 Bridgeport clone). My machine has a one-shot oiler, but there seemed to be no path to get lube to the right-angle gearing that transmits the knee crank shaft to the vertical screw. The manual says to oil the knee screw, but the only obvious place to do that is where the screw enters the bushing in the base.
There is a little retaining screw just above the Y crank that keeps the Y sliding cover plate from moving too far forward when the saddle is being cranked toward you. If you take that screw out and crank the saddle all the way forward, you can then push the sliding plate forward from behind the saddle and expose the Y screw and the right-angle knee gear. It is then possible to put oil on the knee gears as well as the rear crank bearing. After staring at the mechanism for quite a while, it looks like this is the only way to lube that gear. It was pretty dry on mine. I have all the 8x36 manuals from any manufacturer I could find, and none of them discuss this.
I'm not that experienced at this stuff. Am I'm missing something obvious to other milling machine owners? Because it seems like if you oil according to the manuals, you'll be leaving those gears dry.
There is a little retaining screw just above the Y crank that keeps the Y sliding cover plate from moving too far forward when the saddle is being cranked toward you. If you take that screw out and crank the saddle all the way forward, you can then push the sliding plate forward from behind the saddle and expose the Y screw and the right-angle knee gear. It is then possible to put oil on the knee gears as well as the rear crank bearing. After staring at the mechanism for quite a while, it looks like this is the only way to lube that gear. It was pretty dry on mine. I have all the 8x36 manuals from any manufacturer I could find, and none of them discuss this.
I'm not that experienced at this stuff. Am I'm missing something obvious to other milling machine owners? Because it seems like if you oil according to the manuals, you'll be leaving those gears dry.