[Newbie] Did I get the wrong oil?

jareese

H-M Supporter - Sustaining Member
H-M Platinum Supporter
Joined
Dec 28, 2022
Messages
253
Does Eisen specify an oil and is the apron the same as the headstock? More often than not, the apron will take a way oil if it also pumps oil to the various slideways. Some machines will call for the a Reciprocating oil for headstock and apron but I've only seen that on smaller machines. Hydraulic oil is often used in lathes but reciprocating or spindle oil is really preferred. There is probably no real danger for hobby use or with non industrial machines. Older machines often specified Shell Tellus which was kind of a hybrid between spindle and hydraulic oil. I don't know if food grade is a deal breaker or not but my machines that specifies DTE light in the apron shows more wear in the ways than my old machines that use way oil but who knows what the actual hours of usage were. Dave
 
Does Eisen specify an oil and is the apron the same as the headstock? More often than not, the apron will take a way oil if it also pumps oil to the various slideways. Some machines will call for the a Reciprocating oil for headstock and apron but I've only seen that on smaller machines. Hydraulic oil is often used in lathes but reciprocating or spindle oil is really preferred. There is probably no real danger for hobby use or with non industrial machines. Older machines often specified Shell Tellus which was kind of a hybrid between spindle and hydraulic oil. I don't know if food grade is a deal breaker or not but my machines that specifies DTE light in the apron shows more wear in the ways than my old machines that use way oil but who knows what the actual hours of usage were. Dave
Not the same, no.
Headstock and gearbox just says ISO #68 - Apron says ISO #32

1682029040203.png

I will say the Precision Matthews 1440 GT lathes state the following in their manual:

Recommended lubricants

Gearboxes: ISO 68, such as Mobil DTE Heavy/Medium circu-
lating oil. Approximate quantities required:

Headstock 4 quarts
Saddle feed gearbox 2 quarts
Apron 1 quart
Ball oilers: ISO 68 way oil, such as Mobil Vactra No. 2, or
equivalent.

Machine ways (dovetails): ISO 68 way oil, such as Mobil Vac-
tra No. 2, or equivalent.

External change gears: light general purpose grease, NLGI
No. 2, or equivalent.
Leadscrews: ISO 68 way oil, such as Mobil Vactra No. 2, or
equivalent.
 
You absolutely got the wrong oil.... You should have got the DTE 32, because that's what I use and I ain't never had a problem and all those other people that say they never have problems are lying because they don't use what I use.... :cool:

Food grade isn't gonna hurt anything, provided you don't disregard the rest of the data sheet when you're interchanging stuff.

At a quick glance, you're DTE FM32 looks to be a respectable fluid for this application. There's some spot where it pulls out ahead, some where it lags, but it's minor. Like, even if you're all wound up about absolute perfection, you don't care about anywhere that the FM32 comes up "shorter". I'd run it with no worries and no looking back, except just one thing........

You're talking about CRAZY different add pack chemistry and how they get to where they need to be. Two totally different chemical soups. No worries about switching, put in the new stuff and don't look back, but stick with it. Fill it up, and go with it until it's gone. If you choose something else next time, fine, but same thing, fill it up, and go with that until it's gone. You're not worried at all about a small "cross contamination", but you don't really want any tangible percentage of "mix". You don't need to flush or anything. You just need to make sure you have enough of one "chemistry" left when you're done, so that they're not fighting each other before they ever get to the slippery bits. For a fairly low demand application like this, it -might- make no difference at all, but again, without any panic, and without any next level cleanups, I'd make a reasonable effort get mostly one or mostly the other at any given time.

I'm not sure how your work works, but if that specific food grade oil comes easier to you than the non-food grade does, I wouldn't hesitate to call that switch permenant. That's just those two specific and exact products though, assuming that the DTE is "right" to begin with. Two data sheets is enough for today. :)
 
You absolutely got the wrong oil.... You should have got the DTE 32, because that's what I use and I ain't never had a problem and all those other people that say they never have problems are lying because they don't use what I use.... :cool:

Food grade isn't gonna hurt anything, provided you don't disregard the rest of the data sheet when you're interchanging stuff.

At a quick glance, you're DTE FM32 looks to be a respectable fluid for this application. There's some spot where it pulls out ahead, some where it lags, but it's minor. Like, even if you're all wound up about absolute perfection, you don't care about anywhere that the FM32 comes up "shorter". I'd run it with no worries and no looking back, except just one thing........

You're talking about CRAZY different add pack chemistry and how they get to where they need to be. Two totally different chemical soups. No worries about switching, put in the new stuff and don't look back, but stick with it. Fill it up, and go with it until it's gone. If you choose something else next time, fine, but same thing, fill it up, and go with that until it's gone. You're not worried at all about a small "cross contamination", but you don't really want any tangible percentage of "mix". You don't need to flush or anything. You just need to make sure you have enough of one "chemistry" left when you're done, so that they're not fighting each other before they ever get to the slippery bits. For a fairly low demand application like this, it -might- make no difference at all, but again, without any panic, and without any next level cleanups, I'd make a reasonable effort get mostly one or mostly the other at any given time.

I'm not sure how your work works, but if that specific food grade oil comes easier to you than the non-food grade does, I wouldn't hesitate to call that switch permenant. That's just those two specific and exact products though, assuming that the DTE is "right" to begin with. Two data sheets is enough for today. :)
Thanks @Jake M, I appreciate it.
 
I went down the oil rabbit hole after purchasing my lathe, and came away with the understanding that R&O Turbine oil is the "right stuff" when it comes to gearbox lubrication. This is a lubricating oil, not hydraulic oil. Thing is, though, many people use hydraulic oil, and it seems to work just fine.oil cross reference.jpg
 
I went down the oil rabbit hole after purchasing my lathe, and came away with the understanding that R&O Turbine oil is the "right stuff" when it comes to gearbox lubrication. This is a lubricating oil, not hydraulic oil. Thing is, though, many people use hydraulic oil, and it seems to work just fine.View attachment 445196
Interesting
 
The PM recommendation is what looks typical. The viscosity is important as that is what any oil pump and meters need to deliver the correct amounts. As to equivalents, Chevron Regal R & O should be a direct replacement for Mobil DTE named series. When looking at old manuals it is also good to know that old Mobil Vactra isn't the same as Vactra #2 which is the way oil often specified for the apron. Dave
 
The PM recommendation is what looks typical. The viscosity is important as that is what any oil pump and meters need to deliver the correct amounts. As to equivalents, Chevron Regal R & O should be a direct replacement for Mobil DTE named series. When looking at old manuals it is also good to know that old Mobil Vactra isn't the same as Vactra #2 which is the way oil often specified for the apron. Dave
*removed
 
Last edited:
Have seen this debated ad nauseam. FWIW my $.02 Bottom line is hydraulic oil is "generally" not formatted for gears and is formatted to suspend particles to be captured by a filter. Gear oils are formatted to let particles settle into a sump. What do most lathes have, a filter or a sump? You can do your own research. Some use hydraulic regardless because they have it and report no issues. The Mobil "Named" oils are formatted for gears. The Chevron oil listed above is considered by many to be the equivalent and some report it's easier to still find in smaller containers.

Ron
 
Back
Top