How to replace the caps on Gits oil-hole covers...

[HMF]

I recently acquired 4 Gits oil hole covers along with some other parts. I believe they are older models as they are made of brass and the newer ones listed on the Gits Site are made of steel. I don't know if the new steel ones have the hinges soldered or spot welded on. If they are soldered on I believe the procedure outlined below will work for them as well.

1. The needed tools are shown in picture 1.

2. Using an X-acto saw carefully cut away as much of the tube around the hinge as you can. See picture 2.

3. Hold the Soldering Iron to the inside of the hinge (picture 3) and hold the cap with a pair of small pliers. Gently pull on the cap, keep tension on that cap. Patience is needed here. The cap will come off, it just takes longer than you think it should. Heat is your fickle friend. Too much and you ruin the spring; just right, the solder melts and the cap assembly comes off. See picture 4. (I tried using a small propane torch on an earlier attempt and ruined the spring.) If you do it right the cap assembly will still have that “snap†in it after it is removed.

4. Clean and flux the old tube. Next locate the end of the spring that is wrapped around the hinge. Make sure you get the spring on the outside of the tube when pushing the hinge on the old tube. If you don't, the spring will likely break off and the "snap" with it (I made this mistake as well.) I used a small pair of tweezers to pull it out of the way. Get it all lined up and re-solder the cap in place. See picture 5.

 

[GK1918]

Pardon me for not being a purest, but somebody or my kid busted one on my headstock. I know they
are around, but for now I found pvc pipe that size and glued this pipe to a 1/8 elbow with a 1/8
nipple like a stand pipe. I really like this because it now has a higher oil level. And for the cover, just a
plain flat head screw dropped in there.

 

[Jim S]

I was hoping someone would answer about replacing them with the ones in Enco. They have a 5/32 shaft size, but the holes in my 9A are different sizes - 1/8 and 11/64. I wondered what was used originally, like on the compound I have an emptly hole but I don't think there would have been a standing oil cup on there. Just having a hole lets dirt and stuff in, that don't seem right either. I'm pretty sure there was Gits oilers on the tailstock and leadscrew end bearing though, mine is missing those too.
Jim S.