Lathe Oil Substitute?

Thanks to everyone for the numerous comments and suggestions. Thanks to Steve Shannon (aka "rocketgeek") for the link to the tech bulletin . Very informative makes it easy!
 
Thanks for that, but the real credit goes to the folks who work to put documents like that into the download section of the forum. There are many really good documents like that one.


Steve Shannon, P.E.
 
I've beeing using car differential oil in my Chinese BV20 lathe. :eek:
SAE 140

Theres no manual

Should I change?
 
cascao said:
I've beeing using car differential oil in my Chinese BV20 lathe. :eek:
SAE 140

Theres no manual

Should I change?
Click to expand...
Lathes or oil?

Differential lube is meant for gears, so I think you're probably just fine if you're talking about the gears. I don't believe differential lube has any detergent modifiers. If you want the absolute maximum life, you might want to find a manual for a machine like yours and see what is recommended. There are different lube needs for bearings, gears, ways, and cutting and you might decide you want a different fluid for each. Or not.


Steve Shannon
 
This is a great discussion for me. I've got a Force International lathe, which from what I can tell was a house brand for "House of Tools", which is now out of business, and I can't find any information about it using google, let alone a manual. I've been lubing the oilers with 20W non-detergent oil [50/50 mix of 10W and 30W], but I don't know what should be in the head's gearbox or the carriage.
 
Steve, this manual says 20W oil to ways. In headstock section theres no specification
 
cascao said:
Steve, this manual says 20W oil to ways. In headstock section theres no specification
Click to expand...
I agree. In that case I would just use 20w there also. I think the tech writer just missed it.


Steve Shannon
 
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