New mini- mill/mini-lathe set up procedures?

[Motopreserve]

Very excited to have my new lathe and mill on their way to my shop. Hopefully sometime next week.

I have done plenty of research on how to level, lube and generally set up my new lathe and mill. I've gotten some great info here (and some other forums), so thank you all.

at one point, I thought I read a bit about "don't forget the 30 minute 'burn-in'" (this could be an incorrect memory of the term used), but I can't find it again. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Is there anything I should be doing for these machines, other than the basic/common suggested checks and measurements I have read here?

thanks in advance

 

[Wheels17]

Grizzly is very specific about break-in procedures. Minimum of 10 minutes at 600 rpm in forward, then 1000 rpm for 10 minutes, then 2200 rpm for 10 minutes. Stop, run in reverse at 1000 rpm for 10 minutes.

They state:

NOTICE
failure to follow start up and spindle break-in procedures will likely cause rapid deterioration of spindle and other related parts

 

[Motopreserve]

Thanks so much wheels. I know that I hadn't seen it on the Grizzly site - but may be it's their procedure that the post was referring to.

Seem to make sense that this wouold hold true for any manufacture? I will contact the company and ask.

Appreciate the help.

 

[Ray C]

In the last few years, I purchased a new lathe and mill -models similar to what Grizzly sells. In all the manuals, I recall the breakin procedure to run it at all gears for about 5 minutes each, forward and reverse. They also mentioned to change the gearbox oil after the first 20-30 hours of use. Makes sense to flush out the casting sand, paint chips and bits of burrs floating around. Since then, I usually change gearbox fluid every year or so.

 

[Motopreserve]

Appreciate the response Ray.

I will definitely be checking/following the manuals as soon as they arrive. Glad to hear that most companies are including fairly comprehensive manuals. With all that I read about the Chinese products (positives as well as inadequacies), I wasn't sure if these procedures (like many mods mentioned on the net) were something that people had arrived at on their own, passed down from older machinists, or manufacturer suggestions.

I'm hoping to have all my info ready for when they arrive. After more than a year using a buddy's HF mill and lathe in my current shop, a ton of research, including help from the folks on this forum, I'm quite excited to finally have my own machines. They should help kick off the new shop with a bang!

 

[AR1911]

In the last few years, I purchased a new lathe and mill -models similar to what Grizzly sells. In all the manuals, I recall the breakin procedure to run it at all gears for about 5 minutes each, forward and reverse. They also mentioned to change the gearbox oil after the first 20-30 hours of use. Makes sense to flush out the casting sand, paint chips and bits of burrs floating around. Since then, I usually change gearbox fluid every year or so.

What gearbox oil???

I have a sieg minilathe and minimill and neither of them have gearbox oil

 

[Ray C]

You've taken a leap of faith about well written manuals... Both of them were not helpful and only serve to show the parts diagrams. There were only a few terse words about the break-in and fluid maintenance... I believe the Grizzly manuals are very good as they've been re-authored clearly. That said, I know the dealer for my equipment very well and he's given me the real-deal information.

The topic has been discussed here (but it's fine to raise it again) but, just to save you the trouble, use way oil on the ways and the recommended fluid for the gearboxes. If your manual says something vague like "use high quality fluid of the proper viscosity" a safe bet is use hydraulic oil at either ISO/AW 68 or 100. 68 for cold workshops and 100 otherwise. Wipe it down after use and avoid compressed air lest you lodge swarf in the ways. If it has oiler caps or "bb-valves", oil those every day of use. Change gears... There's a little controversy about this but, my practice is to use good quality, non-detergent grease. Every time you change gears, wipe the old grease off and apply new because grease tends to attract swarf. Some folks use a heavy sticky oil (forgot the name of it) but I've found that it just doesn't remain on the gear and they get dry. -Pick your poison.

Good luck...

Appreciate the response Ray.

I will definitely be checking/following the manuals as soon as they arrive. Glad to hear that most companies are including fairly comprehensive manuals. With all that I read about the Chinese products (positives as well as inadequacies), I wasn't sure if these procedures (like many mods mentioned on the net) were something that people had arrived at on their own, passed down from older machinists, or manufacturer suggestions.

I'm hoping to have all my info ready for when they arrive. After more than a year using a buddy's HF mill and lathe in my current shop, a ton of research, including help from the folks on this forum, I'm quite excited to finally have my own machines. They should help kick off the new shop with a bang!

 

[Ray C]

... Didn't realize he had a sieg and I apologize if I missed that in his post. My idea of a mini lathe is anything around 9" or under and many of those have gearboxes requiring fluid.

What gearbox oil???

I have a sieg minilathe and minimill and neither of them have gearbox oil

 

[Motopreserve]

Trust me, there was very little faith, that's why I was asking here . i come from an audio background, where highly complicated instruments and software often come with manuals written in English as a 9th language!

I have found some great info on the grease and oil, but its much appreciated to read it again here. I was afraid the break-in period might be skipped in the provided literature - and I didn't want to find that original post I was looking for, warning me not to forget to do this 30 minute run-in, AFTER using the machine for weeks, because the manual failed to mention it.

thanks again. All good info.

 

[Motopreserve]

I realized that I failed to mention the brands. After exhaustive research (which honestly could have gone on forever!), I opted for the Big Dog lathe and the LMS mill (solid version). Have some tooling coming from LMS for both. Should have enough to keep me busy for quite a while, and with the parts we have already been making at the shop on the HF versions of these machines, I'm excited to see how my choices match up.

Either way, I'm incredibly excited for the new tools, and to get these machines in shape, aligned, and working.