Of Machine Oilers And Oil

British Steel said:
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned it yet...

Additives.
Older lathes with bronze/brass/copper components don't like 'em, a lot of the modern oils will leach out the copper, leaving severely degraded bearing surfaces.
Any lathe without a fine filter in its lubrication system doesn't want the modern detergent additives found in synthetic oils, they keep the crud in suspension passing around your gears and bearings instead of letting it settle in the bottom of a casing.
"sticky " additives will hold crud on bearing surfaces, even if you try to wipe it away.

I'll stick with straight mineral-based non-foaming hydraulic fluid, supplemented with commercial way oil where needed (my lathe pumps oil from the apron to the carriage ways, no need there, so just the tailstock...)
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What or where is the source of this information?
 
I actually seen it several times after he mentioned it but I didn't look hard enough to find a source I'd actually reference.
 
Originally this discussion was regarding synthetic oils used in automobile engines, not heavy industrial equipment. How it morfed into extreme pressure gear lubes, I'm not sure. However, to be perfectly clear, I was referring to SAE engine oils. Those particular lubricants are designed for use in engines and gear trains that can be composed of many different metals, including copper and brass. They will not damage your lathe or any other equipment normally found in a home shop.

There is no doubt that some lubricants could and would be damaging to some metals due to their particular additive package. Modern engine oils do not contain, nor would they be allowed to contain those types of detrimental additives.
 
Nope, originally it was about oil ports and oilers on lathes, and which oils to use :D
 
Rangemaster1 said:
Originally this discussion was regarding synthetic oils used in automobile engines, not heavy industrial equipment. How it morfed into extreme pressure gear lubes, I'm not sure. However, to be perfectly clear, I was referring to SAE engine oils. Those particular lubricants are designed for use in engines and gear trains that can be composed of many different metals, including copper and brass. They will not damage your lathe or any other equipment normally found in a home shop.

There is no doubt that some lubricants could and would be damaging to some metals due to their particular additive package. Modern engine oils do not contain, nor would they be allowed to contain those types of detrimental additives.
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I agree that SAE crankcase oils are unlikely to damage machines, even if "yellow metal" is present. I think that the rumor that all additives are bad for brass originates with the EP problem.

Detergent are added primarily to deal with products of combustion. I doubt that they do anything in a mill or lathe.
 
I'm not versed on all the EP uses for synthetics. I would suppose if you ran a rock crusher, specially formulated lubes may be a requirement. I doubt that type of oil is readily available to the general buying public. It's too specialized. I just wouldn't want some poor newbie to think he might ruin his equipment using an automotive synthetic. Things move so much easier with synthetics.

That having been said, never use lube containing molybdenum disulfide (moly) on any type of roller bearings unless it's is specifically designated for that purpose ( as some are ). Moly generally acts like sand on a rolling surface and will cause bad things to happen. It's primarily used on a sliding surfaces. At least that's what the petroleum dudes tell me. Since I believe them, I have never used it on roller bearings. Sure works great on bullets.
 
Now I've never heard that. I try to always use molly. I've been packing my axle bearings since I started playing on anything with wheels. There is a bunch of cars out there on the road that I have serviced repacking there bearings with it. Big trucks also. Altho most of the trucks used oil.

I do try to use the correct lube on customers cats when I have access to a specs sheet unless they request something else.
 
John Hasler said:
Detergent are added primarily to deal with products of combustion. I doubt that they do anything in a mill or lathe.
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Unless your machine has forced lubrication with a filter, I always read that a non-detergent oil should be used in splash lubrication systems. This prevents the particles from staying in suspension from the detergent. I have spoken to several oil manufactures like Amsoil about recommendations/EP products and affect on brass and bronze, most state they do not damage yellow metals. There may also be problems with some gear motor oils for manual transmissions and differentials, which are designed for synchromesh transmissions and limited slip diffs, as they have agents to produce a level of drag to help engagement. I just do not understand the infatuation of using motor oil in mill and lathe gearboxes, when there are specific manufacturer recommended oils (like Mobil) available from Enco at very reasonable prices and often with free shipping. The other critical point is getting the correct viscosity for the machine and the temperature. Too high a viscosity increases frictional drag (heat) and decreases oil to the bearings at high RPM with splash lubrication.

On the original subject of this posting, my only issue with using a modified syringe needle dispenser is getting a seal against the oiler so the oil doesn't back flow. I have some naval bronze that I am going to try to turn down into a tip and mill a very shallow + on the tip to allow the oil to push out around the pall when the tip is pressed against the oiler. My other issue is getting a decent oil can that doesn't leak all over you and can pump with reasonable pressure, probably need to look for a NOS pump oiler before everything was outsourced.
 
mksj said:
Unless your machine has forced lubrication with a filter, I always read that a non-detergent oil should be used in splash lubrication systems. This prevents the particles from staying in suspension from the detergent.
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The "detergents" in detergent oils are there to suspend products of combustion, not wear particles.
 
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