Replacing the ball oilers on G0602

[billr]

I want to replace the defective ball oilers on the headstock.
The manual says they are 7mm but actually they are 8mm, measured with the calipers.
Any suggestions for a source?
McMaster-Carr's largest is only 7mm.

 

[RandyM]

You are sure they are metric?

 

[billr]

The lathe is a Chinese import.
The manual from Grizzley says 7mm

 

[Bob Korves]

I bought mine from Kent USA. They were reasonably priced. Kent seems to be no longer supporting those lathes, but they may still have some in stock. If you measured the oiler on the machine you might get the wrong dimension. There is an expanded diameter (bump out) at the top of some of them to keep them from being installed too deep, and the holes in the lathe have shoulders, at least on my lathe. So, 7 mm may be correct for the press in portion diameter. This search might help:
https://www.bing.com/images/search?...E2D58C8A4241B31B74109C8C0BB2AD127&FORM=IQFRBA

Defective ball oilers? Did the ball disappear into the hole? That is caused by pushing the ball too deep into the hole, where it moves over into the corner. That happened to me. Could not get it back again. The cure to that is a different oiling method that does not push the ball too deep into the oiler.

The easy way to remove a ball oiler is to screw an appropriately sized sheet metal screw partially into the hole, then pry out the oiler.

 

[RJSakowski]

The spindle and apron oilers are 8mm on my 602. All the others are 6mm. The manual is wrong on this, as it is on a number of other dimensions. I suspect some production changes over the years and the manual managers not keeping up with them. Caveat emptor!

The failure mode that I experienced was pushing the spring and ball past the rather skimpy swage at the bottom of the housing. I pulled the oiler out, retrieved the ball and spring, and reinserted them in the housing, finish with a more aggressive swage. The repaired oilers haven't failed since.

If you wish to use the same style oiler, an 8mm x 7mm bushing could be turned and pressed in and the 7mm oilers used. If you have any friends that shoot a 284 Winchester, the necks on the casings are very close to 7mm x 8mm.

You should be able to get replacements from Grizzly but make sure that specify the 8mm oiler.

 

[RJSakowski]

The through hole for my 602 apron oilers is a slip fit for a .3132 or 7.96mm gage pin.

 

[Splat]

Geez, I hate those dang ball oilers! The balls dropped on both of mine on my apron. I replaced them with the Gits covered cups. I wish I could do that with all the oilers but ain't gonna happen.