# I hate oilers !



## Spotshooter (Oct 10, 2019)

Or they hate me...   

I’ve been using heavy ways oil, and it’s hard to get oil in those little suckers.

I’m going to try Vectra 2 in them now vs. this heavier stuff...   Good googly moogly.


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## darkzero (Oct 10, 2019)

I use vactra #2 on mostly everything. There's a couple oilers on my lathe that don't take oil well but using a high pressure oiler it's fine. I only use Vactra 4 on vertical surfaces like the column for my mill drill.


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## ptsmith (Oct 11, 2019)

I was unable to get oil in any of my ball oilers (I assume that's what you're talking about). I founds suggestions to reduce the diameter of the tip of my oiler. That made all the difference in the world. It's now quite easy.


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## mksj (Oct 11, 2019)

Getting a better oil can help a lot, I ended up purchasing some Reilang oilers, they are high pressure and work in any position. They also do not leak oil all over the place. Only problem I had is the top reservoir flat rubber washer swells over time and deforms, I replaced it with an O-ring and have had no issues since. One of the problems is the ball of the oiler port makes a seal against the tip of the oil can, you can use a fine file and make a very small V across the tip which allows the oil to flow even when pressed up against the oiler ball.









						Reilang R003 MERKUR Precision Oiler with Double Pump
					

Buy the best Swiss oilers in our store. We ship fast and reliable from our own stock.




					www.jensputzier.com
				











						Reilang R003-252 MERKUR precision oiler with double pump
					

The Merkur oiler from Reilang is manufactured to the highest standards in Switzerland. No compromises were made in the design and material selection. EAN 7640144520229




					www.jensputzier.com


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## Spotshooter (Oct 11, 2019)

I just can’t seem to get a nozzle to fit over the ball and seal well, but like I said I’ve been using pretty thick ways oil so swapping out to a lighter oil is probably going to make life alot easier.   Some of the oilers just don’t want to take any oil..   and I have bought a bunch of different oil can’s to try.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 11, 2019)

I use about 2 inches of 3/16" clear plastic aquarium tubing, cut clean and square at the oiler end, and then push the other end over the oiler spout.  To use, grab the end of the tubing with thumb and fore finger and push it over the oiler to seal the tubing to the oiler base.  Pump oil.  You can see the oil start to flow into the oiler.  It works great, but takes two hands, which is no problem.

If you use something that pushes the oiler ball down below the surface, it can get kicked over into the corner of the oiler by the spring and be permanently stuck there, and the oiler will need to be changed out to fix it.  At least with Chinese oilers on my lathe.  Been there, done that.  Do not push the ball down below flush with the oiler surface.  The plastic tubing cannot cause that problem.

The tubing slowly hardens over a couple months, making it more difficult to seal.  Throw it away and install another piece.  25 feet of the tubing costs around three dollars...


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## Spotshooter (Oct 11, 2019)

That is a cool idea.. I’ll have to try it.

     I think it would ideal to have something that pushes the ball down just a bit, and still let oil flow past it, where you could see it like that..


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## ptsmith (Oct 11, 2019)

That's the reason for reducing the diameter of the tip. The tip pushes the ball down, and instead of the tip sealing on the top of the oiler hole, it seals on the sides *inside* the hole. Not that it really needs to seal all that great once you push the ball open. The oil flows pretty freely at that point.


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## parshal (Oct 11, 2019)

mksj said:


> Getting a better oil can help a lot, I ended up purchasing some Reilang oilers, they are high pressure and work in any position.



I bought one of those when I'd read one of your older posts.  Some of my oilers are so tight (won't accept oil very well) that I end up bending the oiler handle.  I have to periodically bend it back.  I keep telling myself I'm going to make a better handle but just haven't done it.


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## benmychree (Oct 11, 2019)

I was given a 55 gallon drum of Vactra #4, it took a good many years to use it up!  It is way too heavy for most lathes, unless you have perhaps a 36" swing --- I thinned out the #4 with light machine oil to about the consistency of #2, and it worked fine.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 11, 2019)

If you have damaged oilers, pull them out and replace them.  They do not cost that much, and they are easy to remove by screwing in a tight fitting sheet metal screw in the hole where the ball fits, and then pulling them out with a pry bar.  Make sure of the diameter of the hole the oiler fits into and then order the correct size, should be a snug but relatively light press fit, not too tight or too loose.  The fact that they are not accepting oil is likely not the problem of the oiler, it is a very simple device and is wide open to flow below the ball.  If the ball goes down, oil should be able to enter and make its way through the oiler, there is nothing there that can really impede the flow.  The real problem is more likely to be dried oil or grease in the oiler and/or in the passages below the oiler.  It might be worth squirting some hotter solvent (like acetone, perhaps, or similar) in there at short intervals to see if it can melt out the dried lube before taking the machine apart to clean it up.  At least that is my take on it...  I suppose it is also possible that the passage way was not completed properly at the factory, which would mean that the machine has to come apart to make it correct


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## parshal (Oct 11, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> The real problem is more likely to be dried oil or grease in the oiler and/or in the passages below the oiler.  It might be worth squirting some hotter solvent (like acetone, perhaps, or similar) in there at short intervals to see if it can melt out the dried lube before taking the machine apart to clean it up.



I did exactly that.  First with WD40 and then acetone.  No change.  I'm chalking it up to tight tolerances.  LOL


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## ptsmith (Oct 11, 2019)

Here's this guy's take on it:


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## Spotshooter (Oct 13, 2019)

Well a quick update -   I was trying the types that seal on the outside surface of the oiler vs. the stab types that seal on the inside rim of the oiler, and NOT having a great time with that.

I got a can with a steel flex tube (golden oil can) that has a tip that inserts and seals on the inside rim....  Darn it if it doesn’t work ALOT better, even with the heavier oil.

   The oiler I was having the most Problems with is the cross slide oiler on top of the hand crank which probably has a smaller area to let oil pass so it’s harder to get oil into.   The other oilers - using this can is night and day compared to trying to get a seal on the outside surface of the oiler.


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## Richard King 2 (Oct 13, 2019)

You don't say what sort of machine you have. Like Benchee  and Bob said, use Vac 2 on the ways.  Vac 4 is for Huge 10 ton plus machines.  I would only use Vactra 2 and never gear oil.   If you ever owned a Leblond lathe they were smart and had a air exit hole at the end of the oil system passages, so you could pump in oil fast.  If you have a Asian machine with ball oiler's that are the cheapest way to do it.  If I were you I would take apart your machine and clean out the oiler holes as they maybe loaded with crud.  Many of the old time machines were designed with Oil Cups with pipe cleaners wicks or white felt so the oil slowly fed out.   You know when you write a question please provide us more info, like machine type, brand and some photo's.  Now a days it is so easy to take photo's with a cell phone and down load them on here.   Less guessing then.


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## Spotshooter (Oct 13, 2019)

I have a PM 1440GT lathe, and a PM30 bench mill...   I have 5 gal containers of  Chevron ISO 68 (same as vectra 2, ISAO 32, and some heavier ways oil (essentially vectra 4)..   I have been using the heavier ways for the oilers, but you have to have a good high pressure oil can..   I’m trying the 68 now..  

the oilers on the mill are smaller diameter than the lathe.    

Why does not getting oil in a oiler bother me...
I grew up on a farm with older equipment that dated back to the civil war so I have seen the oiler cups you are talking about on bearings before.
Given I’m German and grew up under German farmers oiling things before you start is part of my DNA.   it doesn’t matter if it’s a grease fitting that won’t take grease, or an Oiler that I canto get lubricant into it bothers me, so I like knowing they are taking lube and how much.


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## Richard King 2 (Oct 13, 2019)

Thanks.  Those Chinese made machines could be designed with a better oiling system in My Opinion.  You sound like you could switch over to a better oiler or system.  A Chinese lathe I repaired a month ago the owner installed a Bijur pump and restriction valves The issue they have on lathes is the cup oiler could get tangled up with a long chip pull it out.   You might have to drill a few holes and tap them and use a Gitts screw in cup oiler. https://www.gitsmfg.com/catalog/oil-hole-covers/   using a zerk type oiler is also good as you need to pump the oil in under pressure and that will push out the crud under the ways.  I still would take apart the saddle and cross-slide as many of those Asian machine also have poor oil groves or no oil groves.  If you do, please take some photo's and share them here.


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## Spotshooter (Oct 13, 2019)

The PM1440 is from Taiwan I believe, definitely not china.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Oct 13, 2019)

So your not a Hockey fan or just not a fan of that team!


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## Richard King 2 (Oct 13, 2019)

Look at my profile.  I have taught classes in Taiwan and am very familiar with lathes and how they are made.  My mistake.  I still believe you need to take it apart.


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## Spotshooter (Oct 13, 2019)

I didn’t mean it that way, sorry...   anyway oilers are as basic as can be .. so you are right I should probably replace / pull that one apart and clean it.

I’m not sure I can pull it out without screwing it up (bending it).

thanks for the link, it’s pretty cool that you can still get cup oilers !!


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## Bob Korves (Oct 13, 2019)

Spotshooter said:


> I’m not sure I can pull it out without screwing it up (bending it).


Unless it was a mistakenly loose fit from the factory, the oiler will not come out without ruining it, unless perhaps you can push on the back side of it, which no doubt will require disassembly of parts of the machine.  As I posted above, the best way I have found to remove ball oilers from machines is by screwing in a sheet metal screw and then prying the oiler out with a pry bar pulling on the screw.  The oiler will be ruined by doing this.  Buy a couple spare oilers while you are at it, then you are sure not to ever need another one again (of that size.)


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## Richard King 2 (Oct 13, 2019)

I was thinking if you are able to pull it out use a pencil magnet to get ant chips out and don't spray in WD 40 or air as that will push the crud into the ways.  Then again I am a machine rebuilder and if you do and it scores the way you can have me fix it.  I see you're in KC....I have a good friend and student and is an excellent scraper / rebuilder who lives in Blue Springs, MO and I'm am sure he would help you repair it as he was a Helicopter tech in the Airforce and he is a gunsmith too.  If you want his name and email send me a private message.   He has rebuilt his Monarch EE tool room lathe...mechanical and electrical...


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## Spotshooter (Oct 14, 2019)

Bob, that’s what I’ll do (pry up and replace) if for nothing else to get experience doing it...  at least on the one that doesn’t seem to like taking any oil.
Richard, if I was taking it apart I could pop it out, but they are brand spanking new machines so I don’t plan on tearing them down.   Thanks for the offer on the friend for help, but I’m ok.


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## petertha (Oct 26, 2019)

When I dismantled the top slide & apron assembly my Taiwan 14x40 lathe (not a PM) it became clear that the the oil galleries that originate back to the oilers were completely filled with a brown waxy mung. It looked conspicuously like the preservative they coat the machine with. I don't think it was old oil because I always had difficulty injecting into the one nipple even when new. When I ran a wire down the hole & squirts of solvent, eventually a thick plop came out. After that it injected just fine. On another passage, some cast iron drill swarf came out. I'm not saying dismantle your machine but its an example where the problem wasn't the oiler or the oil viscosity. I use medium way oil for everything that slides & in on my lathe also migrates to the apron shafts, journals & select gears.


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## Richard King 2 (Oct 27, 2019)

After reading the last one it reminded me of a class when a guy brought a Asian lathe.  I can't remember the brand and when we looked at the oilers...it had a ball oiler pressed into a blind hole.  The hole did not go all the way thru to the ways....So as Peter said you would be smart to remove, clean and inspect those cheap models.


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## petertha (Oct 27, 2019)

In some of Stefan Gotteswinter's YouTube videos he drills out the stock offshore ball oilers with some 'better ones'. I finally tracked down a distributor in Europe. https://www.mafa-shop.de/product_info.php?language=en&products_id=697

He shows how he drilled out & replaced, so that would be good to watch. I think maybe his offshore rotary table vid? Generally speaking I think you ideally want the part off the machine to ensure shrapnel does not go back into the machine. But maybe others have a trick or experience to cleanly remove it from topside?

I tried contacting the linked dealer about payment options beforehand, which, from personal experience can be painful with certain Euro dealers if they insist on wire transfer or other methods vs Credit card, Paypal etc. we predominantly use in NAm. Never did not get a response & I managed to fix the one on my lathe that had crud in the spring so unfortunately cannot tell you how they may have worked out. They are metric bodies, but but assume so would most machines we buy. 

I heard McMaster Carr sells better quality ones but they don't ship to common mortals residing in Canada so cant compare. Note they are IMP diameter bodies so would have to be re-drilled accordingly. https://www.mcmaster.com/oil-fittings

I found some (metric) Asian oilers online, either Ebay & AliExpress cant recall. They seemed to be generically similar to the quality of what is on my machine. Aside from the PITA factor, they were inexpensive enough to have spares.


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