# 3 Jaw Chuck Grease



## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

Hey Folks
A beautiful Cushman 6 inch 3 jaw chuck that came with this Heavy Ten I got last week.

It's a little stiff, and the previous owner mentioned it could probably use a rebuild, so today is the day.  I have some pics below of the disassembly.  It is a much nicer chuck than I have owned, as it came apart a totally different way than the "semi-steel" chucks I am used to!  Hah hah

I DIGRESS-  

It has a factory grease fitting on top.  
(EDIT- I found out after writing this that it MAY be an oil Zerk fitting)

Can I use the same PTFE/Teflon grease I would use in my backgear/cone pulley?  I have heard of "chuck grease", but don't know if it is different at all.

I want to reassemble it packed already, and also want have the right stuff on hand to keep it up. It sure would help if I could just keep one grease gun at the lathe for everything.

Thanks folks!


Bernie


Grease fitting





When I finally found the seam, I really had to rap hard with this little brass hammer through the rag to split it:





I never had a chuck that split in the middle like this! Very tight tolerance...  I could barely see the seam:




I should have shown the dirty scroll and parts first!!  But I got too carried away.  Suffice it to say, despite this being a well cared for and visually "clean" and high quality chuck, it was dirty, gunky, with hardened grease inside.  Only some small brass swarf on the scroll:


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## Bill Gruby (May 8, 2013)

These people have what you seek. Pricey though.

http://brassandtool.com/Chucks-Lathe.html

 "Billy G"


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

I am at Grainger now, and having a mother of a time finding it.  The only PTFE grease they have here is Tri Flow Food Grade PTFE ...  I have read Permatex 82325 but can't see it here.  Dangit


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

Also two LPS greases- "DETEX". And "White Lithium with PTFE" ...  Can I get a terribly 'wrong' grease for the spindle and chick here?  They are really nice and I want to treat them right.


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## Chuck K (May 8, 2013)

I've never seen a chuck with a grease fitting.  You sure that's a factory item?


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

Chuck K said:


> I've never seen a chuck with a grease fitting.  You sure that's a factory item?



Sure is Chuck!  If you take a look at the pic up there you'll see it is actually pretty nicely done.

BUT- upon further investigation (on Practical Machinist and other sites), and to confuse things more, I have seen some people talk about Zerk (grease) fittings that DON'T take OIL not GREASE.

Other folks say not to oil a grease fitting on a chuck because it will throw a load of oil everywhere.

Again others say no grease even if it asked for because it attracts chips to the nether regions of your chuck.  AAAAAHHH!!  Hah hah hah.

SO I am going to make a judgement call and let you know how it works for me.
Since this is a very nice chuck, tight tolerances, I am going to SUPERLUBE the gears below the scroll, and OIL the scroll itself.

Grease where it needs it, and it will stay put.  And oil where chips will be floating around.

Ok- here goes...

Bernie


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

Here are the parts all clean and ready to go back together






The top and bottom halves were a tight fit.  There is a tight tolerance in a 2 inch boss inside, where the ends of the bevel gears below the scroll are seated.  So I tightened the six (three inner and three outer) bolts in a circular pattern (like one would use a star pattern to tighten lugnuts)





Kept tightening- you can see the gap.  The scroll was a close slip fit as well:






There were matching numbers on the main pieces with tolerance fits.  Wow, nice chuck!  Backplate installed too:





I hadn't noticed when it was grimy that the backplate is original South Bend!  Is this Cushman Chuck possibly from the factory?


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## Sandro (May 8, 2013)

In 30 years I've never seen a chuck that had a grease fitting. My first thought is to not grease the chuck, just clean it and re-assemble.

Sandro Di Filippo


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2013)

Sandro said:


> In 30 years I've never seen a chuck that had a grease fitting. My first thought is to not grease the chuck, just clean it and re-assemble.
> 
> Sandro Di Filippo




Thanks Sandro

I read elsewhere that it may be an Oil Zerk fitting.  Meaning, I should put some Vactra or something in a gun with a Zerk and squirt it in.

I have already put grease in the bottom half of the chuck, which in the case of this chuck is pretty tightly sealed.  I oiled the top, scroll, and jaws.

I'm sure, over time, the oil will make it to the inside anyway.


Bernie


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## Tony Wells (May 9, 2013)

I have seen chucks with lube fittings. I believe Buck has some, and Pratt Burnerd as well. Could be others easily. The ones I remember seeing were all adjustable scroll chucks, like the Adjust-Tru style.

Buck recommends Forkardt PF on their instruction sheet:

http://www.buckchuckusa.com/userfiles/How to Mount and Operate(2).pdf

It's a good read, anyway. Lots of things there that would apply to any 3 jaw.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 9, 2013)

Tony Wells said:


> I have seen chucks with lube fittings. I believe Buck has some, and Pratt Burnerd as well. Could be others easily. The ones I remember seeing were all adjustable scroll chucks, like the Adjust-Tru style.
> 
> Buck recommends Forkardt PF on their instruction sheet:
> 
> ...



Thanks a lot Tony!

I'll read that.  I reassembled the chuck now, with some SuperLube grease I had sitting around in the closed bevel gears, and I oiled the top.  
I can easily disassemble it again if I it isn't working out- and pre-order the proper grease!  


Bernie


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## itsme_Bernie (May 9, 2013)

Wow, not easy to find...  Lot's of discussion about Forkardt PF2, but not much to buy!  Hah hah


Bernie


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## burnrider (May 9, 2013)

That chuck is in excellent condition. I use (CLP actual name)  Breakfree and wipe it clean as possible for most lathe lubing. Gun hobbyists posted it permeates metal over time. It does polish steel nicely with cloth.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 9, 2013)

Thanks Burnrider-

That sounds great to clean it.
What do you use to lube your chucks?


Bernie


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## burnrider (May 9, 2013)

Good for cleaning and lube. About $10


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## kd4gij (May 9, 2013)

I use clp all the time Clean Lube Protect Great stuff.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 26, 2013)

So, a little update.

First of all, the old adage "when you assume, you ,ale an ass out of you and me".  One of the first statements I made was "this is not a grease oil discussion, as there is a Zerk fitting right on top"
... Well, I was wrong!  ..  I love finding out I am wrong when I learn something new.  

Upon further grilling of a some lubrication-informed people I know, this is NOT a Zerk fitting for grease, but a pressure OIL fitting.  I should have a gun similar to a grease gun, but filled with oil, and push it in there.  Makes sense, as this would tend to push debris out of the chuck over time.

I will be looking for an oil gun like this, with a Zerk looking fitting at the end.

When I had the chuck apart, I still SuperLubed the pinion gears below, but Vactra way oil on the scroll.  I probably should have used light spindle oil to help chips move freely away.  I will continue with that.

Bernie


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## kd4gij (May 26, 2013)

You could contact these people I am shure thay can help.
http://www.cushmanindustries.com/contact.htm


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## GK1918 (May 26, 2013)

Bernie, look around on Utube for a vidio on proper lube for a Bridgeport.  I believe the guy has the
company that makes them for around 25 bucks in his vidio.  Not to hard to make think of one shop oiler.
Just thinking, how about a small grease gun and take out the plunger weld up the plunger hole and
put oil in its barrel.


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