Chuck lubrication question.

D

Daver

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I tried searching but didn't find what I was looking for.
I have a new to me 12X36 (HF). It is in pristine condition, just a bit dirty. I am going to dis-assemble the
3-Jaw chuck and clean it. What lubrication should I use when reassembling?

My choices:

I have a 5gal bucket of GearHead oil (came with lathe)
I have a 5gal bucket of Way Oil (came with lathe)
I have a selection of oils and such for engines (I work on bikes)
I have a few different types of grease...

Which would be best for the innards of a scroll chuck??
 
Personally, I would use the way oil. I don't like to put grease on anything that's exposed to metal chips. If you do any amount of parting with the lathe your chuck will be oiled on a regular basis.

Chuck
 
If you're going to disassemble it, you'll be able to reach the rear-side of the ring gear. For that, I use a very light coat of grease. That area is not as exposed to contamination. Certainly others have their objections to this and I understand their point. I've discovered that when using heavy oil on that ring gear, it cetrifuges off and becomes dry and difficult to operate.

As for the front scroll etc. It doesn't make a difference really as it gets coated with any and all oil you're cutting with. Stand off to the side first time you spin it up after lubrication -unless you want a nice splatter of oil all over you.


Ray
 
For us home shop users, do like Ray said and do not over grease!!! Too much and you'll be wearing it for years to come every time you turn on the lathe. Racing slick down you're left shoulder to your knees!! Very lightly apply a coat of oil to the scroll and I mean light.

If you want to play with the big boys, they do make a specially blended grease made just for chucks. it's not cheap. Just Google "chuck grease" and I'm sure you will find it.

Good old wheel bearing grease works just fine!!! for us home shop users!
 
Good question with many possible solutions. The school I teach at has 90 lathes. I started there just over 24 years ago and maintained the equipment for the first 5 years. When we bought new machines or new chucks we cleaned the packing grease out of them thouroughly then lubricated them with Dry-Slide. It's a graphite substance suspended in a liquid that evaporates then leaves a film of dry lubricant. We found this works the best. We found that any lube that remains wet simply attracts chips, the chucks become clogged and they are very difficult to clean unless they are disassembled. Brass chips ( because they are segmented are especially difficult). As has been mentioned, stand clear of the rotating chuck until you are sure the liquid carrier has completely evaporated.

Rob
 
Sadrob said:
When we bought new machines or new chucks we cleaned the packing grease out of them thouroughly then lubricated them with Dry-Slide. It's a graphite substance suspended in a liquid that evaporates then leaves a film of dry lubricant. We found this works the best.
Click to expand...

Sounds like bicycle chain dry-lube. I wonder if one could use that, too....:thinking:
 
On a daily basis, we try utmost to keep chucks clean in the first place. We have small shop vac. at every
work station (the small el cheap vacs) with the cookie pan under, they are sprayed with chain oil I love
that stuff, while working the jaws. Then a plastic baggie over the chuck with elastic and let her rip.
And then turning terrible stuff like cast iron, the chuck gets the baggie with masking tape, newspaper
every where. Three 5 gal buckets one alum, one brass, one steel.
 
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