Recommendations for oils and greases for metal lathe maintenance

[cneuor]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to maintaining a metal lathe and would appreciate your advice on which oils and greases to use for different parts of (metal) late machines, and why. Specifically, I’d like recommendations for the best lubricants for areas like the ways, spindle, gears, and lead screws. It would also be helpful to know what not to do or avoid when it comes to lubrication and maintenance. Additionally, how often should these lubricants be reapplied for regular upkeep?

Looking forward to your recommendations!

Thanks in advance!

 

[matthewsx]

 

[coolidge]

Mobile Vactra #2 - way oil for ways, screws, lower gearbox and apron (as specified by the manufacturer for my lathe), all ball oilers.

STA-BIL Rust Stopper - Soaked towel for all unpainted surfaces e.g. outside of chuck, cross slide, compound etc. Also tool holders, tools and tool post.

Lucas Oil Marine Grease - The only area on my lathe that specifies grease are the change gears.

 

[tobnpr]

New machine or old 'Merican iron? Geared head?

No reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, unless it's an old machine in which case there may be better (as in, more modern/advanced) options.

Way oil (Vactra 2) is pretty universal for sliding machined surfaces. It has tackifiers, which help it "stick" and keep it from running right off of horizontal surfaces.

 

[Eddyde]

Yeah Vactra 2 is what I use on all ways and lead-screws. Spindle bearings are usually SAE 10 weight (ISO 32) but check, Motor bearings, pulley & gear shafts, etc, get SAE 20 weight (ISO 68). Open gears get the Vactra 2 or aerosol open gear grease (reduces noise). Hydraulic oil for submerged gears. That's what I do...

 

[GeneT45]

Mobile Vactra #2 - way oil for ways, screws, lower gearbox and apron (as specified by the manufacturer for my lathe), all ball oilers.

STA-BIL Rust Stopper - Soaked towel for all unpainted surfaces e.g. outside of chuck, cross slide, compound etc. Also tool holders, tools and tool post.

Lucas Oil Marine Grease - The only area on my lathe that specifies grease are the change gears.

This is what I run, with the addition of Hydraulic oil (Shell Tellus 68) in the upper gearbox and Alvania EP3 grease on the quadrant.

GsT

 

[coolidge]

This is what I run, with the addition of Hydraulic oil (Shell Tellus 68) in the upper gearbox and Alvania EP3 grease on the quadrant.

GsT

My upper headstock for the spindle and related gears specifies ISO 32 hydraulic oil. Most of the farm/tractor supply type places only sell it by a 5 gallon pale. Ace Hardware however carries Mag1 ISO 32 hydraulic oil by the gallon and I went with that.

 

[cneuor]

New machine or old 'Merican iron? Geared head?

No reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, unless it's an old machine in which case there may be better (as in, more modern/advanced) options.

Way oil (Vactra 2) is pretty universal for sliding machined surfaces. It has tackifiers, which help it "stick" and keep it from running right off of horizontal surfaces.

Thank you for your response. The machine is new PM-1022V, which is geared. I am still waiting for the machine to arrive, but I am being pro-active and trying to learn about stuff beforehand. To your comment "No reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations..." - I do not yet know what manufacturer's recommendation is before I get the machine, but let me give you this one example that I was dealing with before: I have an industrial-quality drill press. In its manual, it says in part "Wax exposed cast iron parts with a good quality paste wax. Butt out the wax thoroughly." I had and still have no idea what it is referring to. I even called the manufacturer/seller of the machine and asked them to clarify, and they were unable to. But they recommended something different. So much for "manufacturer's recommendation".

 

[ARC-170]

Thank you for your response. The machine is new PM-1022V, which is geared. I am still waiting for the machine to arrive, but I am being pro-active and trying to learn about stuff beforehand. To your comment "No reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations..." - I do not yet know what manufacturer's recommendation is before I get the machine, but let me give you this one example that I was dealing with before: I have an industrial-quality drill press. In its manual, it says in part "Wax exposed cast iron parts with a good quality paste wax. Butt out the wax thoroughly." I had and still have no idea what it is referring to. I even called the manufacturer/seller of the machine and asked them to clarify, and they were unable to. But they recommended something different. So much for "manufacturer's recommendation".

The manual should have lube info. If not call PM and ask. I also think there's a typo: "Wax exposed cast iron parts with a good quality paste wax. Butt out the wax thoroughly." should read "...buFF out the wax..." You buff wax with a cloth. Wipe the wax on with the applicator or a cloth, then rub it off with a cloth.

I use Mobil Vactra #2 way oil on my 80-year old Atlas/Craftsman lathe ways and everywhere else except I use Lubriplate 630-AA lithium grease on my gear train.

 

[cneuor]

The manual should have lube info. If not call PM and ask. I also think there's a typo: "Wax exposed cast iron parts with a good quality paste wax. Butt out the wax thoroughly." should read "...buFF out the wax..." You buff wax with a cloth. Wipe the wax on with the applicator or a cloth, then rub it off with a cloth.

I use Mobil Vactra #2 way oil on my 80-year old Atlas/Craftsman lathe ways and everywhere else except I use Lubriplate 630-AA lithium grease on my gear train.

I forgot about that! I was looking at that "butt" myself back then when I was trying to figure out what it was saying, and I just copied and pasted that part from the manual PDF file

Thank you for the tip about the lubrication; good stuff!