replacing auto oiler lines under table

[jamby]

Hey

I am working on a 1986 Alliant CNC Mill (bridgeport clone) I was attempting to correct some issues with the auto oiling system and removed the manifold block below the left side of the saddle. Big mistake! trying to get the aluminum tubes to reconnect caused one to pull out and the manifold to break. So I bought plastic tubing and ferrules to replace all the oil lines. In the picture below you can see the saddle with the table moved nearly off the saddle.
Has anyone installed these plastic tubes before? How do you get them to stay in the holes and can you heat them and bend them to a shape where they will stay?
Any suggestions on how to clean out the oil galleries? pipe cleaners?



Thanks
Jim

 

[FOMOGO]

Jim, I replaced all of mine with plastic. For cleaning out the passages I used spray can carb cleaner and compressed air. On my Bridgeport the plastic tubing was a pretty tight push fit in the holes, and so far no issues. I used a heat gun for the tighter bends, just go easy on temp. Hope this helps. Mike

 

[jamby]

Thanks Mike

 

[jamby]

Well it worked out. As usual my learning curve is a bit flat but its all back together and it works. The oil lines were the easy part but I decided to remove the table completely so I could clean out the mess. But once I removed the glass scale I was more worried about it than anything else. But like I said "its working" so, attaboy.
I did notice while priming the pump that there was oil coming up around the tubes where they go into the holes but hopefully that will stop soon. There was lots of gunk in the oil passages but that's gone now.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Richard White (richardsrelics)]

This is good advice and a great "maintenance" situation, especially for a new to you mill. If you have not went thru this process, I recommend it.

Makes me sleep easier at night

Once in there change change those feed nuts....and clean everything...

 

[Kroll]

What I did to flush my lines is I thin the oil down then keep pumping and watching all the channels making sure that all areas were getting oil.Seeing that all getting oil I went back to Way oil keep pumping till the Way oil which was darker than the thin oil started showing up in the oil channels