Thread: Slideway and machine oils

Originally Posted by Michael G

Greg, some oil is better than none.


A straight single grade oil is alright, which yours probably is


Michael

Thanx Michael.

greg

I have been using chain saw bar oil mixed with hydraulic oil mixed three parts hydraulic to one part bar oil for the last few years on my lathe's ways it certainly stays in place a lot longer than just straight oil and you can feel the reduced friction when sliding the tail stock. Just recently I changed over to using auto transmission oil mixed in with the bar oil and it appears to work just as well. The reason I changed over was the easy of obtaining the auto transmission oil, shorter distance and can be brought in smaller quantity.
Bob

I have a big roll of 3/16th thick if anyone wants some, there's more there than i will use in my life!

I bought a little bottle of chain bar oil today, just to have a play with it.

Mal sells Hercus way felts. For the price I reckon you'd be crazy to try and make them:

way felts

Originally Posted by Garry Edwards

RS Components sells a 5 litre drum of Castrol Magna BD68,51 for slideway lubrication around the $60:00 mark

Regards

Garry

Great, thanks for the heads-up on RS components Garry, I would never have thought of them for this type of thing.

Pete

Originally Posted by Abratool

ps I will do this little job a bit more frequently, in future.

Bruce, if you keep several sets of felt wipers soaked in oil handy, you can very quickly swap them out when dirty. Then only once in a while do the washing/squeezing procedure for the whole batch. I would recommend to swap the wipers, after having worked with stuff that creates abrasive dust, such as cutting cast iron or using the grinder. Once you start doing this, it is incredible how much fine metal dust comes out of a felt wiper after only a month or two of usage.

As an added idea, I have seen pics of Southbends where the owners have added felts (one V shaped and one flat) to the left tailstock edge. Probably a wise idea, especially if one hooks the tailstock to the carriage (like a tender to a locomotive) to do some drilling with automatic feed. Chris

Originally Posted by jack620

Mal sells Hercus way felts. For the price I reckon you'd be crazy to try and make them:

way felts

Agree, the price from Mal is $12.60 posted for 4 felts.
These look to be Die Cut & would be very fiddly to cut by hand.
Thanks,I will order.
regards
Bruce

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

Bruce, if you keep several sets of felt wipers soaked in oil handy, you can very quickly swap them out when dirty. Then only once in a while do the washing/squeezing procedure for the whole batch. I would recommend to swap the wipers, after having worked with stuff that creates abrasive dust, such as cutting cast iron or using the grinder. Once you start doing this, it is incredible how much fine metal dust comes out of a felt wiper after only a month or two of usage.

As an added idea, I have seen pics of Southbends where the owners have added felts (one V shaped and one flat) to the left tailstock edge. Probably a wise idea, especially if one hooks the tailstock to the carriage (like a tender to a locomotive) to do some drilling with automatic feed. Chris

Chris
After cleaning & refitting the saddle felts I thought the same thing, why not fit some to the tailstock.
Thanks
Bruce

Hi guys, this looks like a good place to pose a few questions.


On the comment to lift the nose of the tail stock before moving wouldn't this cause more gunk to get trapped under the tail stock body and still dragged but under load????


I have a Colchester lathe and it was always missing the felt wipers anyone know if there is a specific type of felt required and when I can get some?

Also I need to get some oils for the lathe both for the ways and i guess I should change the oil in the head. Suggestion where to get a small quantity in Eastern Suburbs of Melb or within a reasonable distance.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

anyone know if there is a specific type of felt required and when I can get some?

Two places I know of in Melbourne as Australian Felt Specialists in Blackburn & J.J Davies and Sons in Huntingdale.

Australian Felt Specialists Pty Ltd

JJ Davies

What you want is Engineering Felt. Just tell them you want it for machine wipers. Both companies have been around for ever.

Regards Phil.

Originally Posted by Machtool

Two places I know of in Melbourne as Australian Felt Specialists in Blackburn & J.J Davies and Sons in Huntingdale.

Australian Felt Specialists Pty Ltd

JJ Davies

What you want is Engineering Felt. Just tell them you want it for machine wipers. Both companies have been around for ever.

Regards Phil.

Cheers, Machtool……. Mine are just rectangular shape with two holes, and a vee in one side of the bed so should be easy to cut.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

On the comment to lift the nose of the tail stock before moving wouldn't this cause more gunk to get trapped under the tail stock body and still dragged but under load????

Good question. Anybody know the answer?

Originally Posted by jack620

Good question. Anybody know the answer?

Not an answer but an alternative. I push the tailstock back and clean the swarf off the ways. I oil the ways with my Vactra II pretend way oil before I slide the TS forward.

Oil cups or nipples on the saddle and wipers on the TS are on the list. Been there for a while but laziness has prevailed.

BT

I fitted tailstock way wipers a few years back, best thing I ever did. I still usually still wipe the way before moving the tailstock but these wipers still pick up a lot.

They are just made from a bit of sheet metal folded in the vice.

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Dave