another old lathe question

[rodwerkz]

hi guys - i recently purchase a 1960 rockwell 10x36 lathe. I remember back in the machine shop I used to work in we used some special grease (can't remember the name) for the open gears and screw.

Anyone know what's best to use? I don't use the machine all that much but would like to take care of it properly. Can i just use generic wheel bearing grease?

 

[SCOOTER]

Well back in the day when I worked in my old mans machine shop ..it really didn't matter..as long as you.... "Keep em greased cause I ain't buying new ones.." he always said.......and most of those machine had build dates from the 40-60'z...and as far as I know they are still going strong for the cat that bought them from him....

 

[mike944]

I think i know the machine you're talking about, i used to have the same one.

I think I used regular motor oil. I figured grease would be more likely to collect chips and such, which would wear out the mechanisms way faster than using the incorrect lubricant.

If you want to use grease, i would think molydisulphide grease (engine assy lube) would probably work excellent. Not too thick, and with very good high pressure anti-wear properties, and very slippery too.

Use way-lube on the slides. If the head bearings are not ball bearings, then don't use modern spindle oil, it's too thin. If you do have ball bearings on the spindle, then modern spindle lube should work well.

 

[rodwerkz]

thanks dude.. i was thinking a good motor oil would be good. That's what i use on some of my other machines for the same reason.

yeah the lathe i have is pretty popular.. i think rockwell made tons of em back in the day. It's the one with the variable speed drive that you control with the handwheel, clockwise for faster.

needs a little work but a decent machine. I've got to call Delta to see if i can get a new crossfeed nut to fix my backlash. I'm almost scared to find out whether they carry it or not.. if not i'll have to put on my machinist hat and make another one myself...

 

[DocsMachine]

thanks dude.. i was thinking a good motor oil would be good. That's what i use on some of my other machines for the same reason.

-Well, motor oil isn't the "correct" thing to use, but it does work, and it's better than nothing. I'm not familiar with the Rockwell, but if the geartrain is inside a cover or case (as in, not wide open to the world) then use a small trigger style pump can to lube the gears and their axles/pivots as the thing is running. It'll spray and drip a bit, but that's okay.

If you'll be using the machine a lot and for long periods of time all at once, you'll want to call up McMaster-Carr or MSC and buy an EP lube specifically for exposed geartrains. Typically it'll be thicker and won't sling as much.

An option for a completely open (no guards or covers) geartrain is motorcycle chain lube. Sprays on thin, then the carrier evaporates, leaving behind a somewhat sticky lube.

needs a little work but a decent machine. I've got to call Delta to see if i can get a new crossfeed nut to fix my backlash. I'm almost scared to find out whether they carry it or not.. if not i'll have to put on my machinist hat and make another one myself...

-Good luck. The modern company of Delta has almost nothing in common from the old one that absorbed Rockwell. Can't hurt to call, but chances are you'll be better off looking for parts on eBay. On the other hand, ACME feedscrews and nuts are easy to get off the shelf and trivial to modify.

Doc.

 

[rodwerkz]

-......

-Good luck. The modern company of Delta has almost nothing in common from the old one that absorbed Rockwell. Can't hurt to call, but chances are you'll be better off looking for parts on eBay. On the other hand, ACME feedscrews and nuts are easy to get off the shelf and trivial to modify.

Doc.

That's what i've heard about them as well although my friend was supprise that they still carried a spindle nut for his larger model.

Any examples of an off the shelf nut i could start with?

 

[Stuart in MN]

You may want to poke around on the Old Woodworking Machines website, at http://www.owwm.com/. As the title suggests they mainly deal with old table saws and jointers, that sort of thing, but there's also a lot of information on old lathes, drill presses and other tools that were used for metalworking.

They have a lot of operators manuals for various machines available online, and there's a forum where you can ask questions.

 

[mike944]

A few years ago I called rockwell about parts for a small milling machine i used to have, and they basically told me, "we don't have anything available, basically, you're hosed" (not their words, my interpretation of their words)

 

[rodwerkz]

You may want to poke around on the Old Woodworking Machines website, at http://www.owwm.com/..

Yeah, thats an awesome site. I was on it a quite a bit when i was thinking about buying an old 36" crecent band saw. I'll definitey check it.

 

[Rrumbler]

http://www.homeshopmachinist.net/bbs/

This is another site to check into; there are several like this on the internet, and lots of good info, feedback, backtalk, etc.

 

[krooser]

try this...
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

 

[ron thompson]

Open gear trains on old machines used "Open gear grease". That's what it's called, open gear lube, or grease. This is before safety issues were issues and gear trains were open without covers. This grease was very sticky, and wouldn't drip off. It stuck to you and the gears. On an occasionally used machine, even on an open gear train, I would use gear lube, motor oil, etc.

 

[chaingang]

Open gear train can use Mobil Tac. It can be put on with a brush and it won't come off, it is, as the name implies very tacky. We use it for all our open gears that don't sit in a case or have sumps or slingers for light weight oil.