# which oil



## Mo deller (Apr 1, 2009)

It's been a long time since I did any serious machining and all my supplies of oil are either used up or no good now. I have a couple of questions regarding lubrication oil and cutting oil.
First the lube. Myford recomended Shell vitrea 27 for most things on the ML7 including the headstock drip feeds. Is there a modern equivalent of this oil and is it anything special or will something else do?

Secondly the cutting oil. I used to use soluble oil just because my dad used it and it was there. It's all gone gloopy so I have to get some more but wondered if it is the most appropriate for the small amount of work I will be doing.
Are there alternatives? What do you use?

Cant help thinking now I may have opened a can of worms with these questions  ;D

Mo.


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## rickharris (Apr 1, 2009)

www.Chronos.ltd.uk should be able to satisfy your needs - they are a good company to deal with and quick.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-local/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.chronos.ltd.uk%2facatalog%2fChronos_Catalogue_Miscellaneous_Milling_Accessories_101.html&WD=cutting%20oil&PN=Chronos_Catalogue_Oils__Lubricants___Adhesives_etc_124.html%23aMG1#aMG1 for cutting oil

There are several threads around covering various options for different materials from paraffin to tallow to WD40 as well as tradditional cutting oil.


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## tup48 (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi Mo;
You are right you may have just opened a can of worms, ha ha.

On the lathe I just use a good ND motor oil, 20 or 30w oil. On the gears I use STP. I oil the lathe every day when I use it. I never use grease.

For a lathe coolant I use 3 parts kerosene and 1 part auto trans. Fluid. Smalls bad but works good and will not rust the lathe.

Richard


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## Maryak (Apr 1, 2009)

Mo,

For the lathe you need SAE 20, (ISO 68), with good demulsification, (separates from water easily). In small quantities air compressor crankcase oil is probably the most readily available. If your really fussy there are also special way lubricants with good stick/slip properties but it's really only necessary for precision grinding machines and in my day minimum size was 20L.

The above can also be used as a cutting fluid for steel if you are concerned about corrosion with water based soluble oils.

Hope this helps. ??? ???

Best Regards
Bob


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## Mo deller (Apr 1, 2009)

I guess it's sae 20 for the lathe then.
I had read that kerosine or parrafin is used with aluminium but not heard of using it mixed with transmition fluid for use with steel. I like that as I have both available. Although I have to say there is something I like about the smell of soluble.
I didn't have any corrosion problems with it but I did always clean down and oil afterwards.
Would you say that you use the same amount of kero/fluid mix as soluble oil when turning? Is it best to flood the work or just add a little now and then? 

That chronos site looks interesting. I've saved the link to study it later.

Many thanks for the quick replies.

Mo who's getting excited now and can't wait to get started.


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## Tin Falcon (Apr 1, 2009)

Mo the answer here could fill a couple of books or a few chapters at the very least. 
I personally Use Mobile vactra for way oil on my shaper and 9" south bend and Mobile velocolite for the spindle on the the lathe. 
As far as cutting oil it depends a lot on the material you are cutting 
cast Iron dry use shop vac to suck chips and create air flow. 
Aluminum : A-9 kero or isopropyl alcohol.
Steel : sulferised oil
Anchor lube on stainless. steel. 
Tin


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## Captain Jerry (Apr 1, 2009)

For aluminum, i think turpentine works as well as kerosene and smells better. I have never mixed it with anything but after reading the above, I might try.

Jerry


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## tup48 (Apr 1, 2009)

Mo

I just use a spray bottle with the kerosene & auto trans. Fluid, you could use it to flood the work.
One thing with the kerosene & auto trans. Fluid, if you have to leave your lathe for a day or two before you can clean it you dont have to worry to much about rust. 
Some times when I turn aluminum I do use an old candle or paraffin. 

Richard


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## rake60 (Apr 1, 2009)

All of my machines are lubricated with Non Detergent 20 Wt motor oil.
That same oil can is used when threading steel or grooving cast iron.
It's not the perfect cutting oil but anything is better than nothing.

For aluminum I use straight kerosene sprayed out of a 4oz. hair spritz bottle.
If my wife asks anyone here, the dog chewed that bottle up and I 
threw it away!   

Push a cut too hard and you might generate enough heat to see a 
a little yellow flame flare every now and then. You blow the flame 
out and keep cutting. Now if you don't want to be bothered by constantly
refilling a small spritz bottle you can always use a bigger bottle.
The heat of a tiny flare could trace the spray to it's source and set you
on fire. 

*Common Sense is your best SAFETY DEVICE!*

Rick


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## baldrocker (Apr 2, 2009)

I got a pleasant suprise when I tried old fashioned LARD.
Cheap, easy to get, (supermarket) and gives a very good finish on brass.
Just goes to show the old ways are still valid.
BR :
PS If the workpiece gets too hot you can fry eggs and bacon on it using lard.


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## Bluechip (Apr 2, 2009)

Good point BR .. does it do Black Pudding as well ??

dave


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## Mo deller (Apr 2, 2009)

OOh lardy ;D Do you just put a blob of it on the tool and let it melt it's way in then?

Another question I have is what should you use on the electric motor bearings.There are nipples but are they oil or grease? My guess is grease as I dont think we want oil spraying about inside but I don't know. 

Thanks, Mo


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## baldrocker (Apr 2, 2009)

Mo deller
Use a small artists brush to apply to the tool and paint some on the workpiece
As to the 2nd ? my guess would be oil. Easy way to tell are they raised grease nipples
or flat? If flat use oil. For the ways I use chain saw bar oil, nice and sticky.
 :fan: IMHO any good motor oil will suffice for hobby use on a Myford :hDe:
Dont use too much oil it only collects dust and swarf/chips. The only use I have for
WD40 is for cleaning ways prior to re-oiling.

BR
Who's neck is now extended


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## Tin Falcon (Apr 2, 2009)

> Use a small artists brush to apply to the tool and paint some on the workpiece.


I bought a box of acid brushes and a box of 1 " chip brushed a box of each will last for years.
Tin


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## Kermit (Apr 2, 2009)

I've cleaned lots of old radio equipment and eight track and cassette players and all with baby oil(mineral oil) and various scrubby things like tooth brushes and such. Flood it and work it and wipe it away and keep on doing it till the oil stays clear.... then I would use paint thinner or lighter fluid(naptha) to wash out the mineral oil. let that dry and grease it up baby... 

For a lathe; the motor oil is probably the best thing and the cheapest too!

As always keep rubber away from petroleum products, or is it keep petroleum products away from rubber. 

Kermit


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## speakerme (Apr 2, 2009)

Hello,

W40 works fine on aluminum milling and cutting. For threads in aluminum I still use a cutting oil, several are labeled for al threads only.

Best Wishes

Chuck M


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## Mo deller (Apr 3, 2009)

Many thanks to all of you for the replies.
I'm posting a photo of the motors bearing nipple as I don't know what sort it is.






Mo


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## shred (Apr 3, 2009)

That looks like the oil fittings on an old motor I have (othrerwise identical to a grease fitting, but the instructions say 'oil'). I usually put spindle oil in it using a converted grease gun and it works ok. Spindle oil is fairly cheap and a gallon lasts a long time in a home shop situation.


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## speakerme (Apr 3, 2009)

Hello

The zerk like fitting does not seem to have the ball bearing in it which suggest to me that it may be for oil as well...
just my penny.

Best Wishes

Chuck M


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## Mo deller (Apr 4, 2009)

No there aint no ball bearing in it. I took them off yesterday and cleaned them out. I have to admit that when I used it before I thought everything that shape was for grease. It wasn't solid and cleaned out ok as far as I could reach. Just hope it hasn't suffered inside.

The motor is a Brook Gryphon. Anyone got the destructions?

Mo


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## Maryak (Apr 4, 2009)

Mo,

Normally if it's an oiled bearing there will be a felt pad in the housing for oil retention, otherwise it's normally a Lithium No.2 Grease.

Hopefully this helps ???

Best regards
Bob


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## Mo deller (Apr 4, 2009)

;D Just when I thought it should be oil it could still be grease. Thanks for giving me hope that I may have been correct in the first place. No sign of any pads.

Instructions for the Brook Gryphon motor anyone?

Mo ???


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## Mo deller (Apr 6, 2009)

Just to update this I've phoned a local electric motor repairers this morning and asked about the old Gryphon. A very helpful chappie said it should be greased with a couple of pumps from the gun every few months. Nothing special but they use shell alvania.
I feel relieved now that I hadn't been filling it with the wrong stuff.

Mo


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