Thread: Properly oiling Hafco Bridgeport clone (BM-22AD)?

So I went to oil the new to me mill today and couldnt find clear points on the head. The manual states '"lubrication is obtained by use of the drip feed method through two oil cups located at right side o belt housing with light machine oil such as Socony D.T.E. light or equivalent". There are no images of this and no clear oiling points on the head.

There seems to be a grease point near the bell housing as shown in the image below just above right of the 'quill feed' label.


Do I put oil or grease in that? Yeah I know it needs a clean up, so does the whole head in fact, a few mud wasp nests in there, the mill has just come out of a long period of inactivity I think.

There also seems to be only one oil point for the quill, which seemed a bit odd to a more seasoned machinist who came over recently. Usually he reckons it's higher up and the oil drips down through everything.

Hi there,

Without a manual or some more info from some one here on the forum that is familiar with that machine, I would have a look inside to see whether the first lube point needs oil or grease.

The second pic of the cup oiler looks like it was added by a previous owner. The cup oiler on my clone is much higher up, it has a wick that sends oil down the spindle and through a piece of felt that soaks through to the bearings. It eventually leaks out onto the table, that's when you know you have enough!

It also has 2 or 3 other lube points that require grease, I think..... It's halfway through a refurb but I have not touched it for a few months as I have other things on ATM.

Simon

Both fittings are stock, I havent phoned H&F yet but looked at their pics on their website.

I cleaned out the mud wasp nests and degreased the nipple a little bit and noticed red stuff on it. Is this grease? A clue that that is what's required?


Unfortunately I also found it doesn't start in low gear today.

H&F page here
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/M593D#

Those fittings do both appear stock. Can't speak from experience with that exact machine but do also have a Bridgeport clone and can't see any reason why the lube setup would be different. Maybe they are using sealed bearings and are worried that the oil won't run down and that is the reason for the lower drip pot ?

Regardless I would be using a spindle oil in both, can't see why the top one would be grease at all. Just doesn't make sense to me. If you can't engage / start the machine in low gear and it looks like someone has pumped that area full of grease I'd think they may be related. Might need to pull it down and clean out the grease.

Exploded view of the top of the head should look something like this


You can see the top lube point feeds into plate 50 that then goes into the housing below. If you pump grease in there is nowhere for it to go and it will just fill up and cause issues. With a spindle oil the excess finds it way out and leaks down further.

Btw when you say it won't start in low gear what do you mean ? Like the motor won't turn of the spindle is locked up ?

It is for oil. The J head bridgeport design is a very simple back geardesign. It is not a sealed design, the oil system is a total loss system. You put oil in and it eventually drips out somewhere. I can not remember what the oil nipple actually oils. Mud hornets also built in my clone. The dirt finds it's way into the back gear compartment and my back gear engagement lever got jammed. Had to pull it apart to unjam it.

Thanks, OK I think I see - it goes into 66 then into 71 and 72? I have not had many machines, not even had one I've had to grease, so I have 0 knowledge in this area.
I will contact Hare and Forbes tomorrow and get the final word on what to put in there.

I messed up pretty bad with the low speed. In my defense a mate came over who works as a machinist and he couldn't get it into low - the motor didnt have enough torque to start. I now realise that there are two levers for high and low gear, the one on top of the mill and the one on the side (gear change?). I actually managed to get it into gear without properly changing the top lever and it made an ungodly clacking noise, I hit the switch.
I think it has two settings on top of the mill, this has something to do with the clutch, and it must be properly set and engaged before turning on the mill, and match the high / low gear appropriately.
If the top lever is in the wrong position and the gear is in high, it simply doesnt engage and the spindle spins freely.
If you then put the top lever in position and spin the spindle, there will be some sort of 'bang' and it will be in gear. From this position you can change the gear selector to LOW, but without changing the top lever it will simply lock up and motor will not be able to start it.
Thankfully after putting it in the wrong setting and hearing the noise, I fixed the settings and when it started there was no noise.

The bang is just the spring loaded dog clutches engaging. It is a normal noise. Although what I do when changing from low to high is give the spindle a quick twist. On my mill that usually is enough to engage the dog clutch. other mills might be different.

Glad it sounds like there was no damage

Rule of thumb, whenever you change speeds always turn the machine by hand to make sure it works. With that head design you can reach the motor pulley easily and spin it a little.

I'd say pull the head off and check it over, it's actually fairly easy to get the heads off and apart. You can even pull the whole top section off with leaving the heavy part still there...
Pull the motor first, then move the top lever to the low speed / side position. Undo the bolts holding 41 to 66, should only be like half a dozen SHCS's, lift 42 off, it will take the 1 to 21 assembly with it, should be no need to disassemble further on that.
remove pulley 29 from shaft 60. This will be a bit tight, can gently heat to make it easy to remove. Remove bolts then plate 50, plate might be tight on bearing 59. either pry or gently heat around the bearing housing to remove.
Then you are in, check to see what the problem is. If you need to remove it further there are 3 nuts 75, remove them and you can lift the back gear assembly off

Have fun tinkering

Can I buy a grease gun and use oil in it to lubricate that point? Never even owned a grease gun.

I reckon it does need oil , grizzly recommends ISO 64 on their Grizzly G0796 which looks very similar to mine - http://cdn1.grizzly.com/manuals/g0797_m.pdf

I might pull it apart a little later for an inspection, but I have so many machines in bits I would like the mill to be functional for a while so I'll oil it up.

Originally Posted by j3dprints

Can I buy a grease gun and use oil in it to lubricate that point?

Yes and no, a grease gun normally takes a grease cartridge, grease is a paste, oil is a liquid. So the grease guns are not sealed, put the oil in without modification and it will all come back out.

If you want something off the shelf get a Pom Pom oiler, have not used one personally but the general consensuses is that they leak.
eg Pressol Grease Gun Push Type Pom Pom Gun 12363 | eBay
Leaking can be problematic if they leak when stored, if you don't use it often you can lose more oil from it leaking while being stored then you actually put into the machine

What I have done personally, although I can not take credit for this idea as I copied someone else's idea is you get a mini pistol grease gun with a metal tube, I got one of these
Mini Pistol Grease Gun - Alemlube - G10051 | eBay
Cut the bottom of the tube off, weld on a piece to seal it up, for mine I turned a puck in the lathe that went slightly inside the tube to reduce risk of burn through while welding then cleaned it up in the lathe.
When using it you hold the gun upside down so the oil gets to the pump, when not in use store it the correct way up and the oil can't go anywhere as the whole bottom is sealed.
I use mine on ball oilers normally so have removed end and just have a short piece of rubber hose to seal around. I'll make something more graceful one day...

Some time ago I gave a heads up about the Pressol. NO leaks. Works a dream.

Ken

Bought a couple of these. One I keep grease in for my chainsaw bar lubrication, the other I have replaced the grease with oil. I use it for all my ball oilers and zerk fittings that require oil.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OREGON-G...72.m2749.l2649

Simon

Wanted to use the mill today rather than waiting for an ebay item, are there any off the shelf options available in Bris?

Maybe an oil can with a pointed end may get you out of trouble. Failing that, perhaps have a closer look where the oil is delivered to in the fitting and do it manually with an oil can, if you can gain access.

Another option for the time being would be to unscrew that zerk fitting and oil through the threaded hole.

Simon

I was thinking of unscrewing the attachment. Could I just do this and pour it in with a nozzle on my little can?

Do you really need the pressure advertised on grease guns for administering oil is I guess what I'm asking?