Thread: Hercus Lathe Oil

I'm not sure what type of oil to use in the (plain) bearings of my Hercus. I'm told that there is a special oil that a company used to decant into useable sizes for us, also another anti-corrosion oil for the bed/ways, however the company has gone out of business. What are the suggestions now, and where to get it?

A consesus on this forum over time would appear to be Chain Bar Oil. Mind you there are lots of brews out there called definitive , look forward to hear about them again from others to help you, my supply of appropriate oil is holding out. The brand does not exist as it came from a 20 litre drum 18 yrs ago.

Have success Peter

Originally Posted by Penpal

The brand does not exist as it came from a 20 litre drum 18 yrs ago.

That would certainly fit the description of the oil described to me by the woman at the engineering supply company. I may go back there and ask again as she could quote the precise brand and type. Who knows, if enough people are interested 20l could be split.

Chain bar oil hey, cripes I would never have come up with that one, thanks for that.

I use engine oil in the oil cups. Shell makes a oil that's "stringy", really hangs on to gears. That would be perfect for the gears, but I haven't bothered getting any yet. I just given them a squirt form a $2 oil can occasionally as they get noisy...it soon works it's way round the teeth...

The most important thing is there is some oil in the system, especially the plain bearings, so keep your oil cups full. As for slides WD40 is better than nothing. You can get it in a plastic bottle and trigger pump, much cheaper than aerosol cans.

Originally Posted by damian

I use engine oil in the oil cups.

Ok, you're probably aware but according to the info I have from Atlas/Hercus/South Bend, they make a point of emphasising not to use engine oil BTW

The origional spec was much thinner oils, but engine oil works, I know people who've been using it for 20 years in hercus 9" plain bearing machines.

Did they say why ?

If you are going to use an engine oil make it a 20 grade non detergent oil.Detergent based oils have a tendency to hold particles in them.
for what its worth I use hyspin 46 a light hydraulic oil,I believe they reccomend a 32 light machine oil for the spindle and a 140 for backgear lube.

yeah but it's not circulated, so as it leaks out it takes the dirt/bearing wear bits with it ?

Originally Posted by damian

Did they say why ?

Nope, just emphasised NOT to use it as it was unsuitable, anyway this bloke suggests why and another old lathe book I have gave the same reasons. http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/arc...p/t-22758.html

I don't own a chainsaw so don't know anything about chainbar oil. Isn't it thick to help stop it getting flung off? I was wondering about air tool oil for spindle bearings etc

May I add a couple of thoughts?

1. Way Oil...Old machinery manuals will often specify Mobil Vactra 2 for way oil. Mobil changed the formulation of this oil and kept the name. The Mobil product that conforms to the old Vactra 2 specification is called "Vacuoline"

2. I read elsewhere that if your machine uses grease anywhere it pays to either identify what's there or remove it all before adding new grease. Some greases are incompatible with each other apparently.

Way oil contains tacifiers that make it sticky, like chain bar oil.

If you get any Vacuoline or similar* way oil I'll be happy to share the cost.

*shell vitrea 33,

Greg

Gee, I had no idea how difficult getting the correct type of oil was going to be! I managed to track down the "correct" spindle oil, Velocite 10, but only available in 20l drums. Maybe if enough people around Sydney are interested we could split it? It will work out at about 10 bucks a litre but I doubt we would find 20 people interested. Anyway, post if you're prepared to pickup from Hornsby, sorry interstate people but can't post it.

For the moment, the alternatives look like Synthetic motor oil, Singer Sewing machine oil, or wander out to Bankstown and see if I can convince a refueller to sell me a quart or two of jet turbine oil (a jet engine is after all just a couple of giant spindles).

Pete

I'll drop by to Hornsby for a litre or two. Thanks for going to the effort

Retired instrument maker/fitter/turner friend has run his Myford from new on Briggs and Stratton 4 stroke motor oil, find it anywhere theres a Bunnings or mower shop, non detergent, single weight mineral oil, and thin enough to flow around and coat plain bearings etc.

Don's been retired for 18 years and the Myford averages about 20 hours running every week. He's had it since new, close to 30 years, and it looks and works as well as new.

I would be very sus about using a synthetic motor oil around a headstock as they are often include acid based components that etch steel long term and promote rust.

Originally Posted by malb

I would be very sus about using a synthetic motor oil around a headstock as they are often include acid based components that etch steel long term and promote rust.

Yeah I agree, the other thing is mixing mineral and synthetic oils, they're not always friends, probably not a problem but why take the chance.

Ok well after a bit of a search I've gone with compressor oil for the bearings as it meets all the criteria so far as I can tell. For the gears and ways I'm using differential oil, basically just because I had an unopened bottle here. While the diff oil works very well it was only when I left the workshop and returned I realised just how much it stinks so think I may look for another alternative there.

Anyway it's running nicely, still have to properly level it but first chips flew this afternoon.

Originally Posted by Pete F

For the moment, the alternatives look like Synthetic motor oil, Singer Sewing machine oil, or wander out to Bankstown and see if I can convince a refueller to sell me a quart or two of jet turbine oil (a jet engine is after all just a couple of giant spindles).

Pete

Having been around turbine oil since 1975 or so let me recommend that you do not use it.

Turbine oils in the typical formulations (Esso 2380, 2381, Mobil Jet II etc) is acidic. Jet oil is also probably carcinogenic and the vapours are certainly irritating as hell. Jet oil is mixed for usable viscosities over a very wide range of temperatures, but it only sees hardened steel bearings. Brass, bronze and other metals may be damaged by it. Can you tell that I hate the stuff?

Greg (whose avatar used to use pure mineral oil after an overhaul, Aeroshell 80 IIRC. Now there's a thought...the aviation dealers may still supply mineral oil in usable viscosities.