Thread: Bandsaw gearbox oil - Mobil 600W or alternative

I found a few older posts relating to BS gearbox oils, but nothing recent...

I've got a Hafco BS-250 horizontal bandsaw here that specifies Mobil 600W for the gearbox. I can't see that its readily available in less than a 20L drum, and I haven't managed to find a direct equivalent.

Mobil 600W is ISO460 viscosity, so I'm thinking any good 80w140 gear oil with 1b or better copper corrosion test (so it doesn't eat the bronze worm wheel) should be fine.
Something like Penrite Pro Gear 80w140 ? - or there is the option of going all out and picking up some Brobo lube at $70 odd for 2L.

Out of interest the Hafco cold saws specify DN SUPER GEAR 460 which I'd be comfortable with too, but again - not readily available.

Anyone been down this track recently and found a suitable oil that is readily available - or happens to know where to pick up a couple of litres of Mobil 600W?

Steve

Found this available in 5L INDUSTRIAL GEAR OIL ISO: 460 - Ultralube "Particularly suited for steel on bronze industrial worm gears." Dunno about availability though...

From another site:


Have a band saw with a worm box on it, used to get -quite- warm in 20 minutes running and near hot after an hour of use.

I changed the oil, and replaced with 80-90 gear oil from auto parts store.....PLUS a couple ounces of Greased Lightning oil additive. Bottle says use 5%.....I use 2-3% usually. I have never seen such pronounced and dramatic results. It's some sort of Teflon formula, reduces friction. From then on this gear box hardly ever gets warm...even running for several hours straight. It's been about 3-4 years now.
If there was ever a 'high friction' application where "normal" operation involves high friction loading and rubbing of wear surfaces, a worm gear box has got to be high on that list.

Funny thing is, the GL additive is about $10-12 a quart as opposed to $$$$ for those other miracle additives (slick 50, duralube, etc).

Just my experience.........I use it in near everything that has an oil reservoir now......in moderation of course.



If it was me I'd probably just use some of my refrigeration oil that I have hanging around.

Mines running smurf blood... Otherwise known as Redline Lightweight Shockproof. Mainly because I had a couple of litres I'd tried in a gearbox of one of my cars (maybe the Disco) for a couple thousand kms, and then changed to something else instead. Seemed like a perfect use for it.

If I was filling it up now I'd probably just use a bit of of the 20l drum of Penrite HD gear oil (straight mineral 80/90, no lsd additives etc) I've got kicking around. I wouldn't bother with going to Pro gear, regular mineral Penrite 85/140 is half the price at Supercheap, if you need to buy something and want to go 140. Otherwise, surely you've got something leftover from your Landy days? Anything that was okay for the thrust washers in the LT230 centre diff will be fine. Really doesn't need to be anything fancy, it's a bloody primitive arrangement - I doubt you'd even see much benefit from running 140 unless you're cutting full capacity day in day out.

Everything I've read on worm drives and their lubrication makes a big point of them being a purely sliding action and therefore hard to keep oil between the surfaces. Hence the need for higher viscosity oils and EP additive packages.
I can see that Redline Shockproof could go quite nicely, and definitely won't be doing it any harm.

I'm still IN my Landy days, so have plenty of general oils around. Just getting the stones and grass out of it when I collect it is a hassle
There's an Isuzu 110, 300tdi 130 single cab, Td5 D2 and I'm currently building up a 120 extra cab as a tourer - but I digress...

I'm likely overthinking it, but its a decent size worm wheel in this saw and I'd prefer not to bugger it by using oil that isn't up to the task.
I guess there's always the option to just throw some Penrite 80w90 in it (sounds like the same drum as you've got) and then keep an eye on it over the next couple of months then drop the oil and make sure its not doing anything nasty.

Steve

Well, there you go then, problem solved! Just put the gearbox under one of the deefers, and tomorrow morning it'll be ready to go back on the saw!

Thinking about Eskimo's post regarding the Greased Lightening PTFE additive...

Looked up the Nulon G70 gearbox additive, and it specifically refers to being suitable for worm drives. Another option perhaps.

Steve

I try not to over think things like this. Last time I filled my bandsaw I just used the same Penrite diff oil I use for the mill. I think it’s an 85W140 but don’t quote me on that. Nothing has stopped working or is making noise outside of the normal so I figure it’s likely ok.

Originally Posted by OxxAndBert

I found a few older posts relating to BS gearbox oils, but nothing recent...

I've got a Hafco BS-250 horizontal bandsaw here that specifies Mobil 600W for the gearbox. I can't see that its readily available in less than a 20L drum, and I haven't managed to find a direct equivalent.
.....
Anyone been down this track recently and found a suitable oil that is readily available - or happens to know where to pick up a couple of litres of Mobil 600W?

Steve

Hi Steve,
Thanks for this post. I recently bought a classic 4" Chinese BS that had been sitting in the retailer's shop for at least 10 years. It was dusty but clearly brand new. I'd been looking in H&F the previous week and I'd say my older one compares very favourably with what's on sale now.
The reason I'm posting is because, as part of the general clean-up of my saw (which included fitting a bi-metal blade from the saw shop in Kororoit Creek road, a bargain @ $20) I took the lid off the gearbox for a look-see.
It was disgusting. I imagined that, for what is effectivly a brand-new saw, it must have been filled with the used sump oil from an old Chinese truck.
What a dope. I now realise that it must have been some kind of Moly additive and the beautiful, new Penrite multigrade gear oil that I replaced it with may not be up to the task.
Luck for us both, I have 4 litres of Redline Shockproof Light sitting in my cupboard, from the day I realised that it would render useless the Quaife ATB in my car. From what I've read, nothing can bust through the film this creates.
You are wecome to share, if you think this would do the trick.
(One Landrover tragic to another)

Originally Posted by Fast Freddie

Luck for us both, I have 4 litres of Redline Shockproof Light sitting in my cupboard, from the day I realised that it would render useless the Quaife ATB in my car.

I'm guessing you laughed if you noticed my comment about the 20L drum of Penrite HD gear oil I have then....

All the regular Penrite gear oils these days appear to have limslip additives. Although, for what it's worth, I did run the first few hundred kms on mine with whatever I had because I needed the car. Can't remember what it was, but it was both a synthetic and had lsd additives, contrary to Ashcrofts advice. It still worked just fine. Might have engaged just a little earlier when the Penrite HD went in, but not much. Of course, that may well change as it wears in a bit, they're bloody tight new! Can barely turn the outputs with a prybar when it's on the bench.

Originally Posted by Fast Freddie

Hi Steve,
Thanks for this post. I recently bought a classic 4" Chinese BS that had been sitting in the retailer's shop for at least 10 years. It was dusty but clearly brand new. I'd been looking in H&F the previous week and I'd say my older one compares very favourably with what's on sale now.
The reason I'm posting is because, as part of the general clean-up of my saw (which included fitting a bi-metal blade from the saw shop in Kororoit Creek road, a bargain @ $20) I took the lid off the gearbox for a look-see.
It was disgusting. I imagined that, for what is effectivly a brand-new saw, it must have been filled with the used sump oil from an old Chinese truck.
What a dope. I now realise that it must have been some kind of Moly additive and the beautiful, new Penrite multigrade gear oil that I replaced it with may not be up to the task.
Luck for us both, I have 4 litres of Redline Shockproof Light sitting in my cupboard, from the day I realised that it would render useless the Quaife ATB in my car. From what I've read, nothing can bust through the film this creates.
You are wecome to share, if you think this would do the trick.
(One Landrover tragic to another)

Thanks for the offer - that would be great. This saw has a decent size gearbox and needs approx 1L for a fill - so as long as you're happy to part with that much. Not sure when I'm actually heading up you way next to be able to collect it though, as I've been directed to work from home unless unavoidable. I'll give you a yell and sort something out.

Steve

The high detergent oils are reportedly not good for bronze gears. Two years ago, when I cut a new worm and bronze worm wheel for my bandsaw gearbox, API GL4 oils were recommended. If you do a search on oils & bronze gears, apparently the GL5s and above are not kind to bronze; apparently their high detergent additives affect the bronze although no-one gave a time period or quantified the wear. I found Penrite Trans Gear, semi synthetic, 75W-80, API GL-4 Plus - available at SupercheapAuto, cost was reasonable & works fine. - Peter