Which slideway oil is best?

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Which slideway oil is best?

This topic has 61 replies, 37 voices, and was last updated 13 March 2011 at 20:40 by HasBean.

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22 December 2010 at 19:16 #61023
Freddybear
Participant
@freddybear
Hi Folks,

I have just run out of the can of ESsO slide way oil that I have used for years. It has been discontinued.

I have been looking around to see what there is to be had in smallish quantities ( 5 lires OR less).

I seem drawn towards Mobil Vacra No2 (purely because I like quality oils).

What are your thougts on this product and can you personally recommend an alternative or better product.
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22 December 2010 at 19:16 #11727
Freddybear
Participant
@freddybear
Here is a bag full of cats type of topic. Please wade in with your views
22 December 2010 at 21:17 #61025
Peter G. Shaw
Participant
@peterg-shaw75338
I have some Rocol Ultraglide which I think I bought from RS. It certainly does seem to make a difference, buts that’s all I can say because that’s all I know – if that makes sense.

I don’t use it on the saddle to bed slides because there is provision by means of an oiling point for ordinary oil which appears to be spread onto the sliding parts by the plastic strips preventing swarf getting under the saddle.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw
22 December 2010 at 22:55 #61028
DMB
Participant
@dmb
I use a concoction recommended by Guy Lautard (lautard.com).

1 fluid ounce of STP or Wynns oil treatment (makes concoction very sticky so it stays put)

1 fluid ounce of Molyslip oil, this is full of tiny balls of graphite which get into any very small crevice G is a very good lube.

A quantity of EP90, an extreme pressure oil. Cannot remember how much of this – will have to look iy up + get back.

Mix up by shaking vigourously in used plastic oil bottle.

Seems to work OK

Regards,

John
22 December 2010 at 23:00 #61029
_Paul_
Participant
@_paul_
For my lathe Myford’s recommend Febis K68 for the bed, slideways and gearbox & Esso H32 Nuto for the headstock spindle, tailstock barrel and oilite bushes of my ML7.

Myford’s charge £7.98 + VAT per litre so I tend to buy more commercially available equivalents, T68 for the slideways etc & ISO32 for all other parts. I buy mine here in Newport from a wonderful old place called the “Baltic Oil Works” at around £20 & £25 a gallon quite a significant saving on the “Myford” oils.

T68 (Shell Tonna Oil) is in the same lubrication group (ISO VG 68) as Mobil Vactra No2 & Esso Febis K68.

Regards

Paul Floyd

Edited By _Paul_ on 22/12/2010 23:08:16
23 December 2010 at 00:22 #61041
ady
Participant
@ady
I use car oil.

15/40 or 20/50
23 December 2010 at 01:03 #61045
Chris Trice
Participant
@christrice43267
I read somewhere you shouldn’t use car oil. I can’t remember why but there was a very good reason. Something about the additives used in an engine context are detrimental to a lathe. Anyone?
23 December 2010 at 01:08 #61046
ady
Participant
@ady
I read about that.

Was intruiged to see if it was true and have been knocking the crap out of my old Drummond M series for the last two years.

No problems so far.

I have spare bits if everything goes tits up, but it’s all been fine so far.

My scepticism stems from being at sea, and being forced to use inappropriate oils when needed, including cooking oil to keep a lifeboat engine running.

The only stuff you couldn’t mess with was hydraulic fluid, you had to have the right oil for hydraulic gear or it didn’t work.

Edited By ady on 23/12/2010 01:15:50
23 December 2010 at 01:36 #61048
Nicholas Farr
Participant
@nicholasfarr14254
Hi, I’m not sure but I think the conclusion about car oil was not using, used car oil, because of the contamenets associated with being used in the combustion process. I can’t remember what they might be though.

Regards Nick.
23 December 2010 at 01:44 #61049
ady
Participant
@ady
Car oil also had cleaning additives which were meant to be detrimental to lathes.

For myself I have had zero issues so far.

My own approach is very much a suck it and see approach, based on the previous 30 years of my small existence.

Edited By ady on 23/12/2010 01:46:46
23 December 2010 at 02:35 #61052
Howard Jones
Participant
@howardjones35282
typical automotive oils will leach the zinc out of the brass oilers turning them a coppery red colour.(castrol gtx certainly does).

I have followed charlie’s recommendation for a decade now and used Shell Tellus 46 on my machine tools without detriment. Tellus 46 leaches silver and since mine is a cast iron lathe with brass bits it hasnt had a problem.

that is in a workshop that hits 46 degrees celcius on many days of summer so I have different problems from you in england.
23 December 2010 at 02:45 #61053
ady
Participant
@ady
The Drummond bits I have have been battered to pieces…but since it was made in 1944 and still runs like a honey I reckon all I have to do is show some respect.

I am a mere temporary custodian of a lifelong friend.

Edited By ady on 23/12/2010 02:48:23
23 December 2010 at 04:27 #61054
John Olsen
Participant
@johnolsen79199
Someone mentioned molyslip and said it has graphite in it…well it may or may not, but the molyslip in the name refers to molybdenum disulphide, a black slippery substance with similar, but even more slippery properties than graphite. I gather it may not be the ideal in higher temperature applications where it may break down,. but that should not be a problem around a typical amateur lathe.

regards

John
23 December 2010 at 16:57 #61085
Chris Trice
Participant
@christrice43267
I don’t think the issue was old burnt oil from a sump. No one in their right mind would use that stinky unhealthy stuff. I can’t for the life of me think what the issue was but having said that, motor oil is better than NO oil.
23 December 2010 at 17:19 #61086
Stovepipe
Participant
@stovepipe
I am the possessor of a spray can of “3 in 1” lubricating oil. Does anyone have any knowledge or comments on its suitability ?

Dennis
24 December 2010 at 19:39 #61166
Sub Mandrel
Participant
@submandrel
I use neatcut, because I always have a bottle of it with a brush in handy.

Neil
24 December 2010 at 23:10 #61174
Freddybear
Participant
@freddybear
Posted by Stub Mandrel on 24/12/2010 19:39:51:

I use neatcut, because I always have a bottle of it with a brush in handy.

Neil

You use cutting fluid as lubrication for you machine slide ways?

Is this wise?
25 December 2010 at 08:25 #61183
John Olsen
Participant
@johnolsen79199
There was once a very near run thing with a Solent flying boat that took off from Australia to fly to New Zealand…a few hours out they started experiencing cylinder head overheating problems, first on one engine, then gradually on all the others. They made it back and landed before everything conked out. Turned out that the lubrication had been filled up from a drum of cutting oil by mistake. It does have some lubricating qualities but not enough for a sleeve valve engine.

Having said that , I would think that slideways are not such a highly loaded application that the oil would be too critical. So long as they are oily rather than dry it should be OK. A light oil is likely to evaporate so something with a bit of body to it is likely to be best.

regards

John
25 December 2010 at 11:03 #61184
Richard Parsons
Participant
@richardparsons61721
Stovepipe – 3in1 oil is a general household oil. If you read the lable you will find it cleans lubricates and protects. It is ok for SWAMBO’s bike, her garden shears, etc.

It is somewhat abrasive

DO NOT USE on a machine tool, car etc!

Merry Christmas to all.

Edited By Richard Parsons on 25/12/2010 11:04:34
25 December 2010 at 11:59 #61188
Chris Trice
Participant
@christrice43267
An oil that is abrasive? Seems a contradiction. Solvents to clean maybe but abrasive?

Most oils drain off slowly. I thought the point of slideway oil was that it was thick and sticky?
25 December 2010 at 14:14 #61192
chris stephens
Participant
@chrisstephens63393
Hi Richard,

I, too, am intrigued by your postulation that 3in1 spray oil is abrasive.

I would agree that the original 3in1 oil in a spouted can, not a spray, is less than perfect for fine mechanisms because of its tendency to form “gum” or “varnish” but that is not the question in hand.

chriStephens
25 December 2010 at 16:26 #61196
John Whitby
Participant
@johnwhitby39110
Cromwells do Shell machine oils in 25 litre containers which are (relatively) inexpensive compared to buying by the litre. They do both Tellus32 and also Tonna slideway oils.

Most ‘sticky’ oils will do for slideways I’ve found but in cold weather………
25 December 2010 at 16:45 #61197
Richard Parsons
Participant
@richardparsons61721
Chris – As I knew it 3 in 1 oil contained solvents, lubricants (some of it possible linseed oil to give you a nice polish) and a very small amount of the same tackle as you find in Silvo. It was one of those things you used on your SU carbs if they were a little sticky. When they took more than 7 seconds to ‘spin off’ and needed lapping in. Devotees of the SU who were ‘at it’ in the days when Pontius was a pilot and Mortis was his ‘rigger’ will know what I mean.

For my slides and lathe beds I use ‘chain saw bar oil’. It is all I can get in Hungary. I add a little STP to it. 2 or 3 screw driver dips into ½ litres of the stuff. There are slide way oils, cutting oils, even fortune telling oils (it knows oil, hears oil etc) available But you cannot get them. For the local ‘Management’ it is too much like hard work to all an extra line to their oil order. They would rather sit with their thumbs up their ‘waistcoats’ (I know it does not rhyme) and their minds in neutral.
25 December 2010 at 22:46 #61204
Stovepipe
Participant
@stovepipe
Thanks, fellas, for your advice. This is specifically labelled as “lubricating oil”, (not the traditional “3 in 1”) but it can be relegated to the old bookcase that does duty as a canstand, and I’ll get something more suitable. Again, comments much appreciated.

Dennis
26 December 2010 at 09:50 #61207
Gray62
Participant
@gray62
The main problem with using motor engine oil as a general purpose lubricant is that it containsdetergents and additives that are designed to hold particles in suspension. As a motor vehicle ol system works under pressure and is constantly fed through a failter, these suspended particles are removed during the filtration.

If you use this type of oil in a non pressurised system as found in most geared lathe headstocks and feed gearboxes, those suspended particles slowly turn the oil into an abrasive compound and will over time cause excessive gear wear.

The oils recommended for my lathe are Shell Tellus 68 and for the Ajax mill, Tellus 29, these oils have excellent lubrication properties and allow paricles to drop out of suspension and sit in the bottom of the oil sump.
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