Lubrication of headstock bearings on a Clarke CL500M

This topic has 16 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 31 March 2025 at 19:37 by old mart.

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6 February 2011 at 17:10 #63672
Howard Lyne
Participant
@howardlyne10956
In my other posting I described my attempt at dismantling the headstock bearings of a Clarke CL500M. In doing this I think I may have discovered the source of the original problem.

It appears that the bearings rely on splash lubrication from the oil contained in the sump of the headstock. What I didn’t realise is that this can only occur when the drive to the automatic feed to the cross-slide is engaged. I haven’t done this for some time as I find it more convenient to wind the cross-slide along by hand. As a result I find that the top half of the interior of the headstock (and therefore the bearings) are quite dry of oil. Could this have led to the “tightening up” I mentioned in my other posting? If so I’m tempted to give them a good oiling and put it all back together again as they don’t appear worn.

Is this a common method of lubrication and are others aware of the need to engage the automatic feed in order to achieve it? There is no hint of it in the lathe manual.

Howard
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6 February 2011 at 17:10 #11742
Howard Lyne
Participant
@howardlyne10956
6 February 2011 at 19:04 #63684
Jeff Dayman
Participant
@jeffdayman43397
Howard,

Any lathe I’ve ever seen or worked with has some provision to get clean oil to the spindle bearings regardless of whether auto feed is used or not.

If your lathe was designed without some method of oiling the bearings with good clean oil I would say that’s pretty bad design and construction. I’d be looking for a way to fit some accessible oiling pipes (with caps or plugs to keep dirt out) to get a drop or two there periodically.

JD
6 February 2011 at 22:24 #63694
Nicholas Farr
Participant
@nicholasfarr14254
Hi Howard, before you reassembling your headstock, I would give the bearings a good wash out with a bit of paraffin and a paint brush to get ride of any small particals and gunge. Once you have cleaned them and allowed any excess paraffin to drain off, you can then lightly oil them with the recommended oil. Also clean out all the old oil in the headstock compartment, and make sure that your oil level sight glass is clean. Once it is back together, refill with clean oil.

I have to agree with Jeff, that it is a bad design if the bearings are not oiled in a natural way during all modes of operation.

You must of course make sure that the oil level is correct before each use, and if your sight glass is dirty, this can be difficult to achive.

Regards Nick.
7 February 2011 at 19:22 #63746
Howard Lyne
Participant
@howardlyne10956
Jeff, Nick.

Thanks for your advice. My immediate problem is removing the spindle and bearings from the headstock. I think I’ve worked out how to do the pulling/pressing to remove them, but am trying to exhaust all sources of information before I make a start to minimise the potential for damage.

The bearings are roller bearings and the headstock arrangement seems to be similar for many other budget lathes (the Warco WMT 300/1 looks like a clone) so I’d have hoped, perhaps optimisically, that the provision for lubrication was adequate.

Thanks again for the advice. If I make progress I’ll let you know. If I have a disaster I may just keep quiet!

Howard
30 March 2025 at 13:38 #791128
Danni Burns
Participant
@danniburns84841
Hello

I’m looking for info on Headstock Gear Oil for CL500M

This site (https://wiki.hackhitchin.org.uk/index.php?title=CL500M_Lathe) says:

EP80 or EP90 Gearbox oil

Does anyone know what oil to use AND how much is needed (e.g. will 1ltr be enough)?

cheers
30 March 2025 at 15:35 #791134
noel shelley
Participant
@noelshelley55608
Hi Danni, EP 90 is a standard oil used in many older rear wheel drive vehicles any GOOD motor factor should keep it in 1/2 or1 litre bottles. If they want a model say Landrover 2A rear axle 1966. Do not use multigrade or synthetic oil. For suppliers try MPD or the transmission specialists Hayley Group. Try not to get it on your hands as it has a not very pleasant smell that takes some getting rid of, but once smelt you will never forget it ! Good Luck Noel.
30 March 2025 at 15:42 #791138
Diogenes
Participant
@diogenes
I’m half-minded to say for the sake of discussion that EP 80 or 90 sounds a bit heavy-duty for a lathe of this size & power?

I see that p23. of the manual only says ‘gear oil’…

– notwithstanding any better advice that might be forthcoming, if it were mine I’d probably see how it ran on H68…
30 March 2025 at 18:41 #791150
Grindstone Cowboy
Participant
@grindstonecowboy
Before someone else mentions it, there is a school of thought that says the sulphur compounds in EP oils can damage bronze bearings – if there any in your gearbox? I think the GL5 spec is worse than the GL4. However, it seems this only occurs at temperatures above 100 centigrade, which hopefully your lathe does not reach, so probably not worth worrying about.

Rob
30 March 2025 at 19:06 #791157
Danni Burns
Participant
@danniburns84841
Thansk Rob. I have seen that mentioned don a thread somewhere. I also saw an Oil Spec which mentioned, ‘Safe for use where Yellow Metals are present’. So I guess – I need to read that on whatever I purchase.

To be honest, guys – I know zero about Oils.

I’d love someone with a Clarke to just tell me exactly what (product code) they have been using so I can buy online.

cheers
30 March 2025 at 22:04 #791187
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
You could engage the feed for a few minutes without engaging the cross slide if that is all it takes to splash the bearings. Assuming that is possible.
30 March 2025 at 23:12 #791191
noel shelley
Participant
@noelshelley55608
Hi Danni, Have a sniff of the oil in the box, if it has a distinctive smell then get 1/2 alitre of EP 90 and smell, it is it the same ? If yes use it. Otherwise bearing in mind the power Etc and it unlikely to run more than warm, use a straight 30 classic engine oil (iso68 ), (Morris lubricants)it’s made for engines reving to 5000rpm and a temp of 85 – 90 with piston temps much higher than that, so it is unlikely to any harm, running dry will be worse. Noel.
31 March 2025 at 10:45 #791223
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
31 March 2025 at 17:45 #791292
Danni Burns
Participant
@danniburns84841
This is the filler pug

But does anyone know how to drain?

cheers
31 March 2025 at 18:11 #791295
Danni Burns
Participant
@danniburns84841
Name that Oil?

I got this out with a welding rod – access from the filler plug.

I hoped for a distinctive smell (as per Noel above), but it wasn’t a strong or horrible smell. Maybe it smelled a little sour if anything – compared to some I had around (2 stroke, 68 slideway oil), which I thought smelled of nothing.

cheers
31 March 2025 at 18:50 #791301
Dave Halford
Participant
@davehalford22513
Gear oil fortified with extra metal
31 March 2025 at 19:37 #791317
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
When you sort out the oil put a magnet in where it cannot get tangled up in the works, then the steel particles won’t recirculate so easily.
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