Lathe oil leak prevention

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Lathe oil leak prevention

This topic has 8 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 29 December 2020 at 16:39 by SillyOldDuffer.

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29 December 2020 at 01:30 #516046
David Oyns
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@davidoyns14057
Good morning.

I have a Colchester Chipmaster lathe which has a feed gearbox. It has been plagued with oil leaks despite frequent changes of '0' rings and gaskets. Some months ago I replaced both and placed a sheet of 'tell tale' paper towel under the housing. Occasional checking showed no loss whatever. The lathe had not been used for a while then yesterday I noticed oil seeping under the machine and opening the rear cover I found the towel saturated. The tooth belt spindle was dry – clearly the 0 ring was fine – but the mating joint with the main gearbox was clearly wet. All the allen screw were tight – in fact quite difficult to undo.

On removing the cover and examining the paper gasket it was much discoloured and appears to have been acting as a wick, drawing oil through. The gasket had received a smear of Hylomar on both sides. Thinking this was inferior paper gasket material I removed it to find on the other side the trade name 'Flexoid', the oil resistant gasket material.

I have ordered Flexoid sheets in various thicknesses. Is there anyone out there who has had and overcome this problem? Should I use a thicker gauge? should I fit the gasket dry or is there a better sealant than Hylomar? My next step will be to check for distortion of the housing but I think this very unlikely – the gasket was of uniform thickness. The oil is the recommended ISO 68 hydraulic oil. Any ideas?
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29 December 2020 at 01:30 #33754
David Oyns
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@davidoyns14057
29 December 2020 at 03:55 #516048
Hopper
Participant
@hopper
Posted by David Oyns on 29/12/2020 01:30:06:…

All the allen screw were tight – in fact quite difficult to undo.

Overtorquing.

Check all gasket faces for flatness. Run a flat file over them to remove burrs and warps. Check no burrs around bolt holes both sides.

Check bolts are not bottoming in their holes. Add washers under heads if so.

Clean clean clean gasket faces.

Don't use Hylormar or other goop on Flexoid gaskets. Flexoid has an impregnated sealer and needs no goop adding.

Nip up bolts evenly and with restraint. Use a torque wrench if you have it. Look up torque for bolt diameter.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

If you must use Hylomar on something — which you don't need to in this case — I only ever use it as a thin spray from spray can on each side of the gasket and let it dry COMPLETELY before assembly. Othewise it lubricates the gasket and lets it slide out of the gasket face under bolt pressure and leak.

If all else fails, you could try leaving the gasket out and sealing with a bead of Loctite Master Gasket. (Its magical stuff but smacks of desperation! And does not work well if you try to put it on a gasket. It is a gasket replacement, not a gasket sealer. )

Edited By Hopper on 29/12/2020 04:06:09
29 December 2020 at 06:53 #516055
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
Wellsesl worked perfectly on metal-to-metal joints. Used it quite a few times back in the ‘60/‘70s but not so often since. Somehow I doubt the faces in this application would be good enough without a gasket of some description.🙂
29 December 2020 at 09:53 #516078
Brian Wood
Participant
@brianwood45127
I have great faith in clear silicone sealant in either metal to metal joints or on paper gasket joints. An even smear all round before bolting up is all that is needed and the joint breaks cleanly if it has to be parted again at a future date.

Regards Brian
29 December 2020 at 12:54 #516128
David Oyns
Participant
@davidoyns14057
Hi All

Thanks very much indeed for your very prompt and very sound advice. I shall try the suggestions and see what happens. The housing in question, Chipmaster part 1473 (cover), has a ridiculously thin bolting face at one point (1/8&quot but this is above the oil level when the machine is at rest.

Wishing you all a happy, successful and virus-free New Year.

PS: I did wish to send a pic but when clicking on the picture icon to the left of the camera some crazy text in Latin comes up. Being an uneducated ex-North Yorkshireman (the border was moved making me a 'Clevelander'!) I was unable to decipher the text. Anyone have the same issue? Shades of Non illigitimum desperandum carborundum!

David
29 December 2020 at 16:01 #516156
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
You may be able to find out about posting pictures by putting "pictures" into the keyword box.
29 December 2020 at 16:10 #516157
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by old mart on 29/12/2020 16:01:48:

You may be able to find out about posting pictures by putting "pictures" into the keyword box.

.

… or even look at this : **LINK**

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=103028&p=1

The stickiest thread of all the Website FAQs

MichaelG.

.

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/12/2020 16:15:01
29 December 2020 at 16:39 #516164
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
Posted by David Oyns on 29/12/2020 12:54:49:

…

PS: I did wish to send a pic but when clicking on the picture icon to the left of the camera some crazy text in Latin comes up. Being an uneducated ex-North Yorkshireman (the border was moved making me a 'Clevelander'!) I was unable to decipher the text. Anyone have the same issue? Shades of Non illigitimum desperandum carborundum!

David

Welcome to the forum David.

Instructions for posting pictures and photos here.

Two methods, and you've already found the right buttons. The camera icon posts images stored in a Forum Album created by your good self. The 'picture' icon to the left inserts a link to images stored elsewhere on the internet. In both cases the image must be a JPG.

The only important field in the picture dialogue is the URL, which is a link to a photo somewhere on the web like:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/images/member_albums/144036/878063.jpg

The meaningless Latin waffle is an industry standard text placeholder used to preview how the image will appear when inserted in the middle of some text. The blurb supports advanced wrap and pagination etc which is mostly not available on this forum. Or needed! Fill in the URL and ignore the other boxes.

Dave
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