Chuck lubrication

[Martin Shaw 1Participant @martinshaw1]

The 3" chuck that came with the new lathe is currently stripped down, it felt distinctly "gritty" so I've cleaned it all out and prior to reassembly thought lubrication would be good. The simple question, oil or grease?

Regards

Martin

[Martin Shaw 1Participant @martinshaw1]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If you are feeling flush then there are dedicated chuck lubricants, otherwise grease as it does not get flung out like oil would.

About time one of our ME suppliers started to sell this in smaller amounts, you reading this Ketan?

[Martin Shaw 1Participant @martinshaw1]

Thanks Jason

I'm not feeling flush so grease it is, it's a simple enough job to take apart so it can be easily done as needed.

Regards

Martin

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by JasonB on 14/07/2017 18:29:41:

If you are feeling flush then there are dedicated chuck lubricants, otherwise grease as it does not get flung out like oil would.

Many Molybdenum disulphide greases are "high pressure" greases. I wonder if the stuff linked is really any different from the stuff you can get almost anywhere, other than the packaging?

For our limited use I expect almost any MD grease would do.

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

I think this from Ketan's empire would do as well as the chuck grease that I bought once –**LINK**

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I wonder if that lubricant is significantly different from ordinary moly grease?

Neil

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

I am using ordinary Molybdenum disulphide grease on my chucks, I have never had any problems. My oldest chuck is from the late 1970's.

Thor

[Brian Sweeting 2Participant @briansweeting2]

As a simple minded small lathe user I would query using grease in the chuck due to greases ability to hold onto swarf.

I know that chips will stick to oil but have more chance, perhaps, of being flung out when the chuck is rotating.

My small chuck has an oil hole not a grease nipple.

After I've oiled my chuck I wrap it in kitchen paper towel, held on with an elastic band, and run it at high speed. This gets the excess oil out quite well.

[Martin Shaw 1Participant @martinshaw1]

I had some Castrol LM grease left over from the days when I had to fix my Land Rover frequently, so I used that. The chuck is a lot smoother, and since it's gone on the rotary table, stuff flying out isn't really a problem. I've no doubt that oil would work equally well, but the line of spatter up the face is too be avoided I feel. Thanks chaps.

Martin

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

My Pratt Burnerd Gri-Tru chuck had the cavity filled with grease from new. If grease is good enough for PB, then it's good enough for me.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[Joseph Noci 1Participant @josephnoci1]

ROHM specify a high pressure grease on all chuck internals, and on the scroll face – Like Pratt Burnerd, I guess they know what they are talking about – no oil…

Joe

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I use wheel bearing grease in my chucks. Makes less mess than moly when it flings everywhere, as it inevitably does. Seems to work ok for me.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

I use CRC tac2 adhesive lubricant spray in my chucks , back gears .and leadscrew.

I used to use grease and oil but got sick of the stuff being flung out all over the place , the tac 2 is used sparingly and when it comes time to give the chuck a clean up the stuff cleans out easily with degreaser or kero .

Ian .

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by steamdave on 14/07/2017 21:56:52:

My Pratt Burnerd Gri-Tru chuck had the cavity filled with grease from new. If grease is good enough for PB, then it's good enough for me.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

Believe me you would not want your cavities filled with grease —unless you were enjoying some perverted activity that is

 

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 15/07/2017 08:24:02

[Perko7Participant @perko7]

I used some Moly grease in my 80-year old 4-jaw, and found that the swarf stuck to it like the proverbial to a blanket, the end result being a jammed jaw and a broken adjusting screw (there is a separate thread on how that was repaired). I then tried some very good lightweight lubricant used on pushbikes which worked quite well and didn't get thrown about too much as you only needed a few drops to provide a suitable amount of lubrication. I've since dismantled and cleaned that chuck again and reassembled using dry graphite powder, which so far seems to be working very well. No mess getting flung about, nothing sticks to it, and everything slides smoothly. I'll see how long it lasts, but it's dead easy to reapply and a little goes a long way.

All my newer chucks have a ball oiler so they've been given the bicycle lube treatment.

[Author]

Posts