Colchester student oil

[Alex CorkParticipant @alexcork37078]

[Alex CorkParticipant @alexcork37078]

Hi, I am new to this forum, but it does look like the place to answer my question. I have just moved from a boxford and gotten myself a student. I would like to change the oil in the gearbox. The data plates recommend shell tellus 33t. Is this still available or does anybody have an alternative. Also there are many oiler points on the lathe. Some are damaged. Can you still get these, and what is a good oil for them? Thanks Alex.

[KettrinboyParticipant @kettrinboy]

Hi Alex , there is usually a plate somewhere on the back on machines to say what oils to use , but ii can tell you that in our shop at work where we had 4 Colchesters two Triumph 2000 and two Master 2500 lathes the boss always used Shell Tellus 68 oil in the headstocks and none of them ever gave trouble in the 15 yrs i was there , a lot of makes do similar spec oils like for example the Esso Nuto series , ARC Eurotrade sell Rock Oil 32 and 68 machine oils but only in 1 litre bottles i think ,  i am going to get some 68 myself  to put in my Harrison L5 headstock , my boss usually got the 25 litre oil cans from Cromwell Tools as he had a trade account with them.

regards Geoff

Edited By Kettrinboy on 23/02/2016 08:40:18

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Most machine oils are specified to a DIN number. I use the 68 as slide oil and in the apron and 32 in the headstock.

32 is a hydraulic oil but used in a lot of lathes I scrounge it from where I used to work as they buy in 205 litre drums.

Where are you based ? if in an industrial area it is best to buy from stockists in 5 litre size much cheaper than the dealers 1 litre bottles.

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

i use 32 hydraulic oil in my master and triumph,and buy it in 20 litre drums.cheaper to buy it in larger quantity,you may notice that over the years the top speeds of Colchesters got higher and the viscosity got lower ,to reduce drag.

[Alex CorkParticipant @alexcork37078]

Chris/Geoff, thank you. I have got 25l of 32 hydraulic oil. I will use this. Just need to work out how to drain the headstock now then. If it’s good enough for modern machinery then I am sure it will be ok in an old lathe!

[Mike BondarczukParticipant @mikebondarczuk27171]

Gentlemen,

A very interesting thread, and a timely one, as I am just in the process of cleaning out the oil reservoirs on my Hardinge HLV-H and then to fill them up.

The Hardinge documentation refers to Duckhams Zircon 4 which is now replaced any Zircon 32, Shell Tellus 33 which is now Tellus 68, BP Energol HP-20C which is a 68 weight waylube oil and finally R.O.C. Dynobear 68 which is again a 68 weight hydraulic oil.

It seems that 68 is the new reference but what is the difference between Tellus 32 and Tellus 33 and are there any Hardinge owners who can suggest the correct alternative or new flavour.

Mike B

[JonParticipant @jon]

Looks like the Tellus number is pre ISO and merely just a number and will confuse many.

Found this
**LINK**

Tellus33 is an anti wear AWD hydraulic oil conforming to AWD68. Though in use on lathe slides you can really feel the drag, I use AWD32 for the pump and slides. AWD68 for gearboxes both from Smith and Allen for years last price hike went up to £17 delivered 5 ltrs was £12. Good for hydraulic pumps, jacks in fact so cheap just use it for anything.

Older Harrisons use the red ATF in head stock its also a form of hydraulic oil.

[Andy taylor 2Participant @andytaylor2]

Posted by Kettrinboy on 23/02/2016 08:38:00:

Hi Alex , there is usually a plate somewhere on the back on machines to say what oils to use , but ii can tell you that in our shop at work where we had 4 Colchesters two Triumph 2000 and two Master 2500 lathes the boss always used Shell Tellus 68 oil in the headstocks and none of them ever gave trouble in the 15 yrs i was there , a lot of makes do similar spec oils like for example the Esso Nuto series , ARC Eurotrade sell Rock Oil 32 and 68 machine oils but only in 1 litre bottles i think , i am going to get some 68 myself to put in my Harrison L5 headstock , my boss usually got the 25 litre oil cans from Cromwell Tools as he had a trade account with them.

regards Geoff

Edited By Kettrinboy on 23/02/2016 08:40:18

So do I assume from this I could use. Shell Tellus S2 VX 68 would be fine for the gearbox AND the ways?

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Posted by Alex Cork on 23/02/2016 09:37:22:
Chris/Geoff, thank you. I have got 25l of 32 hydraulic oil. I will use this. Just need to work out how to drain the headstock now then. If it's good enough for modern machinery then I am sure it will be ok in an old lathe!

Alex

You may find information at this link  https://colchesterlathe.groups.io/g/main  

Plenty of files and photos of Colchester lathes, just use the Subscribe link.

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 18/12/2020 22:02:47

Edited By Emgee on 18/12/2020 22:04:11

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Alex, I guess the oilers on your Student are the ball type oilers like those on my Bantam, if you search for ball type oilers there are plenty available. They are almost certainly Imperial, with the diameter of the oiler body determining the size. You can lever the old ones out with a screwdriver and just tap the new ones in with a hollow drift.

Chris Gunn

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Alex, I guess the oilers on your Student are the ball type oilers like those on my Bantam, if you search for ball type oilers there are plenty available. They are almost certainly Imperial, with the diameter of the oiler body determining the size. You can lever the old ones out with a screwdriver and just tap the new ones in with a hollow drift.

Chris Gunn

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