Help with Ward 3A

[David CanhamParticipant @davidcanham77137]

Hi People,

Can anyone help with the oil / grease points on a Ward 3A Capstan.

I am helping to clean and re adjust the lathe and it has a lot of possibly grease nipples on it. But, if it's any thing like my Super 7 then most of what look like grease points are in fact for oil.

I have tried the internet but there isn't much out there. Any help would be appreciated.

David.

[David CanhamParticipant @davidcanham77137]

[Chris BuxtonParticipant @chrisbuxton55939]

Hi David,

I know nothing about Capstan Lathes. But I do wish you luck in finding those answers …

Kind regards,

Chris

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

This post reminded me we used to have two Ward capstans in our workshop, mainly used for making studs and bolts. And I can't remember greasing them. I used to squirt the ways, rotating and sliding surfaces with machine oil.

I would think grease is too sticky for a capstan, doesn't flow where you want it to, and would slow down the operation, speed is essential when working a capstan. Oil will also flow better and not turn into grinding paste.

Hope this helps

Ian

[David CanhamParticipant @davidcanham77137]

Thanks Chris,

Ian, i think i will stick to an oil as suggested. The people that own the lathe do have a 5Lt drum of 32 grade hydraulic oil.

If i oil a grease point there is probably less of an issue than if i grease an oil point, lets hope so anyway.

David.

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

David,

Give them all a good oiling too, the passages could well be choked with grease that is in the process of drying out and it may take some shifting.

If you can look to see evidence of penetration.

Regards Brian

[David CanhamParticipant @davidcanham77137]

Thanks Brian, will do.

David.

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

I worked on a Ward 2A for six months during my apprenticeship,we only had an oil gun, the oil was Shell vitrea (no doubt long disappeared) i think the viscosity was 34 anyway it was about the same as Castrol xl (30 sae),same oil was shot over the slideways. Nice machine, if you were not working it on a winter monday morning with very cold soluble oil flying everywhere,In the six years I was with the company it was used most days mainly on no ferrous materials and never went wrong or needed adjustment.It was regularly cleaned as the non ferrous swarf was valuble and when there was a change of material ,thorough cleaning was essential to avoid contamination of the swarf.In those days none of our machines hydraulic oil.

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

Posted by David Canham on 12/09/2019 17:33:14:

Ian, i think i will stick to an oil as suggested. The people that own the lathe do have a 5Lt drum of 32 grade hydraulic oil.

Sounds like a plan. Any oil is better than no oil.

Ian

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