Lubing my new mill

[GrottoParticipant @grotto]

Hi all

I’ve recently acquired a new mill but unfortunately the last page of the manual covering the lube system is missing.

I’ve found similar manual online but it’s pretty brief and doesn’t help a lot.

The mill has a manual “shot lubrication system” which appears to oil the ways. The book recommends Sunco Waylube #80 for ways. A bit of google research appears to say ISO68 hydraulic fluid is the same. Does this sound correct? (Photo is rotated 90 degrees)

Should I just fill the tank with this? How frequently should I pump the handle and how many times?

There are also grease nipples but I’m unsure if these are for grease or oil and can’t find any reference in the manual to them or any indication of what to squirt in?

There are also some oil caps, but like the grease nipple I’m not sure what to use in them, there are quite a few – should I guess they all take same lubricant?

Sorry about photos, I haven’t worked out how to get them the right way up.

[GrottoParticipant @grotto]

What oil/grease should I use?

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

Way oil has a tacking agent so it sticks in there and doesnt run out like hydraulic oil will .

If you put a drop of way oil on your thumb then press your index finger against it and slowly open them you will see that way oil will string between the two but hydraulic oil will not .

What make / model is the mill ? Maybe someone on here has one or used one the same or they may be able to point you in the right direction .

[GrottoParticipant @grotto]

Thanks, it’s a “Topone” Bridgeport style mill. Pretty much the same as a Bridgeport but head rotates on 2 axis.

[Anonymous]

I use an ISO68 slideway oil in the one shot oiler on my CNC mill. It gets operated every time I power up and then every few hours when running. But of course a CNC mill sees more action per hour than a manual mill.

I also use ISO68 slideway oil on my manual Bridgeport. The nipples are for oil, never grease. The only place on my Bridgeport that gets grease is the varispeed plates. And that's not a nipple but a threaded hole into which you screw the tube of special lithium grease.

Andrew

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

ISO 68 for my manual Bridgeport. When I worked one for a living I pumped the oiler at the start of every day and again after lunch. If I felt the machine needed it I pumped again mid morning/afternoon. The oil cups on the Bridgeport just require a light machine oil like an SAE30 to lube the quill and feed gear. Weekly a drop on the top of the draw bar and every couple of months maybe longer with hobby use remove the grub screw ("A" on a Bridgeport head) and use the tube of lithium grease as Andrew has indicated.

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