Lubrication for a fixed center on tailstock

[Wade BeattyParticipant @wadebeatty78296]

I cannot get near enough to the work with my rotating center. I have a fixed center that is ground to allow access. I have used various lubes I posses but it may be that I have to just limit the time using this to prevent heat build up. Are there any recomendations for work on a fixed center?

Thanks, Merry Christmas to all

Wade

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Keep the RPM below 300 ands use a high pressure anti-seize lubricant. They used to use white lead. Watch out for your part increasing length with temperature as this will quickly bind the centre. The longer the part, the more it will increase in length.

Some lathes have seemingly useless blind holes drilled in the top of the tailstock. This was put there to hold the white lead tailstock centre lube for quick application with a dobber applicator that also acted as a cap.

There’s a picture of one on the CVA page on Tony’s site – 3rd colour picture down:

https://www.lathes.co.uk/cva/

 

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hello Wade.  I use a high pressure grease for Stihl Brush Cutter bevel gears.  Purely because that’s what I had to hand, and it appears to work.  Don’t crank the tailstock within an inch of its life and relube as necessary.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I find that EP90 is good.

[Wade BeattyParticipant @wadebeatty78296]

Thanks all

 

[cedric 1Participant @cedric]

Black molybdenum grease, or anti seize copper coat etc, then  the occasional squirt from the oil can used for headstock bearings and ways etc.

Keep feeling the centre with a finger and loosen off the tailstock if it gets hot.

 

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Mine is:  use the largest centre drill you can, to cut the female V.  That will allow more lubricant to be stored in the extended part of the recess.  Fill it with grease.🙂

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I have used moly grease at low rpm but not for extended periods. For successive cuts, it might be a benifit to back off the tailstock and reapply the grease several times.

I have used the extra hole in the tailstock for holding the drill chuck key not properly as Pete mentions.

I have a box with a cheap rotating centre that holds interchangable tips. I have made a couple of custom ends for it which did the job quite well.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Well that explains something I’ve asked and wondered about for years, I’ve come across the little oil pot on the tailstock a couple of times over the years, including on a Mk1 CVA ( very used but still pretty accurate), guessed it was for some sort of lubrication, even emptied one out and poked about to see if it was connected to an oilway somewhere. Remember being told  they used white lead for dead centers, but never worked out it was a white lead pot. Thanks Pete another of life’s mysteries solved.

I may have imagined this, but did they used to have white lead in the middle of golf balls?

[Dave Wootton]

On Dave Wootton Said:

<SNIP>

 

I may have imagined this, but did they used to have white lead in the middle of golf balls?

Yes they did. If you cut into one with a hacksaw it would squirt out….

Robert

[Robert Atkinson 2]

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

On Dave Wootton Said:

<SNIP>

 

I may have imagined this, but did they used to have white lead in the middle of golf balls?

Yes they did. If you cut into one with a hacksaw it would squirt out….

Robert

Well there you go.  I opened one up years ago by unwinding the everlasting rubber band and found a rubber ball in the middle that I thought was filled with liquid Latex.  Another school day I guess.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I have drilled the end of my centre, which had picked up and seized, and brazed a piece of tungsten carbide which was ground to 60 deg to run true. It doesn’t pick up now with a small amount of grease for lubrication.

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

Whilst I was taught to use grease in the metalwork classes at school and again during my apprenticeship. In the years since then I have used oil as the lubricant. More can be added from an oil can without disturbing the work, and it does not attract the build up of swarf shards like grease does.

There is the addition bonus that if the centre is too tight it will give off a plume of smoke which I have never seen when using grease, long before any damage is done.

Regards

Gray,

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Other than school metalwork classes, and making a hand vice as part of my university electrical engineering degree course, I’ve never had formal workshop training.
I never did complete the degree, but still have, and use, the hand vice.
Both at school and engineering workshop, I was taught to use tallow, for tapping and as a lathe centre lubricant.
If it gets too hot, as mentioned earlier, then it too smokes and smells.

For lathe use, it was always stored as a blob below the tailstock handwheel.

Now, I use any handy high pressure lubricant.

Bill

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

Apprentice ship days now 60 odd years ago ,it was usual to give the centre a regular squirt from the oil can,and ensure the tailstock was not too tight.

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

you can buy special grease

https://www.mscdirect.co.uk/cimcool-2oz-center-saver-tube-cim-10009h

 

Jimb

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