ML7 Lubrication

[Simon BParticipant @simonb]

Another question – sorry and thanks!

My ML7 has raised nipple oil points on the countershaft / drive area but almost flush oil points on the saddle / slides etc.

I don't have an oiler yet – do I need two to cope with the different geomety of the points as raised nipple types on the saddle would be a pita + I can't see an easy way of removing the old ones as they are flush with no means of applying any torque to them.

As ever, help appreciated.

Simon.

Edited By Simon B on 24/11/2012 10:21:09

[Simon BParticipant @simonb]

Range of oil point geomety

[The Merry MillerParticipant @themerrymiller]

While we are in this vein, do Reilang oil cans come with adaptors for different oil nipples or do they just have the standard cone at the tip?

Len. P.

[The Merry MillerParticipant @themerrymiller]

I'll try again.

To all those lovely people who said recently on this forum that they have Reilang oil cans, do these oil cans come with adaptors for different oil nipples or do they just have the standard cone at the tip?

When you have finished watching West Ham play this afternoon on Sky perhaps you could let me know.

Len. P.

P.S. Perhaps somebody could answer Simon's question as well.

[Simon BParticipant @simonb]

Some photos to see what I mean:

Edited By Simon B on 26/11/2012 20:48:21

[pierre ehly 2Participant @pierreehly2]

Simon,

use a 1ft of clear plastic tubing (windshield cleanner nozzle)

Push it over the oil nipple and maitain it with the hand (the oil pressure push it out)

d'ont forget to oil the back gear mechanism (2 points)

pierre

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Simon,

The nipples on the countershaft are not for oil but are grease nipples and are intended to be used with a grease gun. The simplest push type has a cupped end to fit the nipple and the pressure of pushing the telescopic gun seals and pushes in grease. There are ones such as the Wanner lever gun which clamp on to the nipple and have to be released after use. The latter are too high pressure for this application a simple push type would be best. I don't know what grease is recommended for this application as I have not had anything to do with Myfords for 40 + years.

The 'flush' ones are ball oilers, just push the nipple of the spout of the oilcan onto it and squeeze the trigger. The ball is sprung and will let oil in but keep dirt and swarf out.

Regards

Terry

[Simon BParticipant @simonb]

Terry,

Thanks for this – I was under the understanding all points were for oil and the only applicatrion of grease was onto the gears directly? Have I got this wrong?

Simon.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

My hand book says Esso Nuto H32 for all nipples Oil of viscosity SA30 on all sliding parts Feed Screws lead screws etc No mention of grease anywhere

[John BaguleyParticipant @johnbaguley78655]

Len,

the Reilangs all have just the cone end.

John

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by The Merry Miller on 25/11/2012 16:20:52:

I'll try again.

To all those lovely people who said recently on this forum that they have Reilang oil cans, do these oil cans come with adaptors for different oil nipples or do they just have the standard cone at the tip?

When you have finished watching West Ham play this afternoon on Sky perhaps you could let me know.

Len. P.

P.S. Perhaps somebody could answer Simon's question as well.

Hi Len,

I don't have a Reilang but all the lathes I have seen have only one type of oiler – the ball type. That is if you discount wick, gravity or splash oilers, As I said in my last post, the ball type has a sprung ball which opens when the oil pressure is applied from the can and closes to keep out dirt etc. wipe them before oiling.

The larger, raised nipples are grease nipples – see last posting of mine above.

Best regards

Terry

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Sorry Terry, they are oil nipples, they have no undercut for the end to snap on.

It's been a bain of every Myford owners life that the OIL gun supplied with a Myford leaks when filling this nipples, given is a metal to metal push fit it's hardly surprising.

John S.

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Hi there, all,

I have both the original and the 'improved' Myford-supplied oil guns. My experience is that some oil goes into the oil nipple but some (probably more) goes round the outside of the nipple, it's a bit messy.

However, what I find even more messy is that even more oil exits the oil gun via the filler cap into the palm of the hand. Despite the great volume of adverse comment about the ML7 oil gun, I've never seen any reference to this defect on any of the forums – does this not happen to other ML7 users?

The disk of cork or whatever in the oil gun filler cap only has the thickness (about 10 thou) of the oil gun body to seal against, it owes more to superstition and blind optimism than to reasoned design!

Just my two penneth.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by John Stevenson on 27/11/2012 09:34:31:

Sorry Terry, they are oil nipples, they have no undercut for the end to snap on.

It's been a bain of every Myford owners life that the OIL gun supplied with a Myford leaks when filling this nipples, given is a metal to metal push fit it's hardly surprising.

John S.

Hi John,

Having looked closer I see what you mean I thought that they looked like button headed grease nipples. My eyes take a while to get working in the mornings these days . Perhaps it may be an idea to swap for grease points rather than oil?

Regards

Terry

[The Merry MillerParticipant @themerrymiller]

Thanks for that info John, I think I'll stick with my "Wescos".

Len. P.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Terryd I think you will find the countershaft runs in 'oilite' bushes the name suggests oil not grease

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

A couple of thicknesses of clean cloth between the oil gun and the nipple seem to stop the oil going everywhere with mine on the ML10 countershaft.

The headstock bearings I grease with Lithium grease (Castrol) and of late I have been using a PTFE spary on the slides with no ill effects.

Regards the leaking cap on the oil gun, a tight fitting leather washer has stopped mine from leaking. Very simple to cut and fit, you could even make a sharp edged punch to do it !

Clive

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

There was considerable discussion sometime ago, in I think, ME on this subject and how to successfully mod. Myfords original oilgun. Guy Lautard came up with what looked like a brilliant solution in one of his books. Myfords eventually had for sale an improved oilgun at what I thought was far too expensive so did not buy.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

If you put a piece of paper between the nipple and the oil gun it stops the oil squirting everywhere.

regards David

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

I picked up on that when you mentioned it some time ago David and it always worked well for me with a scrap of soft kitchen towel ….. thanks.

Based on another thread, I've recently replaced what nipples I can with regular, brass flip-top oilers which has simplified things enormously.

[Robin teslarParticipant @robinteslar]

Posted by Sid Herbage on 27/11/2012 16:54:11:

I picked up on that when you mentioned it some time ago David and it always worked well for me with a scrap of soft kitchen towel ….. thanks.

Based on another thread, I've recently replaced what nipples I can with regular, brass flip-top oilers which has simplified things enormously.

Hi Sid

How did you gat the original spring ball oil tips out? Are they screwed in or a push fit. The flip top oilers sound entirely sensible.

Oh BTW, the photo up top shows what looks like grease nipples on the counter shaft. I dont think grease is a suitable lubricant, too high a speed on plain bearings

Cheers

Robin

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Hi Simon B.

My ML7 is fitted with oil nipples throughout, they are screw in and are 2 ba thread size, as you can see I've recently fittted new ones.

I do not know if the sprung ball type nipples on your machine can be removed easily, but you could try phoning Myford for advice.

The lubrication chart (in manual) shows some 17 points which need an oil gun.

Generally speaking I would suggest you get an ML7 manual from Myford Ltd, or Ian Bradley's 'Series 7 manual', which I think has been re-published.

Edited By V8Eng on 27/11/2012 20:07:32

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by roy entwistle on 27/11/2012 14:04:02:

Terryd I think you will find the countershaft runs in 'oilite' bushes the name suggests oil not grease

As I said,

I have not had dealings with Myfords for around 40 years or so, thank goodness. Besides we used grease in Oiloite bearings in our large conveyor systems without any problems,  Grease is often preferable in high speed plain bearings as liquid oil films are liable to break down quickly unless the bearing is sealed – just the results from our research dept – what did they know?

Regards

T

Edited By Terryd on 27/11/2012 21:21:02

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Robin teslar on 27/11/2012 18:00:57:

How did you gat the original spring ball oil tips out? Are they screwed in or a push fit. The flip top oilers sound entirely sensible.

I had oil nipples exclusively on mine and they just unscrewed (2-BA thread).

The oilers (eBay) had M6 threads which I turned down and threaded #10-32 UNF which is what I have here and is close enough.

The Myford manual for the ML-7 (with exploded parts diagrams and parts list as well as lubrication info) is kicking around the internet as a pdf in various places if you don't already have a copy. The relevant Yahoo group(s) used to have it. PM me if you have any problem.

[Don CoxParticipant @doncox80133]

I've and an ML7 for over 10 years now and have danced around the lubrication problem like everyone else seems to have done. The flush ball bearing valved oilers I've found particularly difficult to deal with and I long ago managed to replace the countershaft ones with a pair of oil cups (courtesy of the Nipple Shop) which at least means I can inspect for oil presence before I start up. Recently I was given a couple of Valvespout oilers by an elderly friend and was pleasantly surprised to find that these have (as the name implies) a spout which contains a nozzle with an integral shut off valve and which is fine enough to lift the ball bearing off of its seating to allow oil injection. Mine are quite old with comparatively straight, short tubes but their, apparently, modern equivalents are available for not much money here: http://www.longs.co.uk/acatalog/Longs_Shopping_Site_Oilers_83.html Mine have small hole nozzles similar to the bottom ones AVS1145BS or AVS145 I think. It might be worth asking the seller whether what I have described is possible with his products before taking the plunge.

Don Cox

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