Oiling Lathe Ways

[Blue HeelerParticipant @blueheeler]

How often do you oil your lathe ways?

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Once a day. More often if I’m turning cast iron and wiping the swarf/dust/oil off with a rag.

[Mark Rand]

On Mark Rand Said:

Once a day. More often if I’m turning cast iron and wiping the swarf/dust/oil off with a rag.

Thanks Mark

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

I just do it whenever it starts to feel “dry”. It’s most obvious when sliding the tailstock back and forth. I apply oil lightly and wipe off the excess.

It might be a bit controversial, but I think you can have too much oil. If the bed is sticky it will hold swarf, dust, sanding/grinding particles etc. The last thing you want to do is mash a mixture of abrasive crap into your bed.

[JAParticipant @ja]

When I have finished for the day. I clean the swarf and rubbish off the ways and everything else with a brush and white spirit. Then using a oil can squirt ISO68 Slideway oil at any bear metal and leave. The Slideway oil will spread to cover everything.

I should add that I use neat cutting oil only, not horrible white oil/water fluids.

JA

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

My Myford (owned for over 50  years ) gets oiled when I feel it needs it, so it is never dry. It always has a film of oil and to try and keep the bed clean it gets wiped often. I use ISO 32 hydraulic oil also known as SAE 10, in part because I use it in 25 L drums. Whilst oiling is important preventing the particles/swarf getting into the works by wiping is better, all the more so with cast iron or small chips of hard materials eg stainless.  Noel.

[alecsParticipant @alecs]

Oil gun applied before each time it is used. Ways wiped clean and oiled with a squirter can at the end of each session.

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Anything more than a few thou thickness isn’t going to do anything extra. Felt wipers will provide this but of course if full of metal dust are bad news. Nobody gets a daily newspaper nowadays but the papermakers have switched to making paper towels specially for us to cover the bed so nasty swarf doesn’t touch it and the oily paper is available for lighting fires instead of the printed words of idiots.

[PeteParticipant @pete41194]

If the ways aren’t already too dry, then the color of the previous oiling will tell you when it needs more. Very dark or black oil on the sliding surfaces or feed screws are a sure sign the machine isn’t being oiled well enough. Oil performs two basic functions, the lubrication of course, and excess oil helps flush out the machines own wear particles and any contamination from swarf. So over oiling a bit while seemingly wasteful is still a good habit. If the fresh oil isn’t remaining clean after a short period of use, then it’s overdue for a partial disassembly and a thorough and detailed cleaning.

Even G. Thomas mentions doing so for his Super 7 after turning cast iron. For manual machine tools, I think the manufacturer’s do a rather poor job of even mentioning that machine tool slides, feed screws and nuts do require a partial disassembly and manual cleaning in solvent every so often. And the same for a lathes tail stock quill, feed screw and nut. Reading the Connely book Machine Tool Reconditioning was more than enough to completely change my previous habits about slide cleanliness and lubrication.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I oil my lathe ways and spindle bearings every time I use it and spindle about every hour and always use slideway 60 grade oil. I also use the same oil on the feed srew and leadscrew for bed.

David

[DellParticipant @dell]

I have added felt soaked in oil so everything gets oil all the time

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