Tom Senior E type

[david newman 9Participant @davidnewman9]

Tom Senior E Type, I have just acquired one in superb condition but without a hand book. my question is regarding lubrication  of  the S type head there are two oiling points at the top of the head none at the bottom to oil the timkin bearing would  this be a sealed for life bearing ? Thank you.  David Newman

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

The head is exactly the same as the light vertical, the difference is in the column. The two taper roller bearings for the spindle can be greased with a lithium type high melting point as used in older car wheel bearings. Be sure to be sparing with the quantity, you need at east 50% air space in the quill-spindle assembly to allow the grease to be pushed away from the rollers when the spindle first starts or there will be churning which caused an unwanted heat build up. Preload should be the least possible, or running at top speed will also overheat things. 15 minutes of high speed running should only make the spindle luke warm. The grease will automatically distribute itself onto the moving parts and would only need to be inspected every two or three years.

See the excellent website “lathes UK” and look under Senior in the mills section.

[Andrew Moyes 1Participant @andrewmoyes1]

I have a light vertical and as Old Mart says, the head is the same.  The upper of the two ball oilers is for the pulley bearing.  Its oil passage goes ‘uphill’ so a good squirt is needed to get it through as gravity doesn’t help.

There is also an oiling point in a vee groove of the driven pulley which is easily overlooked.  At least there is on mine, and that lubricates the key that drives the spindle.  There are two hex grub screws at 90 degrees that secure the pulley.  Opposite one of those is a third grub screw with a slotted head that can be removed to squirt in a drop of oil.

The lower ball oiler at the front communicates with the bore of the quill and some oil will also get through to the taper roller bearings inside the quill if you’re reasonably generous.  All the oil pumped in will eventually gravitate to the bottom.  When I restored my ex-college machine, I found no evidence of grease on the roller bearings.

[david newman 9Participant @davidnewman9]

Thank you for the advice given, it has been a great help to me. I now know where the lubricant goes I did not have a clue. It is all now lubricated and my mind at rest.  David

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