Thread: No oil zerks

My bridgeport (1964) doesn't have oil zerks it has screw in thing with a ball in the center how are you supposed to get oil in these.

There is a special oiler used to put oil through those fittings. I have a couple of the special oilers that we use to oil up our Index-Werke DG-12's that have the same type of fitting. Unfortunately I'm not sure what these special oilers are called I just know what they look like.

Take them out put zerks in. If there not threaded, thread , I have them on my clausing lathe, there a pain usually more oil on the housing than in the fitting.

Zerks (are) screw in and they (do) have a ball in the center.

Originally Posted by wtroger

My bridgeport (1964) doesn't have oil zerks it has screw in thing with a ball in the center how are you supposed to get oil in these.

Look 'em up in McMaster and see if you are talking about 'ball oiler' or Zerk/Alemite ....or sumthin' else.

'Most' ball-oilers I have seen in the wild are press-in. ALL Zerk's I have ever seen were thread-in.

The ball-oiler needs a gasketed tip on a pump-oiler, and YOU, not the tool, have to hold alignment. They are first-cousin to worthless, but do have the advantage of not sticking up far enough to get damaged often or interfere with work.

A Zerk wants the same sort of fitting threaded onto a pump-oiler snout as a grease-gun uses. If you pick the right oiler, the flexible extensions sold in auto-parts stores for grease-guns will thread right on.

Bill

Pumping through a couple of layers of shop wipe or cloth, pick something which won't disintegrate, usually gives a good enough seal for an ordinary pump type oil can to work adequately on flush fitting ball oilers providing the passages behind are clear and not too long. Worth a try as first cut but most likely pipes are both too long and partially clogged.

When you fit zerks get the proper oil gun to match the fitting. Not worth mucking about converting a cheap grease gun into an oil gun as described in many internet how-to descriptions. Real thing is probably less than 3 time price of a bottom end grease gun of the type usually chosen to convert and works out of the box. Difficult bit is finding one as they aren't off the shelf at the auto-parts places or big box store.

Clive

Thanks for all the reply's the ball oilers are threaded I will see they are 1/8 inch pipe. and replace with standard zerks and come up with a way to pump in oil. once again thanks.

1/8 inch pipe zerks fit. installed them and then I found an old porta-power pump I had laying around and filled it with way oil put on a Zerk head and flexible hose. Worked like champ none of the passages where plugged. All took oil real easy.

Originally Posted by wtroger

1/8 inch pipe zerks fit. installed them and then I found an old porta-power pump I had laying around and filled it with way oil put on a Zerk head and flexible hose. Worked like champ none of the passages where plugged. All took oil real easy.

Just received the other day from H & W Machine a push & lube gun full of way lube. Works just fine on my zerk plugs on my 1 1/2 bridgeport. I think only was around twenty dollars. And easy to refill.

Originally Posted by todd1

Just received the other day from H & W Machine a push & lube gun full of way lube. Works just fine on my zerk plugs on my 1 1/2 bridgeport. I think only was around twenty dollars. And easy to refill.

Thanks for that, Todd.

Link is here for those in need, as it needed a search once on-site:

"Push" Lube Pump for Zerk Base

Was JUST about to order one when I realized that on my 'Quartet' mill, a small, but significant percentage of the 'many' oil-Zerks are at angles or locations I'd not be able to get at properly with that item, so I'll stick with my squeeze-pumper mod.

Bill