Thread: How important is a filter on an automatic lubrication pump for box ways ?

Seeing as, unlike an auto engine for example, they are always pumping out new oil and never recirculating oil, it would seem to me, a filter is completely unnecessary. And yet the main distributor for Showa, not only encourages a filter but has the audasity to say that you must change the filter every 6 months*... or less !! I suppose there is always the tiny possibility of a sliver of metal coming off an internal part of the lube pump...but they are so simple and lightly stressed, I find that highly unlikely. Thoughts ?

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*I have a CNC mill that sat for 11 years in storage, until I bought it last month. It has Showa automatic pump and Showa filter...I looked at the filter last week and it looks like new and the pump still pumps oil thru it just fine. But why it would need a filter in the first place is beyond me.

Or foreign material in the bottom of the waylube drum (sediment can settle?). I don't know how likely that is, but its probably good to have one. We change ours out every year or so.

more likely like on my Lagun manual mill, there is a 2 inch tall pile of chips on the oil reservoir cap every time i go to fill it. I own it so I usually bother to wipe most of the chips off before opening the cap.

Originally Posted by dandrummerman21

Or foreign material in the bottom of the waylube drum (sediment can settle?). I don't know how likely that is, but its probably good to have one. We change ours out every year or so.

The Showa throws out a "low oil" alarm when the tank oil level is within an inch or so of bottom...so the pickup tube never really sucks from the bottom anyway. 11 years of sitting and I see no "sediment" in this one whatsoever.

Originally Posted by gustafson

more likely like on my Lagun manual mill, there is a 2 inch tall pile of chips on the oil reservoir cap every time i go to fill it. I own it so I usually bother to wipe most of the chips off before opening the cap.

There is a screen that the new oil must travel thru to get to the tank. That screen would capture 99 percent of any chips. But perhaps for that 1 percent that got thru the filter would be good to have indeed.

I guess bottom line is they are good to have when you have potentially careless employees...but for one man shop where you are careful about such things, probably not needed.

I believe it has to do with the environment. Using dirty funnels to refill the reservoir, sediment in the oil container you're using to fill it, etc. When I PM one of our Bostomatic mills, I remove the Bijur oil reservoir and wipe the bottom of it out. After a year of running, it gets some darker stuff at the bottom of the reservoir.

I have discovered LubeUSA is a good place to buy lube fittings and pumps. They are a lot cheaper then Devco. I recall going to a shop years ago to repair a Pratt & Whitney Tape Mate VMC. The Turcite was gone or in pieces under the table and saddle. All the plastic lube lines were filled with chips and dirt; the BiJur lube fittings were jammed with dirt. The ways got so dry the turcite wore out and ripped off. I found the lube pump was mounted inside the guards. I removed the pump and noticed the flip cover where you poured in the oil was missing and the reservoir was full of chips and cutting fluid. As I cleaned the tank I saw the pump filter and screens were missing. I saw the "operator" and said what happened to the filter and screens? He said " They kept getting plugged up and the error alarm would go off and shut the machine off. I thanked him and said that kind of thinking kept me in business. The plant owner didn't think that was so funny though. He fired the dumb ass. I just re-Turcited (Actually it was Rulon, but everyone knows the wear strip material as Turcite) a OKUMA / Howa VMC with a Showa Pump. We opened it up and it looked pristine inside but the bottom of the tank was dirty. The screen filter where you poured in the oil after you unscrewed the opening lid was full of chips as Machinist said they probably used a dirty funnel to fill the tank and that screen / filter caught the crap going into the tank and the screen /felt filter cleaned it even more. OH When I typed Lube.com I got a surprise. It's LubeUSA.com :-)

Originally Posted by Milacron

The Showa throws out a "low oil" alarm when the tank oil level is within an inch or so of bottom...so the pickup tube never really sucks from the bottom anyway. 11 years of sitting and I see no "sediment" in this one whatsoever.

I meant from the bottom of the drum the oil comes in when you buy it (or bucket). But if it sank to the bottom of the drum, it would likely sink to the bottom of your oiler. Then there is the thought of contamination caught in suspension...

Better safe than sorry is the word...

I suspect that the filter is in there to stop crap from stopping up the oiler orifices. I have been in a couple of shops where hygiene around the lube bucket and the oiler tank was not on the top of the priority list and even seen machines missing the oil tank caps. Sounds like they are trying to stupid proof the machines.

I see Milacron's line of thinking on this and agree that it is PROBABLY not needed, at least not needed to change every 6 months. I also know that the 55 gallon drum of way lube can have some crud in it. You would THINK it would be practically pure from the oil company, but...

After reading the responses I can now say I'm glad the filter is on the mill as that way I know at least the oil lines are probably clear on an 18 year old machine (plus evidence of excess oil on ways after many pump cycles proves it....which brings up the thorny issue of what do you do when the machine is "on" but not moving....the Showa still pumps oil every 10 minutes regardless...) I don't personally need the filter but should keep it as I won't own the machine forever and no telling the situation it will be in with next owner.

my thought would be the meters are such tiny holes more than the oil might be all that dirty.
dirty talk will foul a meter and shut down oil on a line so any help in that arena makes sense

I too would expect it to be there to protect the oil system more than the ways, ie prevent the oil metering bits getting clogged.

Originally Posted by adama

I too would expect it to be there to protect the oil system more than the ways, ie prevent the oil metering bits getting clogged.

I think adama is right and I would add...consider that each metering valve is sized to allow flow to all of the ways during the pressurization cycle and the clogged meter means little or no oil to that site. Debris in the oil could also clog the lines preventing flow.

On some machines its a real pain and major tear down just to get to the the metering valves. I'm willing to bet there are a fair amount of machines out there with known and ignored lubrication problems. That is... until its to late to fix cheaply.

We bought a used machine at the beginning of this year and one of the first problems we found when we serviced it( before putting into service) was a clogged line beyond the meter valve. Fortunately the "turcite" wasn't damaged yet.

Steve

Originally Posted by Milacron

....which brings up the thorny issue of what do you do when the machine is "on" but not moving....the Showa still pumps oil every 10 minutes regardless...)

My Romi flat bed lathe cycles the lube pump constantly when the machine and control are on even though it might be sitting idle....
Can run a load of oil in little time .....
On that machine when it is idle i hit the E-stop ..that leaves the control on but the machine off..to restart i just clear the E-stop button, hit "reset" then the "Machine on" button. No need to
re-home.
Cheers Ross

I don't know what this is worth, but, I never worked at a place where they changed those filters...ever. I've got a fadal I've owned for 13 years now, and I also never changed a filter on the way lube system.
I guess that's a little insight as to how badly it's needed?

Originally Posted by Dave K

I don't know what this is worth, but, I never worked at a place where they changed those filters...ever. I've got a fadal I've owned for 13 years now, and I also never changed a filter on the way lube system.
I guess that's a little insight as to how badly it's needed?

LOL...yeah the one on mine is almost certainly 18 years old and still appears and acts like new. Tiny little thing too...like half the size of a spool of thread. I wonder if there is a company on the planet that has on their PM scedules to change those Showa lube filters every six months !

And to whoever said the purpose is the prevent the oil meter valves from getting clogged.....that kinda falls into the "well d'uh" department, since the end result of that would be no oil to the ways such that ultimately the end goal of the filters is to prevent damage to the ways in envirnoments where the employees are careless with filling the oiler.

And to whoever said the purpose is the prevent the oil meter valves from getting clogged.....that kinda falls into the "well d'uh" department, since the end result of that would be no oil to the ways such that ultimately the end goal of the filters is to prevent damage to the ways in envirnoments where the employees are careless with filling the oiler.

Twas me... I stand chastised! You never know where someones "D'uh" department is sometimes... and I try to be polite.

Steve

Originally Posted by AlfaGTA

My Romi flat bed lathe cycles the lube pump constantly when the machine and control are on even though it might be sitting idle....
Can run a load of oil in little time .....
On that machine when it is idle i hit the E-stop ..that leaves the control on but the machine off..to restart i just clear the E-stop button, hit "reset" then the "Machine on" button. No need to
re-home.

Unfortunately the Makino isn't wired that way...hit E stop and the Showa pump motor keeps 'a turnin. Be easy to rig an on/off switch just for the pump..but then I'd worry I'd forget to turn it back on. Maybe if the switch was routed toward the front with a big red "way oil off" light ??

"well d'uh" department

nope the first well duh was the op

the meter points were brought out to discuss the relatively small amount of dirt that is of great affect to the system. making sure people understand (because it has been implied that this is a group of industry professionals trying to make a living and helping less experienced members) that one minute piece of crud can shut down oil to part of your machine and could end up making you very said. its belt and suspenders and some people subscribe to the theory.

now we will all sit back and have you mince our words to prove once again you are the only real smart one in the boat, knew the answer all along and were just testing us boobs.
sail on captain.
filters are for pussys.

but then I'd worry I'd forget to turn it back on

timer tied into the "auto cycle" relay would bring it on any time you hit cycle start
would still be of concern if you did alot of "hand wheeling" but its a start