How much oil does your lathe use?

WJ Birmingham · Mar 5, 2017

So, I've had my 9A now for almost a year... Lube it every time I use it, which is a few times a week.

Every time I lube it, the bearing journal closest to the gears is empty, while the one closest to the chuck is near full. Using Type A at those lube points.

What is normal consumption? Is it like an AMC built Harley? As in it's bad when it stops leaking?

promacjoe · Mar 5, 2017

On mine, a 1942 9A, I fill the reservoirs every time I use it. It always seems to go down. That seems to be normal. At least for this machine. When I first noticed it, I checked to see if there was a crack in the headstock or something allowing it to leak out. But no, that's just the way it is, So I don't worry about it. I just make sure the reservoirs are full before i use it, along with cleaning and lubricating everything else. I kind of have a ritual when I finish with the machine. I clean it, Andrea oil everything. If I use it the next day, I only check the oil in the reservoirs and start up the machine and use it. If it sets for a Several days, Or if the previous night was windy and dry, I will clean it again and Re-oil everything. It's kind of a habit I got into because I was in a unheated shop. At that time dust and moisture was a big problem. I have now enclosed my machine tool area, it's heated and cooled. Not near as dusty, I don't have the moisture problem that I used to have. But I still keep the same ritual.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.

SWBrooks · Mar 6, 2017

Common problem on many South Bends. An eventual solution that SBL came up with was to add "oil control clips" to the drain holes beneath the spindle which would use capillary action to help break the surface tension of the oil and allow it to drain more easily back into the reservoir. Just a length of brass wire bent to the shapes shown. Works very well and is a cheap solution. Photos below. Steve

Dobermann · Mar 6, 2017

I'm getting about 4000 miles per quart on my Heavy 10.

But seriously, I find that the amount of oil I need to add to the headstock oil cups varies and I've yet to account for the variation. Sometimes both cups will be empty at the start of the day and sometimes one or the other will still be full in the morning. It's pretty rare that both of them will be full in the morning.

My headstock has the segmented iron bearings and the brass capillary wires in in place. I've been using 0W20 Mobil 1 for the past year but I never found any difference in consumption that I could attribute to the type of oil being used. 99% of the oil I add ends up spread around in the chip pan where it gets soaked up with paper towel from time to time. I'm still on the first quart of Mobil 1 I started with over a year ago so the consumption really isn't very much. In fact, I venture to guess that I've not used much more than a quart of oil in/on that lathe in the 10 years I've owned it and it gets used more than the typical "hobby" lathe.

Besides, the cost of the oil is pretty small compared with the cost of the machine and the tooling so even if it used a gallon of oil in a year, that would still be pretty insignificant. Messy yes, but not significant!

xeddog · Mar 6, 2017

On my 1952 9a, I have to fill the cups every time I use it. I can run it all day long without refilling, but if it sets for any length of time the cups are empty again. I would sure like to know where all that oil is going.

Wayne

WJ Birmingham · Mar 6, 2017

SWBrooks said:
Common problem on many South Bends. An eventual solution that SBL came up with was to add "oil control clips" to the drain holes beneath the spindle which would use capillary action to help break the surface tension of the oil and allow it to drain more easily back into the reservoir. Just a length of brass wire bent to the shapes shown. Works very well and is a cheap solution. Photos below. Steve
View attachment 192897 View attachment 192898

What reservoir? Am I missing something?

My oil winds up all over the chip tray.

WJ Birmingham · Mar 6, 2017

Dobermann said:
I'm getting about 4000 miles per quart on my Heavy 10.

But seriously, I find that the amount of oil I need to add to the headstock oil cups varies and I've yet to account for the variation. Sometimes both cups will be empty at the start of the day and sometimes one or the other will still be full in the morning. It's pretty rare that both of them will be full in the morning.

My headstock has the segmented iron bearings and the brass capillary wires in in place. I've been using 0W20 Mobil 1 for the past year but I never found any difference in consumption that I could attribute to the type of oil being used. 99% of the oil I add ends up spread around in the chip pan where it gets soaked up with paper towel from time to time. I'm still on the first quart of Mobil 1 I started with over a year ago so the consumption really isn't very much. In fact, I venture to guess that I've not used much more than a quart of oil in/on that lathe in the 10 years I've owned it and it gets used more than the typical "hobby" lathe.

Besides, the cost of the oil is pretty small compared with the cost of the machine and the tooling so even if it used a gallon of oil in a year, that would still be pretty insignificant. Messy yes, but not significant!

My inquiry was to determine whether this is normal, or if it's something I need to be concerned about. Again, the left cup is always empty by the next day. The right cup barely ever uses anything.

Dobermann · Mar 6, 2017

Not sure there is any way to use the term "normal" when it comes to lubrication of these lathes. So long as no bearing is getting warm and no bearing is loose, I wouldn't worry about it. If you ever figure out the difference between the two bearings be sure to let the rest of us know.

tobnpr · Mar 6, 2017

Use mine nearly every day (gunsmithing barrel work) and oil loss at the headstock is basically nil, each side will take a few drops weekly. I need to top off the backgear grease every few weeks though as backgear is frequently used for threading.I bought and completely disassembled/restored the machine about a year and a half ago.

comstockfriend · Mar 6, 2017

"What reservoir? Am I missing something?"

The reservoir is that big hole the felt wicks sit in. That bore, the passageway to the Gits cup and the Gits cup itself all are part of the 'reservoir'...

gadget73 · Mar 7, 2017

Not much. I check the headstock cups every time I use it (which is not often enough) and its always just above the top of the tube where it screws in. I rarely have to add any. The gearbox dribbles pretty good though. There is always oil under it, and it runs under the rear foot and gets onto the belt. The apron seems to hold oil pretty well too. Mostly I end up lubing the reversing gears, the two upper cups on the apron, the screws and the ways when I use it. Basically the spots that have no reservoir.

Mine is a 1957 10L. I've had it about a year now, and it was completely torn apart for cleaning and new wicks when I got it.

promacjoe · Mar 7, 2017

One note on oil loss on the left side. Any oil that leaks out on the inboard/pulley side of this bearing, may migrate to the thrust bearing. This bearing may also get oil from the pulley. But this is the most neglected bearing on the entire machine. No one oils it very much. You should periodically remove the cover, and squirt some heavy oil into this bearing. If you're using grease on the cone pulley, this grease may get into the bearing. In that case, grease should be used. Don't assume that it is getting properly lubricated. More than likely it is running dry.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.

gadget73 · Mar 7, 2017

Good point. I put a couple drops on both thrust bearings regularly. I have an outboard one in place of the original but badly damaged washer under the take-up nut as well as the original one on the cone pulley side. I've been using the same oil the spindle bearings use even though the cone has grease in it.

WJ Birmingham · Mar 7, 2017

promacjoe said:
One note on oil loss on the left side. Any oil that leaks out on the inboard/pulley side of this bearing, may migrate to the thrust bearing. This bearing may also get oil from the pulley. But this is the most neglected bearing on the entire machine. No one oils it very much. You should periodically remove the cover, and squirt some heavy oil into this bearing. If you're using grease on the cone pulley, this grease may get into the bearing. In that case, grease should be used. Don't assume that it is getting properly lubricated. More than likely it is running dry.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.

Have any photos of what you're describing?

promacjoe · Mar 7, 2017

Yes, Go to,

http://www.wswells.com/data/general/9-inch-QCG-oil-chart.rar

this is the Oil chart I created for the 9N. On the right side you will see a picture of the headstock, without the gear guards. the thrust bearings are on either side of the left side bearing. in many cases, neither the ball thrust bearing more the fiber washer gets any oil at all. I have not seen it mentioned on any lubrication chart. I have always thought that they were counting on the oil leakage from the main bearing journal to lubricate these bearings. But I have never felt that was enough. So I make sure these bearings get lubricated.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.

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How much oil does your lathe use?

WJ Birmingham

Cast Iron

promacjoe

Stainless

SWBrooks

Cast Iron

Dobermann

Hot Rolled

xeddog

Aluminum

WJ Birmingham

Cast Iron

WJ Birmingham

Cast Iron

Dobermann

Hot Rolled

tobnpr

Hot Rolled

comstockfriend

Hot Rolled

gadget73

Hot Rolled

promacjoe

Stainless

gadget73

Hot Rolled

WJ Birmingham

Cast Iron

promacjoe

Stainless

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