Gear lube?

[moonlight machine]

What is being used to lube the gears on a south bend? I had a spray can of "open gear lube" that I used for years. It would spray out thin and turn into a thick grease that took forever to fly off. When the can finally was empty my helper threw it away so I don't know what the brand name was.

 

[Finegrain]

I use LPS "Red-n-Redi" which behaves a lot like you describe.

FG

 

[D E Major]

I have been using WURTH saBesto HHS2000, it works like you discribed, I got mine from a supplier that supplies auto service dealers.
D E Major

 

[Grey Rider]

This may be horribly wrong, but I'm using way lube on the open gears (not the gearbox). I oil them before each use. They're soaked.

Ryan

 

[moonlight machine]

Oil is probably OK, but all that oil on the floor isn't doing any good.

 

[airbrush]

I believe that the main thing to be concerned with is that you do not want a heavy sticky grease type coating because of chips and swarf sticking to it.

AL

 

[moonlight machine]

I never noticed any problem with swarf when I was using the open gear lube.

 

[Darin T.]

Were you using "lithium spray grease"? Ag supply stores, (Tractor Supply) carry all kinds of open gear lubricants in spray or jugs.

 

[SmithSolar]

On my gears I use way oil #4
It hold on the gears for hours and not sticky like open gear lube and is clearer
The only place I have used open gear lube was press brakes

 

[peterson]

Is there anything wrong with 90 weight gear oil?

-tom

 

[flathead4]

I use way oil. I have a change gear machine and I'd rather wipe a little oil off the bench than clean grease off of me.

Tom

 

[gtermini]

I'm running 140w gear oil on mine, about like molasses. It stays on the gears well when I'm running, then seems to drip off and carry all the crap with it. I just have a thin pan under the gear train, which keeps the mess down. I just drip some on before I use the lathe, along with oiling the rest of the thing. It's not a bad habit to grow either. Greyson

 

[bigearl67]

I have been using this stuff for about seven years now, it's made for open gears and works just fine and should last the average lathe owner close to a lifetime per can.

 

[Don_Hartman]

This may be horribly wrong, but I'm using way lube on the open gears (not the gearbox). I oil them before each use. They're soaked.

Ryan

That is exaclly what I do. I just make sure a I have a rag on the tray beneath the gears to collect the drips from the gaurd.

Bigearl67 you might want to get some a felt wipers on that lathe. Not only do they keep a little oil on the ways they also act as a seal keeping junk out from under your carrage.


Don

 

[bigearl67]

Bigearl67 you might want to get some a felt wipers on that lathe

Good eye Don, I have new ones cut and ready to install (notice the new screw?), just had to get this single job done first.