torinwalker
Aluminum
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2010
- Location
- Oakville, Ontario
Brown and Sharpe Taper Holding Attachment: Oil and Seals, or Grease?
I have a "Taper Holding Attachment" (see image below) for the Brown and Sharpe #13 Universal and Tool Grinder that was locked up from sitting over years, probably decades. I need some help identifying the sealing and/or lubrication mechanism.
The lubricant, whether oil or grease, had thickened to the color and consistency of molasses, with the rest of the casting and bearings coasted in a shellac that prevented the bearings from rotating. All of this was easily removed with gasoline and a toothbrush. Now the bearings rotate smoothly. But what type of lubricant should I use? Oil seeps out, and these are not sealed bearings, so is grease sufficient?
Given that this is for sharpening end mills and should rotate smoothly, I would expect oil, not grease, but there are no obvious oil ports, and no obvious sealing mechanism. There was a thick, waxy substance ... almost intentionally ring-shaped in the groove shown below, but I can't see how it would seal except at its face against the bearing outer race washer, not at the inside perimiter of the casting or at the shaft where seals ought to be. So this could just be sedimentary grease that hardened in the face groove and the face groove is what coincidentally imparted a seal-like shape.
[Picture of ring with groove containing either a wax seal, or simply sediment from hardened lubricant - not sure.]
I am posting to the group to see if anyone has direct knowledge of the sealing/lubrication mechanism of this attachment - was the unit filled with an oil and sealed with some sort of wax seal? Or was it more likely lubricated with grease? Will angular ball bearings retain grease without being enclosed?
Hopefully someone here has taken theirs apart and has a better idea of the lubrication / sealing mechanism (if a seal exists.)
For now, I'm going to disassemble and pack each bearing 1/4 full with grease until I receive better advise.
Update: I took apart the end-mill sharpening attachment and this one has a thin paper gasket (if you can even call it that... it might just be shellac) but no seals around the shaft - a cap is engraved "Oil Weekly", and sure enough, oil just leaks out when it's in any position other than horizontal. The 1940's must have been a very oily, greasy time. So... more or less the same problem.
Torin...
I have a "Taper Holding Attachment" (see image below) for the Brown and Sharpe #13 Universal and Tool Grinder that was locked up from sitting over years, probably decades. I need some help identifying the sealing and/or lubrication mechanism.
The lubricant, whether oil or grease, had thickened to the color and consistency of molasses, with the rest of the casting and bearings coasted in a shellac that prevented the bearings from rotating. All of this was easily removed with gasoline and a toothbrush. Now the bearings rotate smoothly. But what type of lubricant should I use? Oil seeps out, and these are not sealed bearings, so is grease sufficient?
Given that this is for sharpening end mills and should rotate smoothly, I would expect oil, not grease, but there are no obvious oil ports, and no obvious sealing mechanism. There was a thick, waxy substance ... almost intentionally ring-shaped in the groove shown below, but I can't see how it would seal except at its face against the bearing outer race washer, not at the inside perimiter of the casting or at the shaft where seals ought to be. So this could just be sedimentary grease that hardened in the face groove and the face groove is what coincidentally imparted a seal-like shape.
[Picture of ring with groove containing either a wax seal, or simply sediment from hardened lubricant - not sure.]
I am posting to the group to see if anyone has direct knowledge of the sealing/lubrication mechanism of this attachment - was the unit filled with an oil and sealed with some sort of wax seal? Or was it more likely lubricated with grease? Will angular ball bearings retain grease without being enclosed?
Hopefully someone here has taken theirs apart and has a better idea of the lubrication / sealing mechanism (if a seal exists.)
For now, I'm going to disassemble and pack each bearing 1/4 full with grease until I receive better advise.
Update: I took apart the end-mill sharpening attachment and this one has a thin paper gasket (if you can even call it that... it might just be shellac) but no seals around the shaft - a cap is engraved "Oil Weekly", and sure enough, oil just leaks out when it's in any position other than horizontal. The 1940's must have been a very oily, greasy time. So... more or less the same problem.
Torin...
Attachments
Last edited: