HobbyMaker
Plastic
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2021
Backgroud
I have been working through a quick restoration of a Nuttall Lathe for personal use, and come to the stage of reassembling various components and I am keen to make sure they are lubricated correctly as they are reassembled.
A number of the components have zerk nipples for lubrication and over the life of the machine someone has greased each and everyone of these, including the ways(?). This intrigued me for two reasons: first my experience was using oil not grease on lathes (mostly to avoid swarf sticking to the grease), and secondly was the fact it was using zerk nipples.
As such I have done some googling and seems there is some debate but mostly people are recommending oiling via the zerk fittings.
Questions
Any thoughts, Ideas, Links, wisdom would be appreciated
I have been working through a quick restoration of a Nuttall Lathe for personal use, and come to the stage of reassembling various components and I am keen to make sure they are lubricated correctly as they are reassembled.
A number of the components have zerk nipples for lubrication and over the life of the machine someone has greased each and everyone of these, including the ways(?). This intrigued me for two reasons: first my experience was using oil not grease on lathes (mostly to avoid swarf sticking to the grease), and secondly was the fact it was using zerk nipples.
As such I have done some googling and seems there is some debate but mostly people are recommending oiling via the zerk fittings.
Questions
- Is Oil not Grease the correct lubricant?
- If so should any components be greased or every fitting oiled or a mix of both? Should thread cutting gears be greased or the main bearing etc?
- I'm reassembling the saddle (see pictured) with the gear trains for the cross feed, thread cutting and autofeed. These all go through metal to metal bushings in the housing and there are galleries through the shafts (see pictured) presumably (?) for oil not grease. Whilst it is not very big RPM do the gear teeth need lubrication? if so what type?
- There is a main bearing in the clutch assembly (pictured) that looks to have been greased and I haven't pulled this apart yet but should this be greased or oiled also?
Any thoughts, Ideas, Links, wisdom would be appreciated