What lubricant to use on chuck components?

Domodude17 · Jan 13, 2018

I have a 3 jaw and a 4 jaw that I took apart for general cleaning and derusting. Im wondering what type of oil you should use on the internal components, such as the scroll for the 3 jaw and the jaw screws for the 4 jaw. Would way oil be appropriate? It seems like youd want something a bit heavier.

As an aside, i know youre not supposed to use grease in chucks, but my 3 jaw (an old union manufacturing chuck) had grease in some pockets around the outer edge, not on any of the moving components. It looks like its purpose might have been to collect and hold any stray chips that did make it into the chuck-thoughts on this? It seems like a clever idea, and I cant imagine what else the grease would have been for

cash · Jan 13, 2018

We use Mobil XHP 221 for pretty much everything in our shop including our CNC lathe chucks.

gadget73 · Jan 15, 2018

whatever you use on it, the first time you go to use it set the machine to max speed and put a cardboard box large enough to sit on the ways and go over the chuck before turning it on. The excess oil will sling out into the box rather than all over you.

m-lud · Jan 15, 2018

I have to agree with the Hot Rolled. I guess I over greased the spindle of my drill press. It has been slinging grease at me. Just two more pumps of the grease gun will be better. Ha

iwananew10K · Jan 15, 2018

One of the few places I ever used grease.

I used motor assembly lube...common in little tubes as lubriplate 105

AlexO · Jan 15, 2018

Domodude17 said:
I have a 3 jaw and a 4 jaw that I took apart for general cleaning and derusting. Im wondering what type of oil you should use on the internal components, such as the scroll for the 3 jaw and the jaw screws for the 4 jaw. Would way oil be appropriate? It seems like youd want something a bit heavier.

As an aside, i know youre not supposed to use grease in chucks, but my 3 jaw (an old union manufacturing chuck) had grease in some pockets around the outer edge, not on any of the moving components. It looks like its purpose might have been to collect and hold any stray chips that did make it into the chuck-thoughts on this? It seems like a clever idea, and I cant imagine what else the grease would have been for

A dry assembly paste made by mixing a bit of linseed oil with MOS2 5 micron until it's like a hard(ish) cake. Dissolve in kerosene and apply with brush. Let dry and wipe off but not too energetically. Alternatively Schunk sells what they think it's best.

bryan_machine · Jan 15, 2018

Uh, note that some chucks (notably schunks) explicitly require a grease, and chuck-ease is a grease specifically made for chucks...

gadget73 · Jan 15, 2018

mllud22 said:
I have to agree with the Hot Rolled. I guess I over greased the spindle of my drill press. It has been slinging grease at me. Just two more pumps of the grease gun will be better. Ha

I figured that trick out after putting too much on my 3 jaw. First time I turned the thing on I had a stripe of oil from eyebrows to belly button.

I've used both way oil and NLGI-0 grease. The oil seems to have less problems with chips getting stuck.

m-lud · Jan 16, 2018

I have an old 21 inch Union chuck on my Cincinnati lathe. It has grease fittings on the back of the chuck right behind the clamps that hold the screw in place. I am going to grease that but wipe off Any excess and use a good oil on the screw. That's a tough area to try to brush chips out.

Domodude17 · Jan 16, 2018

On my 3 jaw, the back portion with the gears is sealed so I used grease in there. The front of the scroll and jaws got way oil. The screws on the 4 jaw got way oil as well

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What lubricant to use on chuck components?

Domodude17

Aluminum

cash

Titanium

gadget73

Hot Rolled

m-lud

Stainless

iwananew10K

Diamond

AlexO

Banned

bryan_machine