VN Finally, The High Speed Sub Head Is Running

Jason,

I have never seen any type of manual for any of the accessories with the exception of the Dividing Heads. Are you sure that the nipple on top of the head is for grease and not a gear type oil?
The gears in my main mill head are lubricated with oil (Heavy-Medium in my case). I can't believe that the engineers at Van Norman designed the high speed head to only lubricate 1/3rd of the bearings.
I don't have a clue, just thinking out-loud.

Mike
Mike,
Daryl posted a nice diagram for the head, among other accessories (see page 3): http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/vn-dividing-head-index-assembly.34075/#post-326242
It doesn't answer the question about the type of lubrication, but does call out the fitting as "grease fitting".

If I were going to put bearings in one of these I would try to find sealed bearings, so you don't have to worry about lubrication for the bearings. Baring that, the best you can do is to carefully pack the bearings when you install them. The grease fitting on the top only allows grease to enter the chamber with the first set of bevel gears. There doesn't seem to be any provision for lubricating the other chamber with the quill and the second set of bevel gears. I think I would pack everything with grease, gears and splines included, and not worry about the grease fitting on the top. By "pack" I don't mean pack it full of grease, bearings should be about 50% full; not sure about the gears, but they don't need to be buried in grease either. Without knowing the "right" answer, I would fill all the teeth of the bevel gears level with grease, assemble the head and just let the excess grease squeeze out. Maybe someone else has definitive knowledge on how much grease should be used to hand-lubricate the gears, splines, etc.?

If this thing were in production use, running 8+ hours a day, periodic lubrication would be a much greater concern. But for occasional use, lubricate it once with a good quality grease and don't worry about it. If you get the urge, tear it down in a few years, clean it and re-grease. I would use Mobilith SHC 100 grease, with is good for high speed application and can take higher temperatures. But, it's a bearing grease and may not stick to the gears the way that some "stringy" greases do. High temperature axle grease might work as well.
 
What would be wrong with adding some lube points? BTW, what is the speed up ratio?
 
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