Another Lubrication Question

[ddickey]

My carriage and cross slide ways are lubed via a hand pump that pulls oil out of the apron. The manual says to use Shell Tellus ISO 68 or similar. Shell Tellus is a hydraulic fluid.
I'm low on Vacra so I'm thinking of buying an ISO 68 hydraulic fluid for the bed ways. Thoughts?
This is the first new lathe I've ever had and it is a beatch to oil the ball oilers for the feed screws and tail stock. This must be normal?

 

[benmychree]

For any lathe apron that feeds the ways, I'd stick with Vactra because of its stickyniess additive the lighter grades of it are considered a combination hydraulic / way oil, I use it in my Micromaster surface grinder and my lathe apron. Ball oilers can be a PITA, the answer is finding a oil can that works with them, and I have seem mention of filing a small vee notch across to end to allow oil to flow past the ball, and the teat on the end should be short enough to allow the taper to seal around the aperature that the ball seats against

 

[ddickey]

When the manual says use Shell Tellus 68 or equivalent, Vactra would be an equivalent?

 

[f350ca]

My Summit lathe lubes the ways and half nuts with an driven pump in the apron. It calls for Tellus hydraulic fluid as well. Hydraulic fluid is a great lubricant but requires more of it as it will flow faster, in my thoughts carrying away any grit with it.

Greg

 

[benmychree]

I think that one of the viscosities of Vactra is ISO 68.

 

[matthewsx]

Comparison chart here.

Shell vs. Mobil Oil Cross Reference Guide

This guide categorizes Shell’s lubricants and matches them to their Mobil equivalents, so you can easily identify what you need. At Keller-Heartt, the quality of our oil is our number-one priority. But quality only matters so long as our customers get the correct products.

www.kellerheartt.com

 

[benmychree]

Just citing the trade name of the various oils does not by any means tell the whole story, a lot depends on the viscosity; for instance, the shop where I apprenticed had a bunch of barrels of oils for machine lubrication, one was Tellus 72, it was a quite heavy bodied machine oil, good for worn out machines, which predominated in the shop.

 

[matthewsx]

I would think a machine way oil should be at least as good as hydraulic fluid, probably better.

 

[benmychree]

Preventing way wear, or at least slowing it down is the primary mission for a oil system that feeds slide ways; its a no brainer!

 

[ddickey]

On a side note there is no way to oil the compound slide. I understand it doesn't get used much but still thought that was odd.