Anyone ever use the round glass/brass oilers

[Bob Korves]

There are also constant level oilers available:
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/821/constant-level-oilers
http://www.gitsmfg.com/constant-level-oiler-base-entry/
I have one on the plain bearing spindle of my B & S 2L surface grinder. Keep some oil visible in the reservoir and it takes care of keeping the correct oil level in the spindle.

 

[Silverbullet]

I just love looking at our companies , most read MADE IN CHINA.

 

[Manderioli]

I swapped out several small drip oilers on the no10 for the glass versions. This allowed me to control the amount of oil per bearing and see how much oil is in the reservoir. I have the drip setting quite low to ensure enough lubrication but not enough to fling everywhere. At the end of a machining job, I will typically have a streak of oil from the bearing location that I will clean up.

I have thought about doing this on my countershaft for the South Bend Lathe but think they are too large for the confined area.

 

[Michaelp631]

I swapped out several small drip oilers on the no10 for the glass versions. This allowed me to control the amount of oil per bearing and see how much oil is in the reservoir. I have the drip setting quite low to ensure enough lubrication but not enough to fling everywhere. At the end of a machining job, I will typically have a streak of oil from the bearing location that I will clean up.

I have thought about doing this on my countershaft for the South Bend Lathe but think they are too large for the confined area.

I now understand that the oilers are for a constant feed of oil rather than monitoring the constant level.

Manderioli> Any pics of the oiler on your #10?

 

[Manderioli]

In all these photos, I have seem to not capture the oilers.

They are installed on the drive pulleys (3 of them) near the gear box. I have not decided to install them right next to the gear box or near the horizontal arbor due to a custom setup needed to locate them higher and out of the way.

DRO setup
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/modern-vn-no-10.65386/

Restoration
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/vn-no-10-mill-on-ebay.42316/
-you can see the area I am talking about near the 20 sec mark in the video. In the video you'll see the grit style oilers which were replaced. I'll try taking a photo this weekend for you.

 

[Michaelp631]

Damn! That came out nice!!

 

[Aaron_W]

You might be able to use a sight tube, that would be easier to read and would have a similar look to those drip oilers. Sight tubes have been used as tank gauges on fire engines for a long time, many still use them as they tend to be more accurate and reliable than electronic gauges.

They are quite simple, really just a continuous tube open top and bottom to the fluid "tank". The fluid levels inside of the sight glass showing what the fluid level is inside the tank. It is simple enough that even I could probably make one.