Atlas craftsman lathe Apton gear box lube

[Drebs]

Hey guys, been reading trying to figure out the answer without posting however, I’m having a hard time figuring out something.

My machine was old and West Texas covered in dirt and Grease. disassembling the whole machine and cleaning it and putting it back together. I took the apron off the gears on the backside of the apron. Everyone keeps saying that they need 20 weight oil. However, every video I’m seeing shows Grease on these gears , I know there are oil ports on top for 20 weight none- detergent oil which I found also it seems non-detergent compressor oil is the same ,but when I looked up the original craftsman photo, it says to use 10 weight.

So do I put a light coat of grease on these gears on the backside of the apron as well as oil them overtime through the ports? If so, what kind of grease? And would I use the same grease on the gearbox and all the drives?

In the photo on 13 and 14, it says to use 10 weight everything else and everyone else I’ve seen I’ve said to use 20 weight.

 

[Jake M]

In a home shop environment, with the low usage, there are a LOT of things that will "work just fine". And you will ALWAYS find a lot of disagreement. Most don't care for grease on machine tools just due to the working environment, although there are some places on some machines that are designed for it. Some oil is better than no oil, and if the machine in question is used on a limited basis, the wrongest, most poorly selected lubricant possible might be "OK enough"...

I wouldn't use grease, unless it was specifically called out, AND if it couldn't be suitably replaced with more modern oils. I wouldn't use engine oil at all. Engine oil today is not even close to what it was when the manuals were written for a lathe that old. Modern engine oil (Even straight weight, even "non detergent"....) If it doesn't heat up, (internal combustion engine temperatures) and hold there periodically, it doesn't work. I mean it does... In a better than nothing sort of way. It could outlast you... Or compressor oil. While there is "good" compressor oil, in general, it's crap for anything but a compressor. And even at that, most "good" compressors recommend either their own spec "compressor oil" or another fluid that doesn't say compressor on it.

If you want more like they called out back then, an ISO circulating oil would work very well for you. (ISO32 for SAE 10 or ISO46 for SAE20). Or hydraulic oil, R&O or AW, which will also come rated on the ISO chart instead of SAE. For any property of the oil that you're actually going to use, these will be far closer to what the manufacturer recommended.

Which would I use? Modern oil is a whole different animal than what oil used to be. I'd probably micromanage and have three different oil cans..... But if you were gonna go with just one... I'd probably go with an ISO 32. Probably have to squirt it on the ways a bit more often than 46 (but not much), but as long as you keep it on the ways, it'll do the job without question. But it'll serve you better in the spindle, jackshaft, motor area.

 

[wa5cab]

Sometime in the early 1950's, Atlas changed the recommended oil viscosity from SAE 10 to SAE 20, retroactive. So if you are reading from an older instruction book, if it says SAE 10 use SAE 20.ND.

 

[Drebs]

Sometime in the early 1950's, Atlas changed the recommended oil viscosity from SAE 10 to SAE 20, retroactive. So if you are reading from an older instruction book, if it say SAE 10 use SAE 20.ND.

Ok what about here ..
every video I’ve ever seen, puts grease on these , because you only use them as a hand crank and when the thread cutter is engaged , and they tighten against the back of the apron. Why would you not put a small layer of grease between the back of the gear and where it tightens to the apron? Happy not to just trying to understand

 

[wa5cab]

Whatever the MOLO says except if it is old enough to give SAE 10 use SAE 20 instead. On the gear to Apron question, if the instructions don't say or imply, I think that I would use grease.

 

[markba633csi]

For something like that I might use chainsaw bar oil; it's sticky and stays where you put it (more or less)

 

[wa5cab]

That sounds like a good suggestion in most cases. I had forgotten about that type of oil.

 

[OCJohn]

Ok what about here ..

Forgive me if this seems obvious, but your apron (as shown) is missing the pipe cleaner/oil wicks which carry oil from the oil port to the gears. (Photos below from here.) Seems to me those wicks are mandatory if the lathe is to be lubed with oil as designed.

I'd bet many owners have unknowingly thrown theirs away. As dirty and caked with crud as mine were, they looked more like an amateur kludge than something Atlas did at the factory. Assuming more people have grease in their shop than pipe cleaners, it's popularity on YouTube could be more aboiut convenience than advantage. Just guessing, though.

I'm only few steps behind you in the cleaning/rebuilding process with my Craftsman 12". Best of luck. Hope you'll post photos of your success.