Cincinnati dividing head - Factory recommended lubrication?

Technical Ted

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Just picked up this beautiful Cincinnati dividing head. Did someone of favor and got it for a small fraction of its' cost/worth. I've got a BS-0 (too small) and this one is bigger than what I wanted, but I couldn't turn it down. It cleaned up nicely.

I'm hoping that someone has a Cincinnati manual and can tell me the proper lubrication type and amounts for this head. I'm sure I can come up with a lubricant to use, but I try to use the factory's recommendation when available, so I'm hoping someone has this info from Cincinnati. I know you can buy manuals (I've searched and couldn't find anything on-line for free). I don't really need the manual, just the lubrication info. But, if someone knows of a free on-line download site I'd love to hear about it.

It's a 10". One of the pictures has the only numbers/ID that are on it. It's got a 2"-8 spindle with a #4 Morse taper. It's got the double sided index plate. No drive for helix machining (which I couldn't use anyways with my mills).

One thing I know for sure.... this sucker is HEAVY!!! :eek:

I've got a nice 8" 4 jaw chuck that I'm not using I'll most likely mount on it and perhaps, down the line, pick up a smaller 3 jaw as well.

Thanks,
Ted

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My, that is a beautiful dividing head.
You'll find four different books/manuals for Cincinnati dividing heads at the link above.

Thanks, but been there, done that... even the one called "Specifications" doesn't have anything on lubrication. They have very general information and don't even go into the differences between the different models.

Thanks anyways for the effort!
Ted
 
Well, without any real manufacturer guidance I'd say it's a slow-moving part that oil needs to stick to, so conventional wisdom would point to ISO 68. Anything else would end up dribbling onto your mill table over the weekend.
 
I did find, in the Parts List of all places, some basic lube info on a Cincinnati dividing head similar to mine (50 taper, non-threaded nose) that looks like the same era as mine and it was at Vintage Machinery. It states to use "A good quality paraffinic base, rust and oxidation inhibited oil with a viscosity of 200-220 S.U.S. at 100 degrees F". This converts to a ISO 46.

If this is the best info that comes up, I'll use some ISO 46 hydraulic oil I have on hand.

Also, from info I found, it appears that it has a B&S #10 taper not the Morse #4 I thought. So, I'll have to do some measuring and verify since I can't come up with a manual anywhere.

Thanks for the help,
Ted
 
Also, from info I found, it appears that it has a B&S #10 taper not the Morse #4 I thought.
Older dividing heads very commonly have a B&S taper in the spindle. My dividing head, with no identification on it (WWII?) has a B&S 9 taper, 2-5/8"-8 TPI spindle. Good thing it came with the combination of B&S 9 center and driver/center adapters. It also came with a 8x24X1/2" steel mounting adapter plate and tail stock that exactly fit my Millrite table, and 2 full sets of dividing plates. Very nice after some cleanup and making new mounting holes and t-nuts, etc., to mount it to the Millrite table. It works well...
 
Ted,
That is a beautiful find.
One of these days.......
 
Yes, I most likely will be interested. I'll DM you here.

Thanks!
Ted
 
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