Lubrication

DiscoDan

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Jul 16, 2018
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I am working on cleaning up my saddle and apron. Would this lube work on the gears?

Also, I haven't yet been able to find sae 20 ND oil bit I did find sae 30 ND oil. I'm assuming I should hold out for the sae 20, correct?

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Hold out for non-detergent. You don't want tiny bits of stuff floating in your oil, you want it to drop out of suspension. The gear lube should work onthe gears. I use wheel bearing grease myself.
 
Most any grease or oil will work on feed/threading gears. I prefer a very small amount of NLGI 2 grade grease, specifically Lubriplate 630-AA, just enough to wet the teeth of the gears, and no more, likely softer than the Lucas grease in the pics. Apparently Lucas does not belong to NLGI, I don't see specs on the labels. Change gears are not exposed to heavy loads in normal use.
 
In my opinion, using grease on change gears is not such a good idea, especially if they are, in fact, "changed", it makes a god awful mess, combining the grease with dirt, dust, and fine chips that inevitably get entrained in the grease, leading to increased wear on the gear train, plus making a nasty mess to be dealt with when gear changes are made, and the resultant mess is not easy to wash off, as with oil. I think a sticky oil such as way lubricant is a better choice for lubrication of feed gear trains, especially. The same can be said for the gearing in the lathe carriage, which usually attracts much more chips than the feed train.
 
In my opinion, using grease on change gears is not such a good idea, especially if they are, in fact, "changed", it makes a god awful mess, combining the grease with dirt, dust, and fine chips that inevitably get entrained in the grease, leading to increased wear on the gear train, plus making a nasty mess to be dealt with when gear changes are made, and the resultant mess is not easy to wash off, as with oil. I think a sticky oil such as way lubricant is a better choice for lubrication of feed gear trains, especially. The same can be said for the gearing in the lathe carriage, which usually attracts much more chips than the feed train.

Thanks go the advise. I only intend this grease for the apron gears.
 
I like motor cycle chain lube..not thick but very sticky.
 
You may find SAE20 ND oil sold as air compressor oil, and ISO68 hydraulic oil is approximately SAE20. ND but contains anti-wear additives, all to the good. ISO48 is between 15 and 20 SAE equivalent, also.
 
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