I've read a lot of old threads from years past so I'm wondering what everyone is using these days for their lathe's open gears' lubrication? I've tried Super Lube, CRC Tac2 which I like but always on the lookout for anything possibly better. So whatcha' using?
I'm still using onroad motorcycle chain lube. Sprays on wet, dries to a tacky wax like substance. Works really well for me, doesn't fling all over & quiets my spur gears. Needs solvent to wash off when needed but it's not very often that I need to.
My answer is 'it depends'. For example, my change gear cluster is similar to this PM1340 manual excerpt which is similar to many offshore lathes. You lubricate the gears & driveline by squirting some oil into a hole that feeds this chamber. Oil saturates a foam pad & then migrates into the array of holes under gravity. Some alley's connect through the casting to downstairs shaft journals & bleeder pipes, some are positioned over the gears themselves intending to just slow drip. So in this situation, I think its important to select the recommended viscosity over & above sling properties. Too thick & it wont flow through the ports properly & starve lubrication. Too thin & it will just drip through, make a puddle & parts wont stay lubed very long. I'v ebeen watching some YouTube videos on old lathe rebuilds & I think they had it figured out 50 years ago with a mini plunger pump that gave a shot to generally inaccessible critical parts via tube ducting.
Another good point was made to me about grease. In this particular (change gear) area I wont use it for one reason. Its common to find the odd chip or swarf come up in there. Grease is sticky & will do a great job of hanging onto bits like this & that may well be enough to break teeth. Not saying oiled gears are 100% bulletproof either or it cant happen, but just a consideration. My apron gears are greased & they move very nicely. But I found some metal flecks up in there tahtworked there way into the power feed meshing gears. Now I am going to seal off the bottom or go to an oil bath one day if ambitious,
I've used both the Mobil ISO 220 oil and the blue HP grease (SHC, maybe). The grease is a lot less trouble. There's a stop on the wall of my garage where the Atlas was from the gear oil.
I use some of the molycote open gear grease mentioned above. It seems to work ok but it slings a little upon first application and that moly is tough to clean up.
Pierre, the Mobil product sounds interesting based upon review of the spec sheet you attached. What supplier do you purchase it from?
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