What Oil For Enco 12x36

That is what the manual for my 12x36 Harbor Freight says to use. Manuals for the 2 lathes seem to be almost interchangeable.

I have since changed out the oil again and put ISO 68 in everything. The only real reason for doing so was what Matt from PM had in his manual for the PM 12x36 (same basic machine I think)--uses ISO 68 thru out and ISO 68 is a lot easier to find (for Me) TSC carries it.
 
My Kent USA 13x40 (Chinese) lathe was filled with the original and essentially unused factory oil when I got it. It looked like molasses in there. Nasty stuff. I changed the oil with ISO 32 per the manufacturer's manual, which was much thinner than what was in the lathe. The lathe seems noisier with the ISO 32 oil in it compared to the factory oil. Living in a mild climate, I will put in ISO 68 next time and see how it works for me. Climate in the shop makes a difference on what viscosity oil might work best, IMHO. ISO 46 is also available, if we want to split the difference.
 
. . . I changed the oil with ISO 32 per the manufacturer's manual, which was much thinner than what was in the lathe. The lathe seems noisier with the ISO 32 oil in it compared to the factory oil. Living in a mild climate, I will put in ISO 68 next time and see how it works for me. . .

I bought my 12x35 Chinese lathe used and changed the (clean looking) oil before I ran it - it had been sitting for a long while. Like Bob I put ISO 32 in it and too it is noisy. And, like Bob, some day I'll try a heavier oil just to quiet it down.
Although, I remember that my Dad (a life long car dealer) telling me of a trick to quiet down noisy differentials - stuff banana peels into it! Maybe I'll try that?
 
Although, I remember that my Dad (a life long car dealer) telling me of a trick to quiet down noisy differentials - stuff banana peels into it! Maybe I'll try that?
I have heard of sawdust used in gearboxes to quiet them for sale and maybe for the entire ride home. After that, you are the test pilot!
 
I have heard of sawdust used in gearboxes to quiet them for sale and maybe for the entire ride home. After that, you are the test pilot!
Yeah, my Dad knew of quite a few "sales" tricks (he had repeate customers so I don't think he actually used them - except maybe on his good friends). Pepper in a leaky radiator, canned milk in tires with slow leaks (I used that in my bicycle tires for sticker leaks), leather belt pieces in lieu of bearings to quiet knocking rods and magnets on the oil pan to lessen metalic particles in the oil are a few that come to mind.
 
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