Confused abut the oil?

HI All,

I am sorry to ask such a basic question but I have finally taken delivery of my first Lathe, A colchester Student 2500 Year 2007.

Unfortunately, I cant seem to get my head around the correct oil to use. The user manual suggests DTE Extra Heavy amongst others but the lubrication diagram points towards the headstock, but it is unclear, as the diagram also seems to indicate A Energy HLP 37 toward the same place, which I assume is the two oil filler spouts when the headstock cover is removed.

Is there anyone who might be able to point me in the correct direction please?

Kindest regards

Gary

I ran a Colchester Triumph 2000 when at work, same sort of lathe just a bit bigger. It was happy with ISO 32 in the headstock and ISO 68 for slideways. Leaked like buggery so always had fresh oil.

Agree with Chris on all counts, including the incontinence..........Student 1800

Hi Gary,

No experience with a Colchester as new as yours, but on an old one from the nineteen seventies we used ISO 32 hydraulic oil (Shell Tellus) for the headstock and ISO 68 way oil (Shell Tonna) for the rest, same as Chris used.

Thor

Theres various grades of Shell Tellus, like Harrison same group similar spec for head stock relates to Hydraulic 68.

Slides you can feel the drag using 68, i use 32 for that.

I'll complete the permutations. On my Bantam I use ISO32 for both the gearboxes and the slideways, as recommended in the manual.

Murray

I have to agree Murray. I had a 1965 vintage Bantam "Eagle" for over 20 years. A sad day when I sold it. However the specified oil of Shell Tellus 27 no longer existed and I used a standard ISO 32 hydraulic oil in the headstock and also for lubrication around the remainder of the machine without any problems.

Much newer lathe the Student 2500 which shares some parts as Harrisons as the 600 Group since at least 1970.

Mine specifies Shellus 33 on the flip down cabinet which translates to hydraulic 68 as above.
https://petroleumservicecompany.com/shell-tellus-33-cross-reference/

Along the same line it lists other oils namely Castrol AWS 68 which is hydraulic 68 with anti wear properties.

Older Harrisons it translated to ATF fluid (red) which is still a form of hydraulic oil with additives.

Gary

Why not just go to the horse's mouth, and ask the manufacturer?

**LINK**

Unfortunately David, it depends on just how old the machine actually is. Colchester them selves these days are not the most helpful of companies. Their records of older machines prior to the machinations of a number of takeovers are sparse or non existent. On older Colchester machines the serial number can be found in a number of the major castings of the machine like bed, headsock, apron etc as a small round insert, mine was blue in colour "AAxx". A colleague of my wife at the time around 1998 put us in touch with a man named Derek Robinson in Leicestershire who found us a copy manual, identified exactly the machine and its date of build and its specification plus he held some spares. Shell themselves give the comparison charts but that early Tellus oil is no longer belnded so an alternative had to be found anyway.

regards

Ian.

I have no idea whether this operation still exists but it might be worth a try