Temporary oil conundrum

Evenin' all,

I have a mill arriving tomorrow and completely forgot to get oil for the ways and ballscrews. I have ordered some mobil dte 24 lite and Vactra #2 but it wont be here until wednesday/thursday and I know I wont be able to wait until then to play so out of the following which would you use temporarily for a couple of days if you absolutely had to:

1. engine oil 10w40

2. 3 in one oil

3. chainsaw oil

4. rapeseed oil.... stop laughing

5. olive oil.... please stop laughing

6. white lithium grease

Think that's all i have in the house.

Cheers

Mark

I guess the chainsaw oil would be best, good and sticky, but liberal applications of the 10W40 would also be OK, but a bit more drippy.

Just use the engine oil. You won't wear it out in a day.

I'd go for the chainsaw oil, it seems to say around quite well.

Bill

Engine oil is all I use on my lathe ways and bearings. Going good for 50 years and more now.

Hi Mark,

Use mineral based Chainsaw oil or engine oil for the temporary oiling. The chainsaw oil sticks to the surface so would be Ok for the vertical ways.

I would not recommend that you use 3 in one, rapeseed oil or olive oil.

Thor

Thanks all for the responses, engine/chainsaw oil it is then.

Cheers

Mark

I might expect the same problems with vegetable oils as some experienced with Castrol - R. While Castrol - R was a very good engine lubricant (obviously better than the mineral oils of the time) mixing with mineral oil showed up the incompatibility by causing engine seizures!

I doubt 3 in one oil would be too bad, for a day, but it will leave a residue if left to ‘dry out’.

Edited By not done it yet on 17/12/2019 09:48:54

I assume that chainsaw oil that is mentioned is for the chain and not the engine,I certainly would never use chain oil far too sticky,sometimes it can be so sticky that my small Stihl will not pump it onto the blade, the big Stihl does. I have used good quality branded multi grade and nothing else on my s7 for 50 years with no problems, mono grade motor oil with minimum additives now sold as clasic oil for pre war cars does not mix well with soluble oil ,it certainly made the saddle stiff on my colchester ,I do not have any problems with multi grade though I do not use the cheap rubbish. I think that the reason machine tool makers specify mono oils that are not suitable for auto use is that if motor oil was specified the workers would nick it for their cars and motor bikes.and also machine tool oil and hydraulic oils are cheaper than good motor oil.

3in1 is not the oil it once was.

modern synthetic engine oil is fine and won't clag over time like mineral oil does

Engine oil will be fine, avoid 3 in one. I would have recommended chainsaw oil until the thickness was explained.

I'd wait the couple of days and put the proper stuff you ordered and paid for.

Why contaminate a brand new machine?

Patience is a virtue...

Now get down the pub and wait....

Yeah waiting a couple of days no longer a problem as hit an issue i cant sort. Tried tilting the head by loosening the 4 bolts attaching it to the column but no joy, saw what I thought was a retention pin (pictured) and removed it, the head started tilting.......but then stopped at around 45 degrees and now wont move back to upright or any where more than +/- 5 degrees of its current 45 degree position, anyone have any ideas about this at all? Mill is a Weiss VM32L.

Cheers

Mark

New to the site so not sure how to show photo's, hopefully this works.

Haha! That reminds me of the time I was an apprentice and I discovered the Jig borers at the factory I worked at were using Newton Oil version of 'R' - It just so happened I was riding a BSA Gold Star (DB32 Clubman for those interested) that ran on 'R'. From then on I was taking a bottle a day home! The guys told me it was run on vegetable oil as it was the best oil but it was impossible to run in road vehicles - except mine I explained!

For a few days you could probably use lard. Or be seasonal and upgrade to goose fat.

The 20W40 engine will be fine. An overkill insofar that it contains additives that you do not need for machine ways.

But should cause no problems.

3 IN 1 is far too thin, a NO NO in my book.

Avoid like the plague, anything that is likely to go gooey within the next year!

Howard

Vegetable oils oxidise and go thick.

Neil

Where are you located? Perhaps somebody could help you out with a small amount until yours arrive?

Sheesh guys, it's oil. As long as there is some kind of oil on there, it will be good enough until the magical elixir arrives in the mail. It's not like we are talking about lubricating 10,000 rpm turbo bearings or anything.