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Real Way lube problems?

Lubrication of ways

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Paul Fallert29/07/2010 21:45:28
89 forum posts
3 photos
From advice of professional turners, I began two years ago to use Vactra #2 which is not a heavy way oil. At the same time replaced the felt way wipers. Previously I used non-detergent #10 weight oil. Periodically i remove the felts and clean and re-oil them.
 
Since I began to use the Vactra #2 I have noticed some fine scratches in the ways.
 
Recently I read somewhere that other lathe owners of various machines were having second thoughts about using "real" way oil. As I understand the argument, the real way oil was developed for machines that have forced lubrication and rubber wipers. The real way oil can trap the fine chips and carry them under the saddles. In another venue, warnings have been issued not to use real way oil on lead screws because the thick oil clings to the chips and carries them into the half-nuts.
 
Background:
My lathe is a 5" center-height (10" diameter) Maximat-Compact, which has flat ways and as I understand from the site titled: lathes.co.uk was intended to clone the popluarity of the MyFord during the late 1950's and early 1960's. The ways on this Maximat lathe are scraped and hardened.
 
Of course, I have more than once thought about the felts. Maybe I used the wrong type of felt or did not prepare them correctly. Oiling? If anything, I am overzealous about oiling the felts, wiping off the ways and I have covers to try to keep the swarf off of the ways.
 
Anyone have any experience to share?
 
Thanks for any help,
Paul
 
 
Bogstandard30/07/2010 08:06:31
263 forum posts
Paul,
 
I think you are looking at it from the wrong perspective.
 
I do hope you are not turning into a machine polisher rather than a user.
 
Lubrication is there to slow down the wear rate, not to alleviate it altogether. If you can come up with a lubricant that gets rid of wear completely, I will definitely buy shares in it.
 
It is like car engines, forty years ago, with the tolerances and lubrication they had in those days, 30K  to 40K miles was about time for a rebore, now with modern lubricants and materials, that has been extended to at least once around the clock, maybe twice.
 
You will not stop wear on your machine, but by using the latest lubrication formulas, designed to reduce friction on bedways etc., you will extend it's useful life.
 
You mention way oil on leadscrews, and the problems caused by it.
If way oil was to be used on leadscrews, it would be called way and leadscrew oil.
 
Leadscrews  require a lighter oil, and I personally use a 32 grade hydraulic oil for general (non way)  lubrication of my machine and for use in my gearboxes. I use a 68 grade way oil on my machine ways.
 
That is what is recommended for my lathe, so I use it. 
 
 
Bogs
KWIL30/07/2010 09:08:54
3681 forum posts
70 photos
Paul, What do you mean by "wiping off the ways"? The surface of the way should be oily at all times. The felt used is a special grade very fine and quite dense, its job is to spread the oil and help prevent chips going under, ie past the felt wipers. Personally I use Rocol Ultraglide X5 but that is my choice amongst many.
Paul Fallert30/07/2010 21:53:29
89 forum posts
3 photos

Thank you both for your response.

By "wiping off the ways" I mean that I use a chip brush to clear away the debris after I remove the part (from the chuck). At the end of a machining session I use an oily rag to better clean up the ways and remove the fine chips that the brush does not remove.

Finally, I put on fresh way oil to preserve the ways from rust, which is an issue here due to high humidity.
GoCreate31/07/2010 04:13:26
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387 forum posts
119 photos
Hi Kwil
You say the felt used is a special grade, I am interested to know what grade felt and where to buy it. Anybody know?
 
Many thanks
Nigel

Edited By tractionengine42 on 31/07/2010 04:13:51

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