The Home Machinist!

Hey Friends,
Your guidance has brought me further than I could I ever have imagined. My repair work on realigning the the step cones and rewiring the motor I believe is complete and tested.
Now that you’ve helped understand what turns her on, I’m ready to learn how she likes to be touched. I always try to remember how easily she could hurt if not kill me if I’m not conscious of her demands of safety.
LOL, I could certainly keep the innuendos going seeing what my subject is about but let’s cut to the chase. I’m seeing I need three different lubricants before starting this machine up for the first time. My question to you is, can I just find out what the oil viscosity levels are of these oils and go to my local auto supply store, or is it a requirement that I purchase the three oils off of the internet? And is so, do you know what those vescosity levels are?
Thanks Friends, Doug.

The amount of those oils you will use is so small, that taking a chance on buying the wrong thing isn't worth it.

They sell the stuff on ebay, and the advantage there is that you don't need to buy a gallon of way oil when a pint will last you for years. I have a gallon of way oil and I opened it to fill my oil can and haven't had to open it a second time.

Way oil is something you aren't going to find at the auto parts store. The closest thing is probably chain saw bar oil.

The spindle oil may be lighter than what's at the auto parts store, and in some cases, motor oil with detergent is actually BAD for your machine.

Steve

Done deal,Steve. Thanks again, I’m on it.

Hi There,

The SBL lubrication charts call out oils using the old saybolt viscosity
system (SUS @100°F) and the more modern system uses the ISO system.
The ISO system is basically the centistoke system (cSt @40°C).

Automotive lubricants are generally frowned upon for machinery
lubrication. Motor oils generally have detergents in them and
are designed to keep particles in suspension so the oil filter can
trap them.

SBL had 3 oils (or four depending on which lubrication chart you consult)
that they call out.

For the spindle, they called out Type "A" which has a SUS of 100.
The closest equivalent is an ISO 22. I use Mobil Velocite 10.

For the lathe bed ways, SBL specified Type "C" which has a SUS
of of 250 to 500. The closest ISO is 68. I use Mobil Vactra #2.

The other points on the lathe generally use Type "B" which has
a SUS of 150 to 240. The closest ISO is 32. There are several
choices in this area. I use Mobil DTE 24 (my Clausing lathe uses
this oil) but Vactra #1 is in the correct range too.

Depending on the vintage of your lubrication chart one uses, the
back gear and stepped cone pulley originally used oil but later on,
SBL changed this to a Teflon® impregnated grease.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

Thanks, Blue.
You have a wealth of knowledge and a generous man. Thanks for watching out for me.

You can buy the teflon impregnated grease at the auto parts store - it's sold under the name "super lube".

Someone on ebay (think it's the guy that sells the books) sells what he says is the original formula, but in his book he recommends super lube.

Steve