Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

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kpk
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:55 am

Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by kpk »

Hi,
I have a MSC Bridgeport knockoff milling machine and it has a strange zerk fitting on the left side of the head in the rear. It's below the motor and appears to be located in the housing where the lower motor bearing or shaft might reside. I've read countless things about NOT using grease on zerk fittings on milling machines, and I have a handle on all of them except this one. Every so often a machine DOES call for grease at a particular location according to the manuals some users state.

Any idea about my particular fitting? Grease or oil? I'm attaching a picture for reference.

Thanks.
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NP317
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by NP317 »

What does the Manual for your machine state about that Zerk fitting?
I always defer to the Manufacturer's recommendations.
(I used to write operating and service manuals for medical devices...)
RussN
earlgo
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by earlgo »

I can't see your fitting but if it is like this one then it was intended for a special lube gun for way oil so one couldn't use a standard grease gun. This is on a Producto-Matic small horizontal mill that I have been told was typically used for typewriter parts.
Mill table Zerk
Mill table Zerk
I replaced it with a normal Zerk but wrote a note on the machine to only use way oil in the table Zerks.
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
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BadDog
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by BadDog »

Looking at the pdf, it appears to go into the back gear housing, and my assumption is that it allows greasing the same. My Bridgeport 2Js don't look quite like that, and don't have the fitting, so you are expected to pack the housing before assembly.

For future reference, you can attach image files of higher resolution that may aid in providing help. Inline images are limited to (IIRC) 800x600. PDF of low res images is much less than ideal.
Russ
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SteveM
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by SteveM »

Here's the fitting:
MSC_Zerk.png
Steve
jcbrock
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by jcbrock »

My Taiwanese EISEN has two zerks and two oil cups on the variable speed head housing. The manual definitely specifies grease for the zerks. My old Burke Millrite had zerks on the table which were clearly feeding the ways, and that type of thing is where it wants way lube but gets accidentally greased. You should be able to call MSC with the model number and get an answer.
John Brock
SteveM
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by SteveM »

There are zerk-type fittings on the steering box on a Ford Model A, but it is supposed to be filled with oil, not grease.

Many owners have filled it with grease because the universe we live in is "zerk=grease".

My guess is that on a modern piece of equipment, the equation "zerk=grease" holds.

John's milling machine has zerks and oil cups coexisting, which definitively points to oil in one and grease in the other.

Earlgo's mill had a specific fitting to discourage the use of a grease gun because oil was to be used.

Is there any way to open it up and see what is inside? That's not a 100% guarantee that's the correct lubricant, but it does give some weight to the argument one way or the other.

Steve
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NP317
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by NP317 »

Unscrew the Zerk fitting and stick in a wire or wooden Q-Tip end to see what comes out upon removal.
RussN
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rudd
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Re: Strange zerk fitting on MSC milling machine

Post by rudd »

NP317 wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 10:12 am Unscrew the Zerk fitting and stick in a wire or wooden Q-Tip end to see what comes out upon removal.
RussN
I've done a bit of that getting grease out of oil passages... just sayin.
Tiny little drilled holes in a casting. They had to open it to pack it with grease.
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