Need Advice on Oil/Grease Gun for Millrite

[Tom W.]

I'm a new owner to a Millrite vertical mill (MVN). All the lube points have grease fittings on them. However, the manual calls out waylube for the ways and grease for the leadscrew bushings. To inject the waylube the manaual says, "...grease gun filled with Sohio waylube or equivalent..." Not surprisingly the previous owner had greased everything.

It seems like if you put waylube in a regular grease gun it'd just leak and make a big mess. I posted this question at the Yahoo Burke group and the only suggestion was to use an Alemite oil gun. This model 4035 oil gun sells for ~$130 at MSC and McMaster-Carr.

Do other machines use grease fittings on the ways? What do you guys do? Anything I can modify and use here? Or should I stop complaining and buy that "Alemite Model 4035 Lever Operated Oil Gun?" Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

[ChrisAttebery]

Hey Tom,

There's an article on metalworking.com on how to convert a grease gun into an oil gun.

Haven't done it myself, but I'd like to.



Chris

[Doug_C]

Hi Tom,

For $130 ?

I think I would look around for a used Bijur oiler and fittings to plumb it in permanent like it should have been done to start with. Even putting on an old grease zirk hose to the pump would work. It does take some high pressure to push thick oil through those lines.

The biggest issue with the Bijur systems as a permanent add on is, the metering blocks at various places in the lines that control how much oil is distributed to each point. At the very least something with a check valve action that keeps oil in the lines and prevent siphoning to lines below the reservoir too.

Another idea on the cheap is an old used hydraulic pump for portapower units.

DC

[Tom W.]

Hi Chris:
I'm not familiar with Metalworking.com and could not find this conversion you talked about. Any chance of getting a link?

Thanks,
Tom

[evines]

Tom,
Here is a link for what you need. I built one of these and it works great.
Ed
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/oilgu ... nvert.html

[Tom W.]

Thanks for the link. That looks like a winner. I didn't think about using teflon tape to seal the threads of the grease gun.

Tom

[ChrisAttebery]

Hey evines,

There's another Gilroyite on the board!

Looking for another home shopper? Send me an email, chris.attebery@verizon.net

Thanks,



Chris