Boredom is a dangerous thing
- Thread starter Garyt
- Start date
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
@Garyt there are several camps on this. I am in the very light grease camp, and my chucks are as tight as the day they were new.
The type of grease is up to you - I prefer a moly or lithium grease, but both of them need refreshing every 7 years or so. A nice red bearing grease will work well, but it has to be a very thin coat.
It is applied with a brush - an old toothbrush or acid brush - very thinly, as in barely enough grease to coat the surface. The more grease you have, the more chips will stick to your scroll and gears - and thus wear out your scroll.
Some really like to use oil. I'm not a fan. It will spray out of the openings in the chuck for a very long time making a line behind your lathe, on your ceiling and in front as well. That being said, chips usually do not stick to the oil film. If you are willing to live with the mess, oil is arguably a little better.
All the best!
The type of grease is up to you - I prefer a moly or lithium grease, but both of them need refreshing every 7 years or so. A nice red bearing grease will work well, but it has to be a very thin coat.
It is applied with a brush - an old toothbrush or acid brush - very thinly, as in barely enough grease to coat the surface. The more grease you have, the more chips will stick to your scroll and gears - and thus wear out your scroll.
Some really like to use oil. I'm not a fan. It will spray out of the openings in the chuck for a very long time making a line behind your lathe, on your ceiling and in front as well. That being said, chips usually do not stick to the oil film. If you are willing to live with the mess, oil is arguably a little better.
All the best!
140mower
Don
I am probably going to get beat up for this, but, I lube mine with the same Sthil light bar oil that I use on my ways..... Mine have little ball Oilers on the front face, just don't stand in front of the chuck when you first start it up. (not a good practice anyway, I like to be off to the side while things come up to speed, especially grinders)
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
You are willing to live with the consequence, then your way is a little better. I use another way, which is a little less effective, and the chuck needs to be disassembled about every 5-7 years when the grease dries out completely.
I like @140mower ‘s suggestion (chainsaw bar oil). It has rust inhibitors plus it has both good adhesion and cohesion from the added tackifiers. It therefore tends to stick better and not fly off at higher rpm.
IMO a good choice would be premium motorcycle chain oil when wanting a sticky oil (with tackifiers). Premium (and expensive) dirt bike chain oil also is designed to repel dust, dirt and mud.
(again IOM): Another option is pneumatic tool oil which is similar to chainsaw oil with a generous amount of tackifiers. (both pneumatic tool oil and chainsaw oil are readily available and relatively inexpensive).
IMO a good choice would be premium motorcycle chain oil when wanting a sticky oil (with tackifiers). Premium (and expensive) dirt bike chain oil also is designed to repel dust, dirt and mud.
(again IOM): Another option is pneumatic tool oil which is similar to chainsaw oil with a generous amount of tackifiers. (both pneumatic tool oil and chainsaw oil are readily available and relatively inexpensive).