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Oil can for use with ball oilers

cuslog

cuslog

Super User
Premium Member
I have a "trigger squeeze" oil can that is kind of a leaking, drooling mess and it just gets worse when I try to force oil into ball oilers on my lathe and I end up with more oil on me and the floor than I do in any ball oiler.
Any one got one they like for this job ?
TIA
 
kevin.decelles

kevin.decelles

Jack of all trades -- Master of none
Premium Member
Been using some of these from princess auto , but I have to look closely as the heads as some are bigger than others

fa27fe0a80373c9f9dd3516414de0999.jpg


And this from auto value

855f0008da649c7418d0c7f94fd543f5.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
YYCHM

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
+1 for the PA oiler, that's all I use. Just don't get trigger happy with it.
 
P

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
I have the smaller goldenrod with flexy hose. KBC sells as below, but probably available elsewhere

1613107400117.png
 
R

Rotaxxx

Member
Funny you should mention this, I had problems oiling my ball oilers on my lathe. I think I got more oil on the outside then went inside, so I converted one of those small grease guns that take the small tubes of grease and converted it over to a oil gun. Now it has tons of pressure to force the oil into the ball oilers and none leak out. If you do a quick google search you will find instructions on how to convert one over. It works extremely well.
 
cuslog

cuslog

Super User
Premium Member
Rotaxxx said:
Funny you should mention this, I had problems oiling my ball oilers on my lathe. I think I got more oil on the outside then went inside, so I converted one of those small grease guns that take the small tubes of grease and converted it over to a oil gun. Now it has tons of pressure to force the oil into the ball oilers and none leak out. If you do a quick google search you will find instructions on how to convert one over. It works extremely well.
Click to expand...

Actually, I had something like this in mind. The ball oilers on my lathe seem to have a stiffer spring than most others I've seen.
I do have one of the "needle" tips for my grease gun and it will force grease into them but I just don't think grease is the proper lube. I was sure oil guns like this existed, just didn't know where to look.
Thanks for the "hint".
 
ShawnR

ShawnR

Ultra Member
Premium Member
There was an article in Home Shop Machinist several years ago. I have it but not sure it is legal to take a photo of it and post it. But I can tell you about it. The author milled some custom brass ends for the cans mentioned above but he then cut a groove in them (using an exacto knife) to allow the oil to get by the ball. The ball tends to seal the end of the oil spout and the easiest path is onto the machine instead of into the fitting, I think. A google search showed this article. Combine the o-ring model below with a custom tip and I am sure you will be happy (happier) with what you get.

http://www.machinistsworkshop.net/a-fix-for-pesky-ball-oilers/
or http://www.machinistsworkshop.net/cup-oilers/
or this excerpt from another forum which is similar to the article I referred to....

"Find a pump oiler which has a tapered tip. File or grind the length of the tip such that when you depress the spring loaded ball, the tapered sides of the tip seat against the sides of the hole without bottoming out the ball. Next grind a slot across end of the tip, using a thin file or cutoff wheel with your Dremel tool. Now, when you depress the tip into the oiler, the slot gives a place for the oil to flow around the ball, and the taper seals it, resulting in no mess! "

Cheers,
 
C

Chipper5783

Well-Known Member
This is a very common thread. I'm sure I have written into it on both HM and PM. The pump oilers are fine most of the time, but I have a few fittings that actually need a bit of pressure to force the oil in. I always made a mess and was never satisfied that I was doing a good job on the oiling. I converted the tip on one oil can to get a good seal, but I couldn't solve the pressure problem.

I finally broke down and got a Reilang oil gun - fantastic, no leaks, works on both the nipple style and cup style (two end tips are provided). Expensive, but then a tool that works is a good deal (regardless of the cash involved). It works like the push style grease gun (ie. for the roller nose type chainsaw bar) - one could convert a push grease gun. The Reilang is fantastic, one machinist buddy has me bring it over and lube one of his old machines because it clearly delivers the oil, is very quick and not as messy. I got mine from Jens Putzier (ebay).
 
P

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
The springs in my oilers like the Asian brass ones shown are really short, thin wire ie. low compression force. I think just enough to seat the ball & basically keep external grit out, assuming it has no other back pressure behind it. Maybe there are stiffer ones I dont know. But I have a hunch high injection pressures might be related to some combination of a long tortuous gallery hole, or obstruction, or thickened oil. And the the eventual sliding lubrication surface which is a very low gap.

On my lathe some of the passages were plugged with waxy mung that looked like the stuff they coat the machines with. But I think old oil can go bad like this too. Once that was cleaned the pressure required was much less. Not sure what the solution is but maybe a flush with WD40 or a solvent, then followed by the oil? Mine pressure up a bit but then it dissipates. It would be interesting to know how many psi typical 1-shot oilers deliver. There is a pretty good mechanical advantage on the arm & its delivering to some tight spaces like between table surfaces
 
Crankit

Crankit

Well-Known Member
Chipper5783 said:
This is a very common thread. I'm sure I have written into it on both HM and PM. The pump oilers are fine most of the time, but I have a few fittings that actually need a bit of pressure to force the oil in. I always made a mess and was never satisfied that I was doing a good job on the oiling. I converted the tip on one oil can to get a good seal, but I couldn't solve the pressure problem.

I finally broke down and got a Reilang oil gun - fantastic, no leaks, works on both the nipple style and cup style (two end tips are provided). Expensive, but then a tool that works is a good deal (regardless of the cash involved). It works like the push style grease gun (ie. for the roller nose type chainsaw bar) - one could convert a push grease gun. The Reilang is fantastic, one machinist buddy has me bring it over and lube one of his old machines because it clearly delivers the oil, is very quick and not as messy. I got mine from Jens Putzier (ebay).
Click to expand...

I've had a Reilang in my ebay watch list for quite a while

Wayne
 
Last edited:
cuslog

cuslog

Super User
Premium Member
Well, I bought one of the mini grease guns yesterday - now to convert it to use oil. I'll follow up in a couple days, after I get it working.
I agree that its more often "dried mung" in the passages than a plugged oiler causing resistance to oil flow. I took the saddle off my lathe yesterday and cleaned out a disgusting amount of dried oil / chips/ grit. As someone else said, I'm sure it would make a great lapping paste (on the ways). Some passages are easier to get to than others and I don't really want to do a complete strip down right now so I'll try flushing it out with high pressure oil from the grease gun. Point of interest: grease gun flex hose is rated for 3000 PSI !
 
Janger

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
cuslog said:
Well, I bought one of the mini grease guns yesterday - now to convert it to use oil. I'll follow up in a couple days, after I get it working.
I agree that its more often "dried mung" in the passages than a plugged oiler causing resistance to oil flow. I took the saddle off my lathe yesterday and cleaned out a disgusting amount of dried oil / chips/ grit. As someone else said, I'm sure it would make a great lapping paste (on the ways). Some passages are easier to get to than others and I don't really want to do a complete strip down right now so I'll try flushing it out with high pressure oil from the grease gun. Point of interest: grease gun flex hose is rated for 3000 PSI !
Click to expand...
Looking forward to pictures and such @cuslog
 
Dabbler

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
I have a bunch of oil cans, about half that aren't working. I've had trouble with Goldenrod brand, offshore cheapos, and one 'made in Canada' unbranded one.

If someone knows of a reliable one that will work for years, I'm all ears.
 
Crankit

Crankit

Well-Known Member
Dabbler said:
I have a bunch of oil cans, about half that aren't working. I've had trouble with Goldenrod brand, offshore cheapos, and one 'made in Canada' unbranded one.
If someone knows of a reliable one that will work for years, I'm all ears.
Click to expand...

I ordered the middle size Reilang oiler from the link ShawnR put up....it's cheaper than going through Ebay.

Here is a link to a tear down of a Reilang

 
Dabbler

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
what was shipping? the oilers look around 40USD or 60CAD - I imagine it would be expensive to ship from Germany.
 
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