Clausing 5914 Lubricants

These are very useful, Thanks.

In my web searching, I came upon some old postings that said that lubricant numbering schemes (including Shell's) changed since the 1970s, so the above "27" and "33" are not ISO viscosities (which is what the current numbers are), so one cannot simply interpolate the 27 and 33 to the closest current numbers. Is this true? Does anybody have the old-to-new cross reference?

I bet this is just a fancy wheel bearing grease or electric motor bearing grease. According to Torrington, the replacement is Alvania RL2.

Joe Gwinn

I emailed Mobil for suggestions a few years back and got this reply:

"Tonna 33 - Vactra Oil No. 2

Tellus 27 - Hydraulic Oil AW 32, DTE 24, DTE 13M (in that order)

Tellus 33 - Hydraulic Oil AW 68, DTE 26 (in that order)

Alvania 2 - this is an ISO VG 100 base oil lithium soap non-EP grease - Mobilith SHC 100 is the closest product (Mobilux EP 2 is the closest mineral oil based lithium soap product but contains EP - extreme pressure additives)."

I've been using Vactra #2, DTE24 and DTE26 for a few years now with no problems.

Mike

I still have to keep reminding myself that Clausing isn't dead. I called them today and asked them what replacements they would recommend, and they pretty much agree with the Mobil list above.

Specifically, Clausing recommends the following:

Tonna 33 -- Vactra #2

Tellus 27 -- Mobil DTE 24 (I just ordered a gallon of this.)

Tellus 33 -- Mobil DTE 26, although Clausing allowed that lots of people use DTE 24 and it works OK too.

Alvania 2 -- Mobil LUX 2, which I have not found yet.

Clausing suggested Grainger and MSC as sources of supply. MSC has DTE

24, 25, and 26, but not LUX 2. But Alvania 2 sounds like a good grade of wheel bearing grease. Maybe the Mobilith SHC 120 will prove easier to obtain.

Joe Gwinn

Joe

Here's what I use in mine, I got cross reference recommendations from the Exxon/Mobil lube oil tech guy they use at work (we have a pretty sophisticated lubrication program for rotating machinery).

Way oil, I use it on the ways and in all the Gits oilers: Vactra #2

Spindle gear box: DTE 24 light hydraulic.

Apron: SCH 630 (I thinks this is a hypoid gear oil)

All the above are Mobil oils, the Vactra #2 and DTE 24 came from MSC. The SCH 630 came from the local Mobil jobber who had an open 5 gal can and poured me off a couple quarts because he's a good guy, I think this might be hard to find in gallons or quarts.

Gear train to quick change box: Some sort of synthetic grease from a cartridge tube, I don't remember brand or other specifics, and I think about any decent grease will be fine.

These have worked fine for 5 years so far....

Regards Paul

Check.

Check.

Clausing suggested DTE 26 here, but I bet hypoid oil will work just fine, although it's far thicker than DTE 26.

Apron? I was thinking the gearbox under the apron. For the apron, Clausing suggests Vactra #2 for the oil points that feed the ways on the apron.

That's my impression too. I think I'll just see what the local auto parts store has from a brand I've heard of.

I don't know the history of your lathe, but mine was made in 1972, and was used in industry for 36 years before falling on hard times and ending up in a home shop, where the lathe will not get much added use or wear compared to what it already has accumulated. I bet that any oil of approximately correct viscosity that doesn't chemically attack anything in the lathe will do just fine. And any oil is better than no oil.

Joe Gwinn

McMaster-Carr is a source for at least some of these lubes, too.

Well, it's just semantics, but technically the carriage is what rides on the ways, which are oiled with way oil via the little brass fittings with the check balls (what I always called 'Gits' fittings, maybe there is a more proper term). The apron is generally the gearbox on the front of the carriage with the controls, gearing and clutches for engaging the long and cross feeds, also the half nuts for cutting screw threads. The carriage also supports the cross slide, which in turn supports the compound slide (in machines so equipped).

I just noticed what I called SCH 630 should actually be SHC, oops.

Mine is 1967 vintage, if I remember correctly. I agree with your view that the amount of use these machines are now subject to allows one to be somewhat looser with lubricant selection, but not lubricant application:)

Regards Paul

Yeah. After my posting, I found in my 5914 manual that Clausing calls the part riding on the bed ways the saddle, and the part hanging down in front and full of gears the apron. So, we are aligned.

OK. No wonder I didn't find it.

Someone else suggested McMaster-Carr as a source of lubricants.

So I can hope that my lathe is the less worn of the two.

Joe Gwinn

What some don't know is the local gas/oil dealer in town - there might be three or four in large towns - they have oils by all of this.

Depending on where you live - you might have an airport that requires dozens of oils for the various planes, jets, trucks, etc... Farms require tons of this and that...

I got mine there - walked in asked for 5 gallons of xx and 10 or yy and 1 of What no 1 of turbine oil _ ok - I'll buy it from MSC. And I did.

These oil companies have large tanks about the size of a big club chair of many many oils. They cross reference all the time. I did that for myself for my hydrologic drives on the surface grinders.

Mart> >

Specifically the saddle sits on the ways, the apron is bolted to the front of the saddle and the whole lot is called the carriage.

Mark Rand RTFM

I'm sure that we have all this in the Boston area. But if it's in the MSC/Grainger/McMaster catalog, it's a whole lot less trouble.

My experience with such is that it's difficult to buy small quantities from such outfits.

Hmm. I don't have anything that large.

Joe Gwinn

Joe -

I can almost make it perfect positive there is. With Boston Logan there and private floating hotels.... :-)

You will have a rich set and volume of all sorts of oils.

The cities use lots of it as well - Check with an oil distributor - they talk to people - have oil like show rooms or counters.

Mine even let me drive my truck back between buildings (I'm a business man) so that might be positive - to have the person filling the buckets and putting on the labels to load them.

And since the university, LL and the like are there - up more need for oils.

If you ship in oil - you pay hasmat fees and might have other issues. Today it is like buying gunpowder and having it shipped to yourself. Special handling.

If you want a quart - they ain't a auto oil supplier. The local one is 5 and up gallons. Some companies take a tanker of oil. They use auto injecting oils in machinery to keep the production lines running.

Martin

Mart> >