So far I have/have had 3 lathes with quick-Change gearboxes - Logan, Atlas, and now Enco.
None have any provision for lubricating those gears. The Atlas had a oilway down one of the 3 shafts that fed a set of gears, but all the rest were left to their own devices. I can't believe these gears were made to run dry, and I know bigger lathes have an oil sump under the QC. So what's the solution - squirt some aerosol oil in there occasionally? Use thick open-gear lubricant?
My 12x24" Clausing has a couple of oil caps over the gearbox which guides the oil in to everything which needs it. And at some point, either Atlas gained ownership of Clausing, or vice versa.
Enjoy, DoN.
I have had good luck using teflon spray on change gears [not QC box]. Goes on wet and dries leaving a waxy film that does not seem to attract dust as oil/grease does. Gears run much quieter and are *MUCH* less messy to change.
GmcD
What brand lubricant do you use?
- - Rex Burkheimer Fort Worth TX
F. George McDuffee wrote:
I don't remember. I am driving over to the shop this afternoon and will check. Got it at Ace hardware.
GmcD
Rex, I don't know what Atlas Lathe model you have, but the QC gearbox on my relatively late model 12" Atlas has a total of 6 oil cups, 3 on each side so when properly oiled it should be well lubricated.
The dripping oil from the QC gearbox is another issue entirely, and one that is easily solved by a drip plate or pan.
Years ago I worked with a Logan, and IIRC it had grease fittings on each side of the QC gearbox which to me makes more sense than the oil cups on the Atlas. Then too, I'm certainly not an expert on the subject.
Aerosol oil? You mean like WD40? I doubt that that would provide any benefit at all, while a manual application of heavy gear grease would help the gears combined with a daily application of spindle oil to the bearings.
Harry C.
Mine was a 10" 10F, but the gearboxes are essentially identical. Yes, it had those cups, one on the end of each shaft journal, and one in the end of the input shaft, which was bored half it's length, ending in on radial oil outlet hole under a compound gear. So the shaft ends were well-oiled, and and center part of the geartrain got some oil, but no direct way to get oil to the outboard gears unless it leaked and slung from the shaft journals
I've actually considered making a small sump under the QC.
I have a 9" Logan made in 1975. It has oilite bushings, and I think oil ports for the shafts, but nothing for the gears. No grease fittings at all.
I shot some aerosol lubricant (not WD40)up into there recently and it quietened down noticeably. I also had a sample bottle of Lucas 5th wheel Grease, which is very tacky and stringy. I used a dab of that on the change gears and it got rid of all the noise immediately. I managed to also get some on each QC gear, and now it seems very happy.
Dupont product
teflon multi-use lubricant
11 oz aerosol can their pn D00110101Blurb on back reads "Enhanced with Teflon flujropolmer and organic molybdenum for optimum performace."
see:
Seems to work super on not only the Emco change gears but also as way lube and feed/cross screw lube. We have cut some additional change gears from aluminum and this works super for both the new aluminum and original c/i gears.
I found that to get the best results you need to wipe down the ways, etc. with solvent [paint thinner] before you apply. A thin coating is all you need. Much less tendency to attract dust/chips than oil/grease.
Got it at Ace hardware.
Might work well for tap lube also although I haven't tried it yet.
GmcD
Ought to be worth a try - thanks
Rex
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