Hi all,
I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.Best wishes,
Chris
Chris,
As far as I know, (Mobil) Vactra is still very much available. I checked Google to see if I could find a source for you in the UK, but the two links I tried failed to work. Perhaps you would have some success on your end. Dunno.
I use Vactra #2 for both my lathe and mill, and recommend it highly. I'm not sure if the #2 would be considered their extra heavy, however. It is also available as Vactra #4. Either of them would likely be much better on your machines, and would smell better for sure. I'm not fond of the smell of gear oil. As I recall, Vactra is not very expensive, something like $10/gallon in a 5 gallon container, but with current crude oil prices, all bets are off. :-) 5 gallons would likely serve you for years. I feel it's worth the money.
Harold
Hello Chris,
TrAchem list Vactra #1 - #4 at around £33 for 20 litres.
I bought some oil from them a couple of years ago - no other connection...
BR Jez.
Vactra Extra-heavy and Vactra #2 and #4 are not simply different viscosities of the same lubricant, they're different products. Why Mobil does this is beyond me, but IIRC, there are also two different Mobil DTEs.
I think the EP90 would be a closer replacement for the Vactra Extra-heavy than one of the numbered Vactras, especially if this is for a gearbox. But if it's for the hacksaw's external slides, I wouldn't hesitate to substitute one of the numbered Vactras for the Extra-heavy.
Oh yeah, one more caveat, some EP additives are incompatible with copper alloys. I do know that Mobilgear is OK in that respect, so that would be another possibility if this is for a gearbox.
Ned Simmons
Thanks, Jez. I'll call Mobil and try to find out which is the equivalent of Extra Heavy.
Chris
Thanks for that extra info. It's for the bowslide - this machine has a polyvee belt reduction instead of a gearbox. The bowslide is a hollow casting which serves as an oil reservoir.
I looked at the links above. Presumably this means Vactra Extra Heavy is still in production? A local oil supplier has an equivalent called "Machine Oil 150" at a fair price (cheaper than EP 90, actually). EP 90 might have more uses if I buy a 5 gallon drum, but Harold is right, it stinks! Why is that?
Best wishes,
Chris
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