bearing lube

[anthony wall]

well almost completed building a lathe and have used self centering bearings on the head and tailstock,each bearing carrier has a grease nipple but i cannot see any way for the grease to get into the actual bearing as they have what i assume is a dust shroud on either side so does anyone know how to lubricate them i have found a hole that is 0.5 mill wide in the outer ring of the bearing surely that is not the way that it is lubricated?i am looking for advice as i want to fire it up soon

[Myk Rian]

What lathe is it?
Some lathes have an oil bath for the bearings.

[anthony wall]

What lathe is it?
Some lathes have an oil bath for the bearings.

it;s home made myk

[Jerry Bruette]

I assume you used pillow block bearings for your lathe. The hole you noticed in the outer ring of the bearing is in fact the way grease gets into the bearing. There's a groove in the housing that allows the grease to flow around the outer ring until it finds the hole. The grease will enter the hole and flow in where the balls are and push the old grease out of the side shields/seals.

The bearings probably have the proper amount of grease in them right from the factory but if you feel a need to give them more go ahead. Any excess grease will be forced out the sides.

Jerry

[anthony wall]

I assume you used pillow block bearings for your lathe. The hole you noticed in the outer ring of the bearing is in fact the way grease gets into the bearing. There's a groove in the housing that allows the grease to flow around the outer ring until it finds the hole. The grease will enter the hole and flow in where the balls are and push the old grease out of the side shields/seals.

The bearings probably have the proper amount of grease in them right from the factory but if you feel a need to give them more go ahead. Any excess grease will be forced out the sides.

Jerry

thanks jerry ,just wanted to be sure i wouldn't ruin the bearings if no grease was in them