Help with old lathe needed...Calling Dev?

[Dick Strauss]

<HR style="COLOR: #d1d1e1" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Is/was there such a thing as A-weight oil? I recently got a lathe from a neighbor that has an "A" marked on the lubricant reservoir caps! If there is no A-type of lubricant, what type of oil is best suited for this application.

The lathe currently has at least one frozen bearing in the headstock. I'd like to use it for buffing and pen turning in the long run. I also have this posted on the Turner's Forum

Can anyone help me identify my lathe? Can someone help me figure out how to disassemble the bearings?

Here are the vital stats of my vintage lathe:
-two bearings on headstock with a 4 pulley system in between bearings. One brass and one steel bearing. The lathe seems to be from 1920-1940 based on the open v-belt pulleys. Post 1940 models seem to have the pulleys covered.
-1.5"/8tpi with MT3 headstock.
-38.5"x5"x1/2" lathe iron bed top
-12" diameter turning capacity
-30" turning length
-Dayton 3/4HP 115/230V (mod# 4K179 ser# C-286C)
I don't know if the motor is original!!
-1.5" collet with 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4" inserts. I assume this lathe was used for metalwork at some time.
-dead center on tailstock
-the only marking on the lathe is on the tailstock with three letters in this order J/I, P/B, 3/8 so it looks like it could be JP3 or JB3 or JB8, etc. The first letter is very faint and may just be a casting artifact.


Thanks in advance,
Dick

[Dev Emch]

<hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Is/was there such a thing as A-weight oil? I recently got a lathe from a neighbor that has an "A" marked on the lubricant reservoir caps! If there is no A-type of lubricant, what type of oil is best suited for this application.

The lathe currently has at least one frozen bearing in the headstock. I'd like to use it for buffing and pen turning in the long run. I also have this posted on the Turner's Forum

Can anyone help me identify my lathe? Can someone help me figure out how to disassemble the bearings?

Here are the vital stats of my vintage lathe:
-two bearings on headstock with a 4 pulley system in between bearings. One brass and one steel bearing. The lathe seems to be from 1920-1940 based on the open v-belt pulleys. Post 1940 models seem to have the pulleys covered.
-1.5"/8tpi with MT3 headstock.
-38.5"x5"x1/2" lathe iron bed top
-12" diameter turning capacity
-30" turning length
-Dayton 3/4HP 115/230V (mod# 4K179 ser# C-286C)
I don't know if the motor is original!!
-1.5" collet with 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4" inserts. I assume this lathe was used for metalwork at some time.
-dead center on tailstock
-the only marking on the lathe is on the tailstock with three letters in this order J/I, P/B, 3/8 so it looks like it could be JP3 or JB3 or JB8, etc. The first letter is very faint and may just be a casting artifact.


Thanks in advance,
Dick

Hi DIck...
The A does not jog my memory yet. Likely it means something else.

As for the lathe, well the first thing is to post pictures. You described dozens of lathes with your text. Since the headstock sounds open, this may be older than WWII and it may be a bronze bushing bearing or a babbit bearing or a ball bearing.

Based on the photo record, I can come up with some oil mixtures.

[Dick Strauss]

Dev,
I've searched all of the pics from the OWWM site that relates to lathes. None of the pics matched the lathe I was given. I came to the conclusion that the lathe is probably from 1920-1940 given the open v-belt (instead of leather flats) stepped pulleys. Someone on the turners site suggested that the "A" might be a maintenance schedule meaning every time you use the lathe.

One end of the headstock has three set screws (1/4-20)in a collet holding the bearing in place. The bearing looks to be solid steel (peeking through the lube hole). I can't get this collet to loosen with no set screws in it. I really can't tell what kind of bearing it is. I have been unable to force any WD40 through this bearing from the reservoir so I assume this one has seized.

The bearing at the other end of the headstock has a threaded tommy bar (non-threaded holes drilled around the perimeter like a garage door collet) system around each side of the front bearing. I have one side of the threaded tommy collet loose. The bearing looks like a split brass cylinder as far as I can tell. Since it does not have bolts above the bearings, I assume it isn't the babbit type. This bearing has no problem accepting the WD40.

Here are the pics that most closely match mine with exceptions noted:

40251

Oil reservoirs similar to the pic above

40252

Stepped pulley similar to above pic but the support vein is in the center rather than on the side like the pic below

40253

Stepped pulley looks like this pic but has a bottom plate that bolts the headstock to the bed.

Time to borrow a digicam to post some pics of mine...!!!!

Thanks again,
Dick

[Dick Strauss]

Dev,
It turns out both bearings are bronze bushing bearings. One bearing is pressed into place with a threaded collar that is locked in place using set screws. The other is sandwiched between two threaded tommy collars. I took it to a local machine shop and got some help getting the thing apart. The good news is it cost me $10 and the bearings/spindle are both okay. Somehow the collar with set screw that locks the bearing in place tightened itself up and pinched the end of the bearing. I assume that the set screws weren't tight enough given that I see multiple circular marks on the threads where impacted by the moving set screw.

Do you have any ideas about what oil(s) to use?

[Curt Harms]

The only lubricant I can think of with "A" in the name is type A hydraulic fluid, a.k.a. mil5606.

[Steve Clardy]

Dick. I have an old early 1900's C shaped bandsaw that has babbit bearing for the wheel shafts.
I use Swisher gear box oil on the shafts.

Swisher as in Swisher lawn mowers. Its a heavy black grease-oil mixture. Recommened to me by my machinest. This stuff stays in place, where oil runs off.

[Kirk Poore]

I use ISO VG 22 type oil in the bronze bearings of my jointer motor (a 1920-era Century). However, others I know of use non-detergent 30W. You can certainly use something heavier that will not run out as fast. However, when you try it, let it run for a few minutes and see if the bearings heat up. If your lubricant is too thick, you won't get enough between the bearing and the shaft and you'll have heat from the friction.

Kirk Poore

[lou sansone]

20w or 30w Non-Detergent is what I have found works well for many "non-ball bearing" applications
For some reason the detergent in regular motor oil will cause unbelievable heat and actual soot formation.

Lou

[Al Willits]

Tranny fuild will probably be to thin, I have an old hobby size metal lathe from about that era with bronze bushings for bearings, and have been putting 30wt non detergent oil in it for over 20 years with no ill effects, I can see.

Al