I have an second hand Enco 9x20 lathe I am learning to use. I have lubed it as best I can but I have two questions.
1) I can't find any way to lubricate the main spindle bearings short of tipping the lathe over or squirting oil from below. Lesser bearings have oil holes or oil cups but these are conspicuously missing from the main spindle bearings. The thin manual doesn't mention them. Am I NOT supposed to lubricate them?
2) Many places have little "valves" of 1/4" dia. brass with a spring loaded steel ball in the center like McMaster item '1214K2'. The lathe came with an oil can with a plain pointed spout. I can use the spout to push in the ball and get a LITTLE oil in, but most of the oil escapes and it seems there must be a better way. I am thinking of making a 1/8" diameter syringe with a hard rubber nose so I can suck up a few drops of oil and force it under pressure past the ball. Nothing I see in the Enco or McMaster catalogs seems appropriate. Am I missing the obvious?
Thanks in advance.
1) I can't find any way to lubricate the main spindle bearings short of tipping the lathe over or squirting oil from below. Lesser bearings have oil holes or oil cups but these are conspicuously missing from the main spindle bearings. The thin manual doesn't mention them. Am I NOT supposed to lubricate them?
2) Many places have little "valves" of 1/4" dia. brass with a spring loaded steel ball in the center like McMaster item '1214K2'. The lathe came with an oil can with a plain pointed spout. I can use the spout to push in the ball and get a LITTLE oil in, but most of the oil escapes and it seems there must be a better way. I am thinking of making a 1/8" diameter syringe with a hard rubber nose so I can suck up a few drops of oil and force it under pressure past the ball. Nothing I see in the Enco or McMaster catalogs seems appropriate. Am I missing the obvious?
Thanks in advance.
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