Bridgeport clone lubrication?

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  • Yondering
    Senior Member
    • Feb 2014
    • 1077

    Bridgeport clone lubrication?

    I recently picked up a Jet JTM-2 mill, which appears to be a Bridgeport J-head clone if I understand correctly.

    It has an oil cup for the gear case, on the same level and somewhat behind the power downfeed engage/disengage lever. The Jet manual specifies NLGI-1 grease; is that correct? How does grease flow down the oil cup? It seems to me that grease would just sit in the cup and not lubricate anything, but maybe I'm missing something.

    What do you guys use to lubricate this location?
  • Carm
    Senior Member
    • May 2009
    • 1221

    #2
    "What do you guys use to lubricate this location? "

    Oil. The grease spec'd in the manual likely pertains to assembly.

    Comment

    • Chris Evans
      Senior Member
      • Jan 2016
      • 126

      #3
      On a Bridgeport both the cups take oil plus a couple drops on top of the draw bar. The grease is "Lubriplate" and is put in through a hole by removing a set (grub) screw. Marked position A on a B/port. This lubricates the down feed on the quill.

      Comment

      • Yondering
        Senior Member
        • Feb 2014
        • 1077

        #4
        Thanks guys. For clarity, here's a screenshot of this page in my manual, with the location in question highlighted. I don't see a set screw in this area though.

        How much oil do the cups take? I did put a little in the "B" cup but it doesn't fill up, just runs out inside somewhere.

        Are you guys using something like DTE Heavy/Medium in both of these cups, or just ordinary motor oil, or ??

        Thanks

        Comment

        • Carm
          Senior Member
          • May 2009
          • 1221

          #5
          One of my employers had that mill, plain gray no stripes. They had a 5000 gal. tank of hydraulic oil for product use. It got used in all the oil cups and the Bijurs. Sorry don't know the grade. NOT ATF. I use it in my Bport, the place closed and they gave me 50 gals.
          I use a plunger oil can and fill the cup once a day, bottom to top. It's a total loss system so you'll get a drip on the vise if you aren't running. Good way to flush, the oil should look clean.
          Lots of people say motor oil is a no no, but it's better than none.

          Comment

          • lakeside53
            Senior Member
            • Nov 2007
            • 10511

            #6
            Are you sure "B" is an oil cup? Did someone remove the set screw or zerk and put and put a cup in it's place?

            Don't assume it's the same as BP. Imports stated to diverge from the BP designs in the 90's, for many good reasons.

            The advise above about "port A" and lubriplate only applies to the BP Varispeed head... yours (as pictured) isn't .

            Use the oil/grease specified (or real equiv). It's good oil and easy to get. I use Vactra 2 for my sideways and quill,, and #10 spindle oil for my spindle. Sometime #6 if I'm going to be using it at high speed for a while.
            Last edited by lakeside53; 03-11-2016, 08:31 PM.

            Comment

            • KEJR
              Senior Member
              • Apr 2010
              • 533

              #7
              Yeah. Vactra 2 on the ways and doodle oil fit the little cups on the head. I keep mine in their own pump oil can and add the oil in the spindle regularly and keep the bijur full. Sometimes if the ways are especially crusty I'll wipe them clean and give them a liberal amount of lube from the can.

              Sent from my SM-S766C using Tapatalk

              Comment

              • KEJR
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2010
                • 533

                #8
                This Swype thing stinks on my phone. I meant spindle not doodle!

                Sent from my SM-S766C using Tapatalk

                Comment

                • Yondering
                  Senior Member
                  • Feb 2014
                  • 1077

                  #9
                  LOL I wondered what doodle oil was!

                  Comment

                  • dave_r
                    Senior Member
                    • Feb 2016
                    • 1082

                    #10
                    well, first you put the tip of your finger into a pail of used oil....

                    Comment

                    • Yondering
                      Senior Member
                      • Feb 2014
                      • 1077

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Carm View Post
                      One of my employers had that mill, plain gray no stripes.
                      Mine is gray as well, made in 1991 I think. The manual didn't come with the machine, I downloaded it from Jet, so there may be some differences I haven't found yet. So far everything looks the same.

                      Originally posted by lakeside53 View Post
                      Are you sure "B" is an oil cup? Did someone remove the set screw or zerk and put and put a cup in it's place?

                      Don't assume it's the same as BP. Imports stated to diverge from the BP designs in the 90's, for many good reasons.

                      The advise above about "port A" and lubriplate only applies to the BP Varispeed head... yours (as pictured) isn't .

                      Use the oil/grease specified (or real equiv). It's good oil and easy to get. I use Vactra 2 for my sideways and quill,, and #10 spindle oil for my spindle. Sometime #6 if I'm going to be using it at high speed for a while.
                      Yes, B is definitely an oil cup, and was factory installed. Other pictures of the newer Jet machine in the manual show it as well, and the page of the manual I copied above refers to it as an oil cup.

                      My confusion is about putting grease in an oil cup, as the manual says. Unless it's really thin, it doesn't seem that it would flow through the cup and onto the part. Is NLGI-1 grease thin enough to flow like that? I'm assuming it's just lithium grease, as I've read online.

                      I need to get some #10 spindle oil, but have Vactra 2 already; have been using it on my other lathes and mill. Am I understanding your post correctly, that you're recommending Vactra 2 in that oil cup "B"? That would make more sense to me, but I've never had one of these apart to see what that hole lubricates.

                      Correct, this one is not a variable speed head, it's a step pulley head. Can someone clarify for me, isn't that what a Bridgeport J-head is, or did those come as both step pulley or vari-speed setups? I've used both kinds, but never owned one before and didn't pay attention to the nomenclature. Seems like the vari-speed style is more convenient, but I got a good price on this one and it's just my home shop anyway. I do realize some of it may be different than a real Bridgeport, but externally it looks very similar. Mine looks very similar to this one, but in better shape without the extra layers of paint and home-brew belt guard, and it says Jet instead of Bridgeport. http://www.sterlingmachinery.com/968...port+Series+1/ You can see the same oil cup "B" in the second picture on that mill.

                      Thanks again for all the replies, good info.

                      Comment

                      • lakeside53
                        Senior Member
                        • Nov 2007
                        • 10511

                        #12
                        J heads come in both step and varispeed. The later is some times called 2J. You need to call Jet; grease will not flow in the oil cup.

                        A BP step head has 2 oil ports. One for the bull gear cavity (upper right) - vactra type - this runs down the out quill etc, and one for the spindle lower forward right (#10 or whatever depending on your use). If your bull gear is sealed (unlike a BP step head) and your B is for grease (for the power down feed selector mechanism), nothing is going to lubricate the outer quill. I suspect your B is actually for oil (vactra 2) and you manual is wrongly transferring "grease" from the varispeed model.

                        Comment

                        • Carm
                          Senior Member
                          • May 2009
                          • 1221

                          #13
                          Yondering
                          The Jet at the former employer was a step pulley.
                          My Bport is a vari-speed, but otherwise identical with the OIL cup in that position.
                          I looked up the oil I use, it is an ISO-32, equivalent to Vactra #1. Both 1 & 2 are recommended for the use.

                          Comment

                          • Yondering
                            Senior Member
                            • Feb 2014
                            • 1077

                            #14
                            Thanks guys, that confirms what I was thinking. Sounds like Vactra #2 is appropriate for that lower cup; it is in the same location as on a Bridgeport and does lubricate something on or near the spindle area, not the downfeed selector.

                            Even though the Jet manual seems to be written well in actual English (as opposed to Engrish), I've learned not to trust most Asian manuals; glad I asked on this one.

                            Comment

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