Oil weight

[Kenny]

I have a 10"Atlas with Timken bearings. The book says use SAE 20 weight motor oil.
I have found some, but I have to buy 5 gal. at one time. Also I have found some way oil, but there again 5 gal. My book reads use 122 gress on some of the gears cant find that. Also what is the best cutting oil to use?
What type oil and gress do you use?
Thanks, Kenny

[gvasale]

both types of oil should be available without having to buy 5 gallons. Keysrone 122? Try a graphite grease, Lubriplate, or maybe a little hi-temp wheel bearing grease.

[sidneyt]

20 weight motor oil (non-detergent) is the stuff you can buy in a autoparts store for $1/quart. One quart should be enough to last you a while.

[SGW]

Motor oil is NOT machine oil! Use the right stuff.

[wierdscience]

Use compressor oil,it just fine,on the timken bearings you wont need much anyway.

[jfsmith]

I agree with Weird, compressor oil works for machine oil. For grease, I use lubriplate or Slick 50 grease. As far as lube for turning, I generally use what is in the Machinery's Handbook, which can be kerosene, lard, tapping oil, vegitable oil, and the list goes on. If you want to watch your calories use Canola oil. :-)

Jerry

[Oso]

SGW....

Motor oil lubricates bearings, in many cases ball or roller bearings...(speaking of non-detergent oil of course).....bearings at speeds up to the low thousands RPM

Machine oil lubricates bearings, in many cases ball or roller bearings.....at speeds up into the thousands of RPM....

Hmmm, there is a pattern here....

What do you see as the difference, other than any possible additive package...?

[Jim Hubbell]

I use SAE10 motor oil on my 10in Atlas and it has cleaned up the ways and runs just fine. A little 80 wt. gear lube on the change gears keeps them nice and quiet. I understand there are special lubes for just about anything but I am keeping it simple and doing just fine.

[SGW]

One major difference is that motor oil is designed to emulsify with water, because the oil will get hot enough in use to boil it out. Machine oil, on the other hand, is designed to precipiate water because machine tool bearings (one hopes!) don't get anywhere near hot enough to evaporate water out of the oil, and you don't want water being carried through precision bearings.

[Evan]

SGW,

That is undoubtably one of the things the detergent additives do, emulsify water. It's what detergents do. However, non-detergent oil...