One shot central oiler issues. Suggestions for options please?

[BCRider]

So my mini knee mill came with a one shot oiler system. It's never worked from day one. I've lived with manually smearing oil onto the ways and screws up to now.

I took it apart and it had some fairly obvious issues. First off the pump was missing the ball and spring for the output side valve. So that explained the lack of pressure... and perhaps why it happily syphoned the oil out of the oiler and onto my machine.

Speaking of leaking all over the base I also found that the distribution block uses the push fittings for the hard plastic lines. I removed it and after blocking the connectors with short lengths of plugs pressure tested it. All but one leaked wildly. So that explained the dripping oil that syphoned out of the pump....

Now I COULD buy new push connectors for the nylon tubing. But I don't trust the cheap ones and the expensive ones are STUPIDLY expensive given I would need 7 of them. So I'm looking at options for either different ways of connecting the hard plastic or possibly an all new distribution manifold.

The other option that I'm seriously considering is to go with separate zerk or spring ball oilers for each of the lines or pairs of lines. That would permit me to oil each area somewhat more evenly and to the needs of each spot. I rather like that idea. It's simple and would likely be quite effective.

I do have an unused pint size Goldenrod brand oil can that is not in use for anything. I could modify it to install a grease gun nozzle to use with the zerk fittings.

Of course I'd still need a good way to seal the tubes into some manner of block that holds all the oilers so it doesn't just flow back out. But I do have a plan for that.

Thoughts? Any other options that I might consider?

[The Metal Butcher]

So my mini knee mill came with a one shot oiler system. It's never worked from day one. I've lived with manually smearing oil onto the ways and screws up to now.

I took it apart and it had some fairly obvious issues. First off the pump was missing the ball and spring for the output side valve. So that explained the lack of pressure... and perhaps why it happily syphoned the oil out of the oiler and onto my machine.

Speaking of leaking all over the base I also found that the distribution block uses the push fittings for the hard plastic lines. I removed it and after blocking the connectors with short lengths of plugs pressure tested it. All but one leaked wildly. So that explained the dripping oil that syphoned out of the pump....

Now I COULD buy new push connectors for the nylon tubing. But I don't trust the cheap ones and the expensive ones are STUPIDLY expensive given I would need 7 of them. So I'm looking at options for either different ways of connecting the hard plastic or possibly an all new distribution manifold.

The other option that I'm seriously considering is to go with separate zerk or spring ball oilers for each of the lines or pairs of lines. That would permit me to oil each area somewhat more evenly and to the needs of each spot. I rather like that idea. It's simple and would likely be quite effective.

I do have an unused pint size Goldenrod brand oil can that is not in use for anything. I could modify it to install a grease gun nozzle to use with the zerk fittings.

Of course I'd still need a good way to seal the tubes into some manner of block that holds all the oilers so it doesn't just flow back out. But I do have a plan for that.

Thoughts? Any other options that I might consider?

Right angle manifold, compression fitting on the one side, zerk fitting on the other side?

[BCRider]

That would sort of be the idea. But depending on the oval shaped measurement the tubing is either 5/32 or 4mm nylon or similar tubing. So I'm not too sure about the compression fittings options.

Here's a picture of the manifold now with the super leaky push fittings and the short connecting length of the tube that fits between the "NON" pump and manifold.



I'm going to run out and see if the local shops have anything for compression fittings that are for that small a size of tubing. I know the home stores have compression fittings for 1/4 plastic that are commonly seen on the water lines. Not so sure about stuff for 5/32 though.

[BCRider]

Looking on Amazon for compression fittings just turned up more of this style. But I did find a bundle of 20 total fittings that fit the 4mm or 5/32 tubing for only $15. 10 with M6 and 10 with M10 threads. And the block shown takes the M10 thread size along with some sealant. I'll risk the 15 buck and damn the torpedoes ! ! ! !

I'll go back to looking for something better when these ones turn out to be leakers as well....

[RB211]

Buy the cheap push on connectors, fix the one shot so it works

[RB140]

They make a compression fitting for plastic tubing it is simular to ones for hard line but there is a feril that goes over the OD of the tube and a brass tube that is flared that goes in the ID of the tube so when you tighten the nut it does not compress the plastic tube I know they make them for standard size like 5/16 1/4 etc. And metric 4-6-8 mm but I was am not sure where I got them from could have been Grainger MCmaster carr. Fasten all they do work very well I have used them for air lines and auto oilers

[oxford]

The other option that I'm seriously considering is to go with separate zerk or spring ball oilers for each of the lines or pairs of lines. That would permit me to oil each area somewhat more evenly and to the needs of each spot. I rather like that idea. It's simple and would likely be quite effective.

I don’t know what they did on your mill but the one shot system on mine (Excello 602) uses different size restricted fittings at all the points to achieve even oiling. If I remember correctly they were Bijur fittings and I replaced them all due do the oil system being plugged up when I got the mill.

[BCRider]

I don’t know what they did on your mill but the one shot system on mine (Excello 602) uses different size restricted fittings at all the points to achieve even oiling. If I remember correctly they were Bijur fittings and I replaced them all due do the oil system being plugged up when I got the mill.

Asian import and totally lacking in any such niceties. The one time I did manage to get any oil out of it from massive effort on the pump (likely using the vacuum in the lines on the suck back as the "valve") the oil up in the upper tubes drained out and into the lower parts in fairly short time. And then the syphoning up and out of the pump itself started..... No outlet valve though.

This is a big reason why I'm thinking of doing a central point for oiling but using separate feeds to each area that shares similar length tubes running to similar heights. It'll avoid the high runs just draining down through the low runs through the common distribution block.

[Fasturn]

I have large 5 planters on a hill. I knew they would not be balanced for a single pipe sprinklers. I put a valve on each one like a ajustable restrictor. Gravity does it's own thing on a hill. Work very well.

You might try this on your pump system. It's very hard to get the balance perfect on the one shot. You end up with oil comming out of one axis. You could oil one item at a time with small valves or set the balance. Then again pin oilers are cheap and easy.

[Cheap Jon]

I drilled the oil meters out and made a manifold to mount them on and ran tubing to all the lube points, I used tubing and fittings that came from a Bridgeport re-builder in Fort Wane In. I mounted a grease gun with the hose end down so the hose would reach the zirks, you just give each one a shot of oil, works really good. There are pictures posted on here somewhere.

Jon
SW Mi

[BCRider]

Cheap Jon, that's currently the winning idea. As you say each circuit has different resistance and by the time the toughest one is oiled correctly I'll have a puddle in the tray from the others. I was leaning strongly that way before reading your post. Now I'm convinced. That's how I'm going to do my new setup. On location so no circuits are missed but easy to oil each line correctly.

[Doozer]

This problem has already been solved 100 years ago in the machine tool industry.
Buy a Bijur or Trico retrofit for a Bridgeport mill and install it.
You bought a cheap mill with something that looks like a lubrication system.
But it is not, as you found out.

-D

[BCRider]

This problem has already been solved 100 years ago in the machine tool industry.
Buy a Bijur or Trico retrofit for a Bridgeport mill and install it.
You bought a cheap mill with something that looks like a lubrication system.
But it is not, as you found out.

-D

The pump I could fix. The distribution issue to promote even flow to each area and block any backflow would require some pretty major tinkering. And that would be more time and bother than it warrants. If I do up a new distribution block with individual ports I solve the even flow and block any back flow easily in a form that might take an extra 10 seconds during the lubing process. I can live with that and it won't take much to make it up. So in this case I'm good. But thanks.

[Doozer]

One trick, if you are having too much flow
on a non-metered system, is to make the
hose to that point longer. Each unit of length
of hose has some restriction. Add more
length, adds more restriction. Kind of a
dynamic flow method of managing restriction
to get the flow lower.

--Doozer

[RB140]

Check this sight it may help
www.skf.com/us/products/lubrication-systems
Used these type on the machines I worked on they worked well the sight has some downloadable specs for metering flow and fittings for hard and plastic lines
even if as a reference it may help