I agree?
The main lathe I owned and used for amost 30 years a 17" i purchased new. Keep well oil and no wear on any part of lathe.
The lathe did have a oil bath cross slide screw The only lathe new that had a oil bath.?
I gallon of way lubrication I use.
LMS has pints too
Dave?
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On Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 08:42 AM, Charles Kinzer wrote:
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I suspect that in the mini-lathe world, most get relatively light and intermittent use.? So low, that you probably couldn't wear the ways all that much during a lifetime oiled or not.? The greater risk is likely rust in the amateur machining world.
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However, being really careless, like getting a lot of grinding dust all over everything, might certainly speed up wear.? But even then, I doubt if most would live long enough to see a problem.
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In a professional environment with larger machines and near constant use, they are typically taken care of daily and "way oil" is used to protect ways and similar sliding surfaces. Way oil is special because it has a "tackifier" that helps it stay put (doesn't run off), even on vertical surfaces (rather handy for milling machines) and provides good lubrication to lower friction.? But for the mini-lathe, probably most any oil will do with the important thing being that at least something is put on the bare metal ways and other surfaces.
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But if you want to use actual "way oil", you can get a small 12 oz. bottle from Grizzly that will probably last you a lifetime.
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Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 08:20:47 AM PDT, davesmith1800 <davesmith1@...> wrote:
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The manufacturers found biggest wear to bed ways on lathes and Mills.? ?Is no lubrication.?
The manufacturers have putting automatic pumping oil but still the machinist can not fill the the oil tank or even look the oil gauge.?
Dave?
davesmith1800