Greasing oliver lathe

Hi, Tony. This could be a harder question than you think. I have seen some of those old timer with pillow block bearings on them with grease fittings on top, and some with simple race bearings sitting (machine fitted) inside a cast iron headstock. So, unless someone knows that lathe, you may be up against it.

Personally, I would start here and see what they say. If nothing else, they can tell you what grease to buy and probably how much to put in it.

Many years ago I saw a metal lathe used to turn crankshafts true at a machine shop. The guy that ran the lathe knew the bearings leaked (they were not sealed) and he put about a half squirt of grease in the fittings every time he turned a crankshaft. When that thing was overfilled, it slung grease everywhere. Not so bad in an auto shop, but it would be disaster in a wood shop. Good luck!

Robert

One supposes that if they are greased rather than oiled, the standard squeeze for effect would be the method. When it shows stop, wipe, rotate, wipe. I'd get the low throw kind rather than the chassis grease, and do it every 25-50 hours.

tony, another place to ask would be

Tony are you sure the lathe needs grease ??? Lathes I'm familiar with used oil, even new ones often use oil baths for the bearings, of course I don't know your specific lathe. Just a heads-up and question, :-)

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

3 or 4 pumps to the spindle end should be enough, the excess will come out around the spindle nose. The middle fitting should get a couple pumps in the stop position and at full speed position. It lubricates the rear bearing and the housing it sits in (which is what moves when you turn the speed selector). The excess ends up inside. The fitting on the shaft at the back should get only one pump. This feeds the Reeves-like drive and any excess ends up on the belt!

I give the spindle end a pump or two evey ten hours of run time. Cut that in half for the center fitting. The shaft fitting gets a pump every 40 or

50 hours.

If your selector does not move easily it's because the small ball bearing follower under the selector cover is probably worn out. Remove the large bolt holding the selector on and remove it; you'll find the bearing that follows the spiral track on the back of the selector. Replace it (I found a replacement at my local hardware store) and your selector will move very easily.

Ok Good deal, thanks for the replies, IIRC mine only has the one fitting in the middle of the headstock, I'll have to look at it again. Tony