# Live center oil?



## el_d (May 14, 2011)

Quick question folks, 
 What type of oil should I use to lubricate my live center?

 3 in 1, WD40, gear oil, Crisco, butter, bacon grease.......Mmmmm bacon grease.......:worship:......

Makes your beans taste like they have meat in them.  :wink:


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## DurocShark (May 14, 2011)

You oil yours? 




I'm usually too busy trying to figure out why the plate keeps threading out even with CA used as a threadlock.


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## workinforwood (May 14, 2011)

I don't lubricate my live center, it has sealed bearings. But..you still got me chuckling!


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## seamus7227 (May 14, 2011)

el_d said:


> bacon grease.......Mmmmm bacon grease.......:worship:......
> 
> :wink:



LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is priceless! what a visual it gave me. My favorite part about cooking bacon is eating those little morsels that fall off (cooking in microwave where the bacon dangles)into the grease. Mmmmmmm!

Oh and I cant recall ever having to oil mine either(live center)


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## KenV (May 14, 2011)

Mine all have sealed bearings -- but the tapers (inside tapers especially) on the Oneway and Nova do seem to benefit from a light coat of gun oil on occasion -- especially if working with green wet wood.


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## kenlicciardello (May 14, 2011)

I bought one from someone on IAP that had an oil reservoir.  They recommended 90 weight.  I find using bacon grease works best if turning wooden eggs.  They seem to go together well.


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## skiprat (May 14, 2011)

seamus7227 said:


> My favorite part about cooking bacon is eating those little morsels that fall off (cooking in microwave where the bacon dangles)into the grease. Mmmmmmm!


 
Any person that cooks meat in a microwave should be shot!!!:tongue::biggrin:


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## ssajn (May 14, 2011)

Bacon grease goes good with everything. Not sure live centers would appreciate it though. :biggrin:


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## el_d (May 15, 2011)

I got mine from LMS(if I remember correctly???) and it does have a screw at the end of the morse taper that I assumed was to oil the bearings. It does come unscrewed after a while. 

Is that what that screw is for???


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## el_d (May 15, 2011)

DurocShark said:


> You oil yours?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is that the screw thats at the end of the taper?


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## el_d (May 15, 2011)

seamus7227 said:


> el_d said:
> 
> 
> > bacon grease.......Mmmmm bacon grease.......:worship:......
> ...



Seamus??? Really??  Skippy knows what Im talking about....

Dont that get messy??  Wrap that around a cheese and sausage stuffed Jalapeno.


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## el_d (May 15, 2011)

I guess Master Scroller and foopus apprentice have the nice one I should have gotten.

I know what a Scroller is but a Foopus??

Ive heard of "FUPUS" ( Fatty under part under stomach).

Dave Ill let you know how the BG does on the center. I am under the impression that the BG is great with everything.


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## el_d (May 15, 2011)

kenlicciardello said:


> I bought one from someone on IAP that had an oil reservoir.  They recommended 90 weight.  I find using bacon grease works best if turning wooden eggs.  They seem to go together well.



I think this may be the same type I have.


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## johnnycnc (May 15, 2011)

el_d said:


> I got mine from LMS(if I remember correctly???) and it does have a screw at the end of the morse taper that I assumed was to oil the bearings. It does come unscrewed after a while.
> 
> Is that what that screw is for???



That's what I do with it.
Use the wal mart "super tech" 80w-90 gear oil it was inexpensive, and a quart
should be a lifetime supply for me, at a 1/2 to maybe 1 tsp or so per dose.

put it point down overnight on the lathe ways, my jet 1014 is just right to hold it with point between the ways. that lets the oil seep into the bearings


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## el_d (May 16, 2011)

johnnycnc said:


> el_d said:
> 
> 
> > I got mine from LMS(if I remember correctly???) and it does have a screw at the end of the morse taper that I assumed was to oil the bearings. It does come unscrewed after a while.
> ...



Thank you Johnny.


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## workinforwood (May 16, 2011)

Pour the bacon greese over your dogs food and he will be your friend for life...plus it will lube his tail stock hole! Ugh


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## workinforwood (May 16, 2011)

Its good you brought this topic up..maintenance is important. If your bearings wear you'll have wobble leading to oor. Yes my bearings are sealed but I'm sure my center is beyond normal..heck it must weigh about 7 pounds.I do oil in my tailstock, my lathe has a multitude of oil holes similar to greese zerts on a car


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## Sylvanite (May 16, 2011)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a spindle oil (such as Mobil Velocite #6) be better for a live center than 80w gear oil?  Gear oils are formulated to cling at low speed, and to wash particulates away.  Spindle oil is made to keep a film at high rpm and float the bearing surfaces.

My metal lathe came with recommendations for three different oils:
*Gearbox:*  Mobil DTE Heavy/Medium or equivalent ISO Viscosity Grade 68 circulating oil.
*Ways:*  Mobil Vactra #2 or equivalent ISO VG 68 way oil.
*Spindle:*  Mobil Velocite #6 or equivalent ISO VG 10 spindle oil.
  Note that motor oils are not equivalent, and that DTE (a circulating oil) is not equivalent to Vactra (a way oil).  None of these are even close to 80w gear oil.

I use Warren Premuim Anti-Wear #68 Hydraulic Oil in the gearbox (because I couldn't find Mobil DTE H/M nearby at a reasonable price), Mobil Vactra #2 on the ways and leadscrew, and Velocite #6 on the spindle and in the other small oil ports.  I bought the Vactra and Velocite in pint containers off eBay.

Because the live center bearings spin at high speed, I'd think spindle oil would be the best application match.

Regards,
Eric


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## johnnycnc (May 16, 2011)

Sylvanite said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a spindle oil (such as Mobil Velocite #6) be better for a live center than 80w gear oil?  Gear oils are formulated to cling at low speed, and to wash particulates away.  Spindle oil is made to keep a film at high rpm and float the bearing surfaces.
> 
> My metal lathe came with recommendations for three different oils:
> *Gearbox:*  Mobil DTE Heavy/Medium or equivalent ISO Viscosity Grade 68 circulating oil.
> ...



I have found that most live centers contain a type of medium to light weight grease in the bearings from the factory, and as such it won't sling out excessively. 
I believe a spindle oil would not stay in place as much as desired, and would migrate to the outside world rather quickly.
Spindle oil is, by nature, a lighter viscosity  than gear oil.
A grease would be the preferred medium to replenish with of course, but for the common woodworker to force grease into the "sealed" type bearings is asking a bit much, 
thus the recommendation of a commonly available lubricant form a common local store, at an inexpensive price. Spindle oil is also intended to splash and circulate, in a sealed to semi-sealed environment, 
and in my experience in lubricating live centers, a light oil, especially in the front (point) end just will not stay in place, it works out rather quickly, 
and usually starts a spray line on the lathe user.
So, with all due respect, I'll stick with my recommendation of the gear oil in the morse taper access hole, and have found in practice that it works quite well, migrating through most of the bearing assembly, 
but not coming out the front end like the plague. 
It also works well enough to rehab a seizing, squealing center if but for a time.
Regards,
John


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## bitshird (May 16, 2011)

Lupe, on the better live centers on metal lathes, we used 90wt gear oil, just put a few drops in where that screw in the end is, and let it sit point down over night,


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## PenMan1 (May 16, 2011)

If you happen to own a boat, the lower unit lube (synthetic 85-90 weight gear oil) does a fantastic jib on the LMS live center.

Bacon grease is just for those guys like Wizard that makes pens really early in the morning.


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## el_d (May 16, 2011)

Thanks Guys, I wasnt too sure if thats what that screw on the end was for but I kinda suspected that. And as luck would have it I just replaced my defferential oil in the Suburban due to a leaky seal and I have some gear oil left. Got to check the weight though.... 

Thanks guys lots of great folks here willing to help us amatures out....:wink:

Now if I can get the wife to stop giving the dog ALL the bacon grease that woudl be really nice......


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