Oil for new gear lathe?

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Munty Scruntfundle

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Hi folks.

It's time to give my new gear head lathe an oil change. The manual states Tellus 27 and 33, which I presume are the old numbers and it should actually be 33 and 68. I'm assuming here though.

I'm guessing the numbers equate to hydraulic oils of certain viscosity. So should I be able to use any good quality matching hydraulic oil? Obviously non foaming and detergent free. Part of the reason for asking is I have bucket loads of 68 here from a different manufacturer but surely it's going to be more of less the same thing?

Any ideas?
Thanks.
 
68 should be fine.
Change the oil and run the lathe for about 10 min. The headstock bearing should be just slightly warm. If it's hot, lower the viscosity.
 
I got sick off stocking so many dif oils in the past.....
all my machines where thin'ish oil is used, mine get the RED automatic transmissinon oil.....
it's anti-frothing, main feature......
when u see a Merc Sprinter comming past u at 100mph fully loaded on the motorway think about the RED Auto trans oil in the gearbox.....
it's perfect for me....
main lathe is a Square top Colch Student....
ps, for exposed gears a few drops of chainsaw chain oil is also perfect.....
it does'nt get thrown off.....stickier than child snot.....lol....
 
I got sick off stocking so many dif oils in the past.....
all my machines where thin'ish oil is used, mine get the RED automatic transmissinon oil.....
it's anti-frothing, main feature......
when u see a Merc Sprinter comming past u at 100mph fully loaded on the motorway think about the RED Auto trans oil in the gearbox.....
it's perfect for me....
main lathe is a Square top Colch Student....
ps, for exposed gears a few drops of chainsaw chain oil is also perfect.....
it does'nt get thrown off.....stickier than child snot.....lol....
I use spray motorcycle chain lube on exposed gears, same idea dries to a sort of waxy consistency so doesn't come off all over the inside of the covers.
 
I got sick off stocking so many dif oils in the past.....
all my machines where thin'ish oil is used, mine get the RED automatic transmissinon oil.....
it's anti-frothing, main feature......
when u see a Merc Sprinter comming past u at 100mph fully loaded on the motorway think about the RED Auto trans oil in the gearbox.....
it's perfect for me....
main lathe is a Square top Colch Student....
ps, for exposed gears a few drops of chainsaw chain oil is also perfect.....
it does'nt get thrown off.....stickier than child snot.....lol....
I did not know you had a Colchester Student - square head
So do I.
I rebuilt the headstock 5 years ago
I used to have a Colchester Bantam and then a Harrison
 
If you go to Pirtec, the hose company, they have a chart that will convert the old oil to a modern one.
 
+1 for deema's suggestion of Westway oils. I use their oils in my Colchester Chipmaster and I've had no issues (apart from some leaking from the headstock, but it's old British machinery, and if it's not leaking it's because there's no oil in it ;) )
 
I did not know you had a Colchester Student - square head
So do I.
I rebuilt the headstock 5 years ago
I used to have a Colchester Bantam and then a Harrison
Another very happy Colchester square student head owner😃
 
Another very happy Colchester square student head owner😃
My
IMG_20200722_082648.jpg
first proper lathe was a lovely old Master. Now have a Harrison 5A.
 
The Harrison is a lovely lathe. I still have some regrets at letting mine go.
Having used both Harrison and Colchester machines from the days when they were seperate companies each has its good and not so good features. I do marginally prefer the Harrison machines, and they were quite a lot more expensive at the time than their Colchester counterparts. Had always wanted a 140, but when this came up it was too good to miss. Sad in a way that they are now just badge engineered versions of the same machines.
 
I was very lucky with this as it has very little wear atall, probably because it had a damaged Norton gearbox so no powerfeeds. It had sat unused for years in a corner of a factory with all kinds of junk stacked on it, and was covered in filth. Fixing the gearbox proved a bit of a challenge, but otherwise needed very little done apart from a complete stripdown and clean, and new paint.
 
I was lucky enough to get a Harrison 140 from the college where i worked as a technician when they closed the workshops. Built in 1971 & still had its original manual & test chart, plus all its original accessories, never saw much use either. Great lathes.
 
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