I have a large hand crank buffalo blower that is filled with oil.
What is the oil used for? (Cooling I expect?),What type of oil is used, how do you tell if there is enough oil, how often or is it even neccesary to change the oil?
I also have a smaller hand crank blower, but it has no oil.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The oil is lube for the gears most blowers leak enough that changing the oil isn't a thing to worry about. I use a mix of Marvel mystery Oil and 30 wt non detergent oil. Ask six smith's what's right and you will get ten different answers. LOL If the smaller one is a Bufco sheet metal blower like the one I have it was not meant to hold oil I lube mine with white grease.

Finnr

i have a buffalo hand crank blower too and there is a screw on the front to show proper oil level.

Someone keeping count? here's #2 I use ATF mixed with the 30wt nondet. oil, works for me. I use it in all of my blowers with good results. I have a total of 5 blowers and use 2 of them...the others are for future smiths that I haven't meet. (they are for sale)

I use spray lithium grease on my 3 blowers, when it gets nasty I spray it out with carb cleaner and start over.

That is number 3.

I squirt in enough white marine lithium grease to lubricate the gears. I tried regular oil but did not care for the oil dripping out onto the floor.

i squirt in a shot of ATF at the beginning of a session. the dripping bothers me, too, so I have a tub of breeze under the blower, and have thought of adding a drip pan mounted to the blower for when I'm at a remote location.

I've been using straight 30 weight in the Champion 400 I run and it leaks out the front pretty badly.

Does using grease like Lubriplate cause more drag, and then what do you do about lubing the shafts, especially the worm gear shaft in the 400?

I've used the lower unit grease make for outboard motors. One of the nice things about it is that it comes in a plastic tube. Easy to store, use and transport.

I just aquired an old Buffalo blower (the thin formed variety). It still works, but the brass bushings and shafts are a bit worn. When I turn the crank it gets to whirlin no problem, but as soon as I let go of the handle it shudders to a stop. I have taken it apart, thoroughly cleaned it, deburred the gears, and will grease heavily. My question; is there a way to tighten up the slop in the mechanisim w/o turning the shafts and replacing the bushings?

The only way i found was to replace the bushings. Turning the shafts would help but just doing the bushings will help. Use oilite bronze bushing material. It is available at most bearing houses.