What oil do you use in your mechanical hammers?

[E.F. Thumann]

I'm coming to the end of a re-build on a 125# model D Fairbanks (just have to add the belt), and realized I have not heard much as to what people use for the oil in their mech hammers, aside from a few tidbits here and there on the forum. So far, I've seen everything from 10w compressor/air tool oil, to 32 hydraulic, to chainsaw bar oil. Yes, I've seen the fairbanks lube thread a few pages back, but people really didn't respond in large quantities. I would like to hear from each and every one of you as to what oils you use (viscosity, brand, etc), (brand of your mech hammer doesn't matter) especially if you have used multiple oils, and now lean in a certain direction after trying a few. Thanks.

[tdaleh]

schafers 90 weight gear lube for oil schafers grease for clutch andpitman on my little giant

[HWooldridge]

Mobil Way Lube for oil applications - tends to stay in place better than motor oil or other thinner grades. For grease, I use the cheapest moly type I can find.

[fciron]

I use 90 weight gear oil when I can. I assume that since there's nothing holding it in the Little Giant that sticky gear oil will stay in place a little longer. 30 weight non-detergent in a pinch, gear oil is becoming annoyingly hard to find.

[SGensh]

I agree with Hollis though I don't have a mechanical hammer. I use Mobil Vactra Oil #2 Way Oil for the guides of my home built air hammer and those on my fly press too. Of course I already keep a supply on hand for my mills and lathes anyway. Steve G

[lazyassforge]

For my two cents, I use a light oil (30 weight or so) non-detergent or a machine way lube. I think the majority of the oil you put on will sling off the moving parts, hopefully taking the majority of the grit that gets on the machine in a blacksmith shop away with it. The only oil that really counts is what flows in between the moving parts. I tend to oil every 2 to 3 hours of operation. I feel the heavy oils do not get into the areas that are moving against each other as well and the "sticky" oils such as chainsaw bar oil tend to keep more grit in the moving parts causing extra wear. Regular motor oil has a detergent in it which attracts water. On a humid day there will be a milky look to the oil on the machine where the detergent has absorbed moisture from the air. I can't help but think that would cause corrosion eventualy.

Having said all this I think the most important thing on the mechanical hammers is to use lots of oil no matter what kind!!

Bill Davis

[HWooldridge]

I agree with Hollis though I don't have a mechanical hammer. I use Mobil Vactra Oil #2 Way Oil for the guides of my home built air hammer and those on my fly press too. Of course I already keep a supply on hand for my mills and lathes anyway. Steve G

Steve, the #2 Vactra is also what I have on hand - just couldn't remember the grade off the top of my head...thanks, Hollis

[Mainely,Bob]

A better question to ask may be what is the proper lubricant for each application on the machine.
Just as you can`t say 30wt oil will work for everything on your car you can`t say I want only one type of lubricant to do everything on my hammer.
You would want one type and weight of oil to lubricate the babbit bearings on the main shaft of the hammer during the summer and if the hammer was housed in an unheated shop and used during the winter you may want to think about changing the viscosity of that same type oil.
If you think about something like a milling machine.On the ones I maintained we used one type of oil for the electric motor bearings,another type of oil for the ways and a gear oil for the gearbox and lithium grease from a grease gun for things like the feed screws.Each had it`s own application and function and was chosen for the abilities that best met those particular needs.

[kerrystagmer]

Vactra #2 here as well. I have been told is a bad thing to use in the oiler on big air hammers like nazel. Something about compression in the primary.

For ways and everything else on mechanicals I'll stick to the way oils. Bar oils in a pinch, they are very similar

[clinton]

I use ATF on my mechanical hammer, I tried chainsaw bar oil one time and the hammer did not run well it got all gummed up and just ran sluggish. As for as what brand of oil I use what ever I find at yard sales they usually just give it away so the don't have to take it to a hazardous waste disposal site

[Frosty]

I use Stihl chainsaw bar oil, with a few oz of Duralube, 1/4 c or less/gl and it works just as well in my 50# LG as in my chainsaws. Minimum oil slinging and it's very high end lubrication. The Duralube is slick enough I don't have to do a warm up chain adjustment because the bar and chain hardly warm up at all. My power hammer moves very easily with virtually zero slinging oil, a little drip from the link arms or hammer guides is it. Moly grease where grease is called for.

Frosty the Lucky.

[David Browne]

Bar oil on the 100# Bradley babbitt and ram linkages. HD grease w/moly on the flywheel bushing and treadle linkages, Lithium on the idler pulley.

[Bob S]

I have used chainsaw bar oil but would NEVER USE IT AGAIN. I am in the process of cleaning 20 years worth of congealed bar oil from my 25 lb LG. It got to the point as Clinton says above that it "got all gummed up and just ran sluggish".

When I get it put back together I will use a light motor oil (or maybe ATF as Clifton said) and wipe the hammer down every week.

The mix of congealed bar oil and scale has to be scraped off. It will not yield to ordinary solvents.

Bob

ps. Whatever you use I think (looking back on it) that wiping the machine down on a regular basis is key.

[twcoffey]

On the tire hammer I use Clay Spencer's recommendation of Slick 50 for the hammer slides. On the rest of the hammer 30 weight non-detergent and Moly grease for the zerk fittings.

Ted

[mike-hr]

I use way oil, bought 5 gallons for the mill and lathe. I would like to interject into this conversation, I don't care what oil you use! Seriously. If you're squirting anything into all the leetle beety holes in your hammer where lube is supposed to be squirted every day while the forge is heating up, that's a whole lot better than thinking it only needs a squirt of oil every week wherever it's convienient. My hammer is over a hundred yrs old. I don't consider myself as using it up, i'm preserving it till my grandkids can work it. Okay, I work it hard untill the job is done, then i oil it some more. Sounds easy on paper, works good in practice, too.

[thecelticforge]

I have found a workable solution for the oil dilemma! Lucas hub oil mixed with non detergent motor oil. It makes the oil tacky and will stick to the parts while still being able to flow. You can change the weight of the oil to adjust for temperature. Just mix the oils together according to the directions and apply enough heat to be able to mix the oils together.

[Fe-Wood]

I use chain saw bar oil too because its cheep easy to get and is a bit tacky. I hate doing repairs though because it gets everywhere. Down side of the mechanical hammer!

[harrismetalsmith]

I use LOTSAOIL. Lol
Lots of oil. Seriously on my Champion #0 and #1 I go heavy with the oil. Much cheaper to take care of something than rebuild it. I've used little giants and they were more finicky about the type and location. With the arm clutch type hammers like Champion, I go to town with the oil. I use whatever is cheap and available. I have 3000 + hours on the #0.
I do like a thicker oil on the ways and non detergent.