On
3 February 2024 at 16:47 amgray Said:
Hi Bill,
The knee gearbox on the Centec, upon re-assembly i did pump grease into it. I had to meake a new shaft as it was bent and was binding the micrometer when i rotated the handle. Upon disassembly it was filled with grease which i duly refilled with grease, albe-it not Mobil BB. Is this correct?
Regards
Anthony
My 2B was ex university engineering dept. tech’s workshop and came with that knee gearbox greased.
Many years ago I bought a large tub of an aircraft spec ELF red grease, which I use for most things; it seems to work well enough.
From an addendum to the manual I found some time ago; I don’t know who wrote it
“Lubrication. All parts provided with oilers should be lubricated with Shell Vitrea 41 or near equivalent. Grease nipples should be lubricated with Alvania 3 or near equivalent. Oiling should be once a day and greasing done at 2/3 monthly intervals. The gear box oil in the 2A and 2B milling machine should be completely drained and refilled once every six months: remove the side plate which holds the two speed change levers and thoroughly clean out the gear box compartment – use a small powerful magnet to collect any metal “dust” which may have accumulated. It should be refilled with Shell Vitrea 41 and the side plate re-secured with a trace of nonhardening gasket cement.
If the machine is used in a location where there are wide changes in temperature during any 24 hour period change the gear box oil more frequently to remove water fom condensation – which forms on the inside wall of the housing and runs into the sump.”
From what I can make out the Alvania 3 replacement is Shell Gadus S2 V100 3
Vitrea 41 seems to be equivalent to Mobil DTE Oil Heavy, showing as out of stock at the moment, but the spec is there.
Personally, living in Sheffield, I just used to go to Pennine Lubricants and ask for an equivalent.
Bill