Shopsmith Forums

Question 3 - Oiling, greasing, and waxing.....There is a lot of information about this topic online, but it's inconsistent. Could use some input on what others are using on the following parts:

3-1: Way tubes and contacting surfaces (assuming this includes all metal to metal contact surfaces)- light oil or paste wax?
3-2: Quill - nothing, medium-weight machine oil, lithium grease, or paste wax?
3-3: Spindle spline - nothing or light oil?
3-4: Feed pinion shaft -nothing or light oil?
3-5: Lock levers - nothing or light oil?
3-6: Speed changer pulley shaft - light oil or turbine oil?
3-7: Speed changer pulley assembly - lithium grease?
3-8: Motor - nothing?
3-9: Painted surfaces like the headstock - if I'm keeping the original paint....wax?
3-10: Any other locations that need oil, grease, or wax?

I still have ways to go before I get to oiling things, but it would be nice to know what I will need to buy.

joebob80 wrote:Question 3 - Oiling, greasing, and waxing.....There is a lot of information about this topic online, but it's inconsistent. Could use some input on what others are using on the following parts:

3-1: Way tubes and contacting surfaces (assuming this includes all metal to metal contact surfaces)- light oil or paste wax?
3-2: Quill - nothing, medium-weight machine oil, lithium grease, or paste wax? or graphite
3-3: Spindle spline - nothing or light oil?assuming nylon coupler see below
3-4: Feed pinion shaft -nothing or light oil?paste wax/graphite
3-5: Lock levers - nothing or light oil?graphite applied to threads and wedge bore/od
3-6: Speed changer pulley shaft - light oil or turbine oil?yes - they are the same thing
3-7: Speed changer pulley assembly - lithium grease?light oil(#10)
3-8: Motor - nothing?yes
3-9: Painted surfaces like the headstock - if I'm keeping the original paint....wax?yes
3-10: Any other locations that need oil, grease, or wax? all set screws benefit from a smidgen of paste wax on the threads.

I still have ways to go before I get to oiling things, but it would be nice to know what I will need to buy.

One person's opinion.

JPG wrote:

joebob80 wrote:Question 3 - Oiling, greasing, and waxing.....There is a lot of information about this topic online, but it's inconsistent. Could use some input on what others are using on the following parts:

3-1: Way tubes and contacting surfaces (assuming this includes all metal to metal contact surfaces)- light oil or paste wax?
3-2: Quill - nothing, medium-weight machine oil, lithium grease, or paste wax? or graphite
3-3: Spindle spline - nothing or light oil?assuming nylon coupler
3-4: Feed pinion shaft -nothing or light oil?paste wax/graphite
3-5: Lock levers - nothing or light oil?graphite applied to threads
3-6: Speed changer pulley shaft - light oil or turbine oil?yes - they are the same thing
3-7: Speed changer pulley assembly - lithium grease?light oil(#10)
3-8: Motor - nothing?yes
3-9: Painted surfaces like the headstock - if I'm keeping the original paint....wax?yes
3-10: Any other locations that need oil, grease, or wax? all set screws benefit from a smidgen of paste wax on the threads.

I still have ways to go before I get to oiling things, but it would be nice to know what I will need to buy.

One person's opinion.

You beat me to it. I would have said exactly the same thing except for 3-3. There is no nylon coupler in the Model 10's. It is just a metal on metal spline connection. So light oil would work fine. Just a very small amount.

As I said before the Model 10 manuals are 70 years old. Much has change with lubricants in the last 70 years.

The manual did recommend grease on the spindle/drive sleeve splines.

Thanks for the input and pointing out to wax the screws/threads.

jsburger wrote:

JPG wrote:

joebob80 wrote:Question 3 - Oiling, greasing, and waxing.....There is a lot of information about this topic online, but it's inconsistent. Could use some input on what others are using on the following parts:

3-1: Way tubes and contacting surfaces (assuming this includes all metal to metal contact surfaces)- light oil or paste wax?
3-2: Quill - nothing, medium-weight machine oil, lithium grease, or paste wax? or graphite
3-3: Spindle spline - nothing or light oil?assuming nylon coupler
3-4: Feed pinion shaft -nothing or light oil?paste wax/graphite
3-5: Lock levers - nothing or light oil?graphite applied to threads
3-6: Speed changer pulley shaft - light oil or turbine oil?yes - they are the same thing
3-7: Speed changer pulley assembly - lithium grease?light oil(#10)
3-8: Motor - nothing?yes
3-9: Painted surfaces like the headstock - if I'm keeping the original paint....wax?yes
3-10: Any other locations that need oil, grease, or wax? all set screws benefit from a smidgen of paste wax on the threads.

I still have ways to go before I get to oiling things, but it would be nice to know what I will need to buy.

One person's opinion.

You beat me to it. I would have said exactly the same thing except for 3-3. There is no nylon coupler in the Model 10's. It is just a metal on metal spline connection. So light oil would work fine. Just a very small amount.

As I said before the Model 10 manuals are 70 years old. Much has change with lubricants in the last 70 years.

Yes it finally dawned on me that we were referring to a '10', but I got busy with other things and did not get back to correcting that.

I think If I were looking for a substitute for grease, I would use stp or bar oil.

When the Model 10's were being made the manual recommended using a light coat of oil. Oil attracts dust and using the Shopsmith can make a lot of it so oil on exposed surfaces is not a good idea. You would be cleaning it off and redoing it every time you finished using your Shopsmith for the day. Later, with the Mark 5, Magna recommended the use of paste wax as a protectant and lubricant. Attached is a PDF manual supplement for the Model 10's adapted from the Mark 5 manual. It and the answers JPG gave you will work well for you.
So pretty much any of the bare metal parts will benefit and as JPG suggested set screws will benefit too. Can help avoid a stuck set screw like the one you had in the arbor.

Thanks for the pdf Russ.

Update -

Took a closer look at the motor and noticed the cord differently needs to be replaced (making a cracking sound when I bend it). Glad I didn't test it before checking everything.

While removing the old cord, I noticed the soldering looked a little messy. I'm not an expert, but have rebuilt enough vintage audio equipment to know the difference. Does this look factory? or think some work was done to the motor?

joebob80 wrote:Thanks Russ. That is nice simple and complete pdf that answers all my questions about waxing and oiling the 10er.

Update -

Took a closer look at the motor and noticed the cord differently needs to be replaced (making a cracking sound when I bend the card). I'm glad I didn't test it before checking everything.

While removing the old cord, I noticed the soldering looked a little messy. I'm not an expert, but have rebuilt enough vintage audio equipment to know the difference. Does this look factory? or think some work was done to the motor?

It's not letting post pictures right now.....

The post in this link will help walk you through the process of posting pictures.
https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/comm ... 19246.html

Thanks Ron, but I'm assuming it was a server issue. It's letting upload photos now.