Bearing Oil

[Andrew Gabriel]

What's a good bearing oil for a phosphor bronze (I think) bearing in a small computer fan? Would a tiny bit of car engine oil do?

[zymurgy]

Aren't these mostly 'sealed for life' ?

If you can get access to the bearing then use something light. Say sewing machine oil or 3-in-1.

Cheers,

Paul.

[nightjar]

Bronze bearings are usually intended to be self-lubricating. Oiling them runs the risk of oil + dust creating an abrasive mix that will quickly wear the bearing away. Powdered graphite is the best lubricant. However, if you must oil it, use sewing machine oil.

Colin Bignell

[Holly, in France]

I would use gun oil for this sort of thing, since we have it and since we don't have sewing machine oil, but I have no idea if they really are the same sort of product. And what about shaver lubricants, they are pretty light? Are there really big differences or is a light oil a light oil? Anyone know?

-- Holly, in France Holiday Home in Dordogne

[Andy Dingley]

"Small bearing oil". Needs to not go gummy with age (3-in1 is terrible for this) and mustn't contain solvents that annoy the plastic (some of the Teflon containing oils have additives to keep it in suspension which are a bit problematic).

I use "Finish Line", because it's what I use on my bike and it's handy. Break Free or Tri-Flow are useful too. If you don't have some, get a small bottle because this stuff is always handy.

Sewing machine oil would work fine.

Much too viscous

WD40 will work, if you're really stuck and it's what you have,

[Rob Morley]

I've used it in the past when I didn't have anything else to hand, and it seemed to work OK. I'd use it in preference to 3-in-1, which gums up quite quickly.

[The Natural Philosopher]

3 in one oil

[Rob Morley]

I've found it doesn't last well. Good for cleaning out the 3-in-1 before you apply some 10W40 though :-)

[nightjar]

You are thinking of the wrong type of clock. The ones I made were industrial timers, based on synchronous motors.

Colin Bignell

[Matt]

The last one I looked at was around 16 poles so 400rpm ish carrying next to bugger all load of any description but for some obscure reason those *do* get buggered if lubricated with light oil - probably I reckoned to the lack of sealing and a slighly dusty environment.

Anything much bigger like car radiator fan motors (and probably boiler fans) thrive on having the bearings soaked in a light oil for a few days.

[nightjar]

Creating an even suspension of lead in bronze is not that simple, so they are not cheap, or at least they weren't when I used them. I suspect that many plain bronze bearings these days are just that: plain bronze.

...

I don't have a motor to hand now, but it was either 1100 RPM or 1350 RPM. They were then stepped down to speeds between 1rpm and 1/12 rph, depending on the timing function they were required to carry out.

I think you have interpreted my warning that oiling bronze bearings runs the risk of knackering them to mean that it will, inevitably do so. It does not, it means there is a risk of doing so and I also speak from personal experience. However, I will admit that experience was quite a long time ago (there is not much call for electromechanical process control these days) and that much of the equipment I made probably was used in relatively hostile environments.

Colin Bignell

[Bob Eager]

And washing machine spiders...or so I was instructed.

[Mark]

Yes But....

Which was designed as a water displacer (WD) with F-all lubricating in it, even paraffin would be a better choice.

-

[Andy Wade]

nightjar Creating an even suspension of lead in bronze is not that simple, so they

'Twas ever thus, surely? The most common type is just sintered bronze alloy, impregnated in oil. The trade name "oilite" came to mind and Google soon led me to

following is copied from their standard range brochure which can be downloaded from OILITE bearings are impregnated with a highly refined mineral oil to ISO VG (SAE 30) having a high viscosity index and containing anti-oxidant, anti-rust and defoamant additives.

A replenishment of oil should be carried out after 1000 hours of use or yearly. These intervals can be extended for bearings with relatively thick walls and shortened for low porosity bearings. Bearings running submerged in oil or in oil-splash will not require replenishment.

A wide range of operating temperatures are [sic.] available. Please contact our Technical Department on [phone].

To prevent possible seizures with stainless steel or hard-chromium plated shafts, an addition of molybdenum disulphide to the impregnation oil must be specified.

Any particular application thought to be outside standard conditions should be referred to our Technical Department who can be contacted on:

[phone].

However, here are some basic rules:

1. Low viscosity oil for low temperatures, high speeds or light loads
2. High viscosity oil for high temperatures, low speeds or heavy loads
3. High viscosity index oil for wide variations in operating temperatures
4. Oxidation stable oils for long-period usage
5. Oil with ?oiliness? additives for boundary conditions
6. Oil of lesser ?oiliness? for full film (hydrodynamic) conditions
7. Oil with Extreme Pressure (E.P.) additives for very heavy or shock loads