Ballnut lubrication

[Haydn]

I am trying invane to find a small quantity (1litre or 0.5l) of ISO32 or 24 bearing oil to lubricate my ballscrews. Anyone in the UK know of anywhere where I dont have to buy 20litres for £300?! I need oil that is not sticky like slideway oil as this can cause problems in the ball return tubes, not baby oil as one engineer offered me, and not hydraulic oil as another engineer recommended.

Any takers?

[NC Cams]

Shell Alvania #2 or Exxon Beacon 325 have been used as ball screw lubes. Alvania is sold in grease gun tubes which are quite affordable. Beacon's availability in small quantity would have to be investigated.

THe Beacon has a NLGI rating of 1.5 and is essentially thickened oil and not exceptionally tacky/sticky. Its white, opaque color is appealing in that it isn't "dirty" appearing as some brown/black greases can be.

[Haydn]

Thanks, but are these not greases? I need a low viscosity oil. My ball nut housings are designed to use oil rather than grease. One company recommended Castrol Magna 68, this is a slideway oil which is pretty sticky. The engineer who made the screws for me doesn't recommend it as it can interfere with ball recirculation.

[NC Cams]

Seems like your requirements are a bit oxymoronic.

You want a low viscosity oil but one that seemingly won't be sticky.

However, in order to keep the oil in place and lubricating where it is placed, you need an oil with some adhesive properties otherwise the low vis oil will run all over hell's half acre.

Yes, Beacon 325 is "grease" but grease is nothing but oil with a thickening agent which helps keep it put where it has been placed - sort of just what you're asking for.

Besides, both have proven effectiveness as ball screw lubes.

A decent "low viscosity" OIL (how low is LOW) is DEXRON III. Seems to stick well to stuff it comes in contact to/with and is not "sticky".

Both Beacon and/or DEXRON will out lube "baby oil" or some of the other lubes you've been pointed to.

BTW, spindle oil is light, thin and will creep into small spaces. It is usually not well fortified with antifriction or antiwear or anticorrosive agents (ala DEXRON). NOt real good, however for lubricating ball screws that may be in a negative clearance situation, however.

Asside from high buck, extreme stuff that you're clearly trying to avoid, you're probably going to have to willing to compromise to use more readily available, lower priced alternatives.

Pick one.... an alternative compromise, that is....