#1 grease?

[Have Blue]

The Tree 2UVR manual specs #1 grease, but being a 50 year old manual, I'm not sure if 'modern' NLGI #1 grease is the same thing? I can't even find NLGI #1 anywhere - closest I can get is NLGI 1.5, and the vast majority of available grease is NLGI #2.

So what's the best modern grease for a Tree?

[mxtras]

What are you lubricating with the grease?

Scott

[Have Blue]

The variable pulleys, and I think there's a grease fitting for the knee screw as well.

[steveg]

is the tree a bridgeport clone ?
bridgeport specified Lubriplate #1 grease for the vari-pully
In fact the grease port is threaded so that a 1 ounce tube
would thread in and allow you to squeeze the contents right in

[NC Cams]

Try Beacon 325.

Commonly used "white" low viscosity grease that should qualify as NLGI 1. Even if it is 1.5, it should work well in a NLGI 1 application as it is pretty forgiving.

It's been used in everything from snowmobile track bearings to electic motors.

[daking]

"is the tree a bridgeport clone ? " steveg you should be banned from this forum. I'm just kidding but if you had ever used a Tree mill you'd understand. As far as grease goes, we have several Trees and we just use basic automotive type grease we get at the auto parts. Plain old wheel bearing grease, not the hi-temp kind. These machines are 35+ years old and still running fine. We have a Bridgeport thats much newer than the Trees but it never gets used because everyone likes the Tree mills so much better.

[Adobe Machine]

Automotive wheel bearing grease will work fine, but a warning...do NOT over lube the two fittings in the head or you will contaminate the varible speed belt. The only thing that is being lubed are the bronze bushings that allow one side of the driven and driving pully to slide on the steel shaft.Tree reccomended once a week, based on a 40 plus hour /week.One or two shots of grease should suffice as long as the lube path or fitting is not plugged.Don't forget the spindle bearings at least once or twice a week, as spindle repair can get real pricy.And yes, Tree mills are good , heavy smooth mills ,especially if maintenence is done on a regular basis.

[Have Blue]

About time I uploaded this - 3S provided me with the attached lube list for Trees.

[NC Cams]

#1 vs #2 grease grease fundamentals.

#1 grease is essentially "unrunny/thick oil" tha. It has a thickener but it will essentially "run" over time so as to creep back into a lube space via capillary action.

Or it will be more likely NOT to add extra friction at low temp or in start/stop situations where the oil in the grease can't get warmed up and flow more freely to where it is needed.

In a low clearance situation, #1 grease will lube better because it can/will flow into a thin, tight clearance space where #2 can't/won't. #1 will also have more viscous drag in a low/room temp situation than #2.

The thickener in #2 is just that, thicker/more viscous. Made for staying put and usually for higher loads and, specifically higher tempertures and somewhat higher clearances.

At elevated temps, the viscosity of the thicker lube will remain higher and thus the oil films will stay thicker to better support the applied load.

I dunno what's being lubed nor how critical it is BUT in some instances, simply adding thicker lube will RAISE the operating temp of the machine (more viscous drag generates more friction which generates more heat which means you'll break down the grease a bit faster due to heat than if you ran the recommended stuff). If the operating temp of the device does not get appreciably high, you MIGHT actually see more wear potential with thicker grease than thinner.

Why does 10W oil lube better in a cold started engine than 50W oil? Same sort of effect with #1 vs #2 grease.

[Adobe Machine]

NC Cams: The items being lubed in the head of that tree is the variable plates, IE the bronze bushings between the driven and driving shaft and their sliding plates.The shaft and plates rotate at the same speed,the lube only works to make speed changes easier, and possibly reduce plate noise.
Actually , #2 is better, as it "sprays" less and reduces contaminating the variable speed drive (large belt) it is a set up much like the Bridgies.The shafts are drilled and ported with Zerks at the end.Just a touch every week or so will suffice.
The knee needs the thickest lube you can find ( maybe marine wheel bearing grease ) as the knee is heaver than a bridgie ( and a PITA to elevate without regular lube )

Adobe ( old as dirt )

[Dyad1]

Hey Adobe, I am a bit puzzled. What are you refering to ? Are you maybe refering to the oil cup on the side of the quill housing? Thought that was only for the quill to housing lube.[quote=Adobe Machine Don't forget the spindle bearings at least once or twice a week, as spindle repair can get real pricy.
[/QUOTE]

[Adobe Machine]

Dyad1: Check out the chart that Have Blue provided ( Thank you, Have Blue, that is a very important chart)they refer to a " Spindle driver, remove plug and lube with 20 wt."
Some Tree models, and some upgraded bearing sets use an open bearing for the spindle, or possibly shielded , I have seen both. When you remove the small pipe plug right in front of the guill, by putting lube ( 20 wt ) it will lube the 4 spindle drivers and the spindle bearings.(If they are not the sealed type )
If you do not have a parts book for your machine, call 3 s at 414-570-9530, and ask them for a parts book. The parts book has the lube locations in the front of the book.
When I retrofitted my Tree Mill to 3 axis CNC, I hooked the 2 quill oil locations to a manual Bijur pump I bought from ENCO..pretty cheap and it works, that way I should never hear that terrible screech of a ruined spindle, and the spindle drivers are always lubed.( the little spindle drivers and 2 axels are just really pricey also)
Hopes this helps, E mail me if you still have questions.

Adobe (old as dirt )