Cross slide oil distribution...

[John Hill]

I don't know if this counts as an improvement or a serious mutilation of the machine...


lathe cross slide oil channels by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

I noticed when I took the cross slide off that oil was sitting on to top of the dovetails, no doubt some of it would have eventually made its way to the sliding areas but I think most of it was falling down into the feed screw space and finding its way out the bottom.  It only took a few minutes with the angle grinder, it will take longer to wash all surfaces (to get rid of any grit) than it took to make the channels.

[steamer]

John,

Not exactly sure what I'm looking at.   The top of the dovetails?

Dave

[John Hill]

Dave, those channels, right on top, that  I cut with an angle grinder...there were just a flat surfaces there before with puddles of oil sitting on them.

[steamer]

OK   the top of the dovetails.

Dave

[Dave J]

Something I have never seen before John.
If the gib doesn't sit lower than the groove you will need to slot the gib as well to get the oil over to the sliding surface on that side.

Dave

[John Hill]

The gib is slightly lower.  I thought about giving it a kiss with the angle grinder but thought better of it as I would hate to somehow kink or weaken the gib.