Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Bridgeport way wear,lubrication fix

R Rogers wrote:

>Way wear is a concern with continuous duty machines especially under CNC control. They just move more. On my B'ports, the amount of lubrication from the Bijur oiler did not seem sufficient. As I've noticed with many B'ports over the years. There is a manifold under the saddle that has filters and metering valves, usually eight of them. And three more located on the knee. The look like a small fitting for the plastic tubing. I took all mine out and drilled straight thru them in the lathe. I'm not sure if this is the proper thing to do.
>

Of course it isn't. You have defeated the whole purpose of the system,
which is to apportion the flow to
ALL points. Now, ALL the oil goes to the one with the least
restriction. That is most likely the
ball nuts. The ways are running practically dry!

> But, my machines get plenty of way lube now. I'd rather have too much than not enough. The metering valve/filters become restricted over time. I think the idea was to pull the lubrication lever and it kept the oil weeping all day. When a way is dry, I want oil and plenty of it there immediately.
>
>

Yes, the orifices DO become clogged. You can buy them from Buijur, they
are REALLY NICE to
talk to, and will explain the whole system. the orifices have numbers
on them which tell how
much flow they provide, in 1:2:4:8.... fashion.

If the ways are in good shape, they will NEVER be dry. Also, most of
these orifices also have
check valves that prevent a siphon-down phenomenon between pump
strokes. What you have now
allows all the oil to drain back to the lowest point in the system,
which would be the knee. So,
aftert you let up on the pump, the oil in the tubes starts pulling back
from the table, then the
saddle, and it all runs out the knee ways.

Jon