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Thinner oil vs thicker oil in Swiss machines - my spindle temps changed big time over 6 months
I run a handful of Citizen L20s at a job shop in Cleveland. For the first 4 years I just used whatever coolant the foreman ordered, never thought twice about it. Then about 6 months back I switched to a thinner synthetic oil on a hunch after a buddy on a forum mentioned it. My spindle temps dropped by about 12 degrees Fahrenheit on long runs, and I haven't had a single thermal growth alarm since. But here's the catch - my tool life on stainless jobs seemed to take a hit, maybe 15% shorter before edge wear showed up. Now I'm second-guessing if the lower temps are worth the extra tool changes. Has anyone else run into this trade-off with thinner lubricants in their lathes?
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rayc898d agoMost Upvoted
...and it's the same kinda tradeoff you see everywhere in machining. Like how a lighter weight oil in your car gets you better gas mileage but starts burning off faster on a hot day. I'd stick with the thinner stuff for the spindle peace of mind and just eat the extra tool changes, less chance of a crash from thermal issues wiping out way more than a few inserts.
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tyler_white428d ago
Thinner oil might let you sleep better at night but thicker oil gives you a bigger safety margin when things heat up. Had a buddy run a Haas with thin way lube and had to replace the spindle cartridge after he ran it hard for four hours straight in the summer. The thin stuff just couldn't handle the thermal load and cooked the bearings. Plus those extra tool changes from running lighter oil add up fast, you are losing chips in the air way more often compared to just running a slightly heavier grade. Don't you think the spindle manufacturers spec things for a reason though?
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