[CNCer__]

I spend 2 days on inspecting the oiling system on my new PCNC 1100. One of the x-axis slideways was completely dry, doesn't matter how much of oil I was pumping through the system. After an arduous investigation of the installation under the table, I've decided to remove the table. ...and shock!, the oil passage in the casting was not drilled through.
This machine pass 24hrs factory continuous running test. Can somebody with an experience tell me if the continuous dry movement over 24hrs can affect the sliding surface (Turcite) life?
The Tormach Technical Support Manager told me that the oil for slideways is provided externally (not through oiling system) for the factory test and the life of my Turcite will not be affected. When I asked how, just by wiping? ...he confirms this. I didn't argue with him as I don't have an experience in this matter. However, I'm still wondering how the oil can get under the sliding surfaces when is applied this way?

Video:
Blind Oil Passage Test

Image:

[popspipes]

That is the same passage I am having trouble with! This did work to my recollection originally.

I cant get too it without taking the stepper and adapter box off so I can move the table farther over to remove the fitting.

I frequent a shop that has a Haas machine and it gets greased manually.

Our bottling machines from years back had these auto oiler systems on them and they were a constant problem

[CNCer__]

Manual oiling is fine as long you are using the original lubricate installation. Wiping with oil externally sounds a bit weird to me, even for a 24 hours run. Anyway, I finished the drilling operation of the oil passage on my own and it's working fine now. However, I'll never ever buy any Chinese machine again for a commercial use!

[SCzEngrgGroup]

It is very common on these machines to have oil pumped to the horizontal ways, then simple gravity-fed to the dovetail surfaces through drillings in the horizontal ways, exactly as your photo seems to show. This works just fine, as long as the holes are not plugged. Oil will always take the path of least resistance, so it will find it's way down the hole, into the dovetails, as long as there is enough oil present in the horizontal oil grooves. Motion of the table/saddle will also help "pump" the oil throughout. Unless you see some indication that oil is NOT getting down there, I would not be concerned about it. Every machine I've owned has worked like that, and I've never had a problem with wear or loss of precision on any of them.

Regards,
Ray L.

[CNCer__]

Ray, when the oil installation is connected to the BLIND HOLE in the casting we cannot talk about any amount of oil properly delivered by pumping, gravity-fed, etc. So it wasn't made like that by the design, just somebody in China did not have the time or desire to finish the drilling operation.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray, when the oil installation is connected to the BLIND HOLE in the casting we cannot talk about any amount of oil properly delivered by pumping, gravity-fed, etc. So it wasn't made like that by the design, just somebody in China did not have the time or desire to finish the drilling operation.

So those are two partially-drilled holes that do not connect? Odd....

Regards,
Ray L.

[popspipes]

I had to make a new Banjo bolt, those have to be snugged rather gently ha!
My cavity is open thru to the banjo bolt.
There is no oil coming thru the line, now the trick is to find where that line goes??
I have went thru everything I have and cant find a drawing on the oil lines, so I think some red tranny fluid forced in thru the banjo end of the line to try to find where its broken or plugged.
I will make up a fitting for it, this project may take days instead of an hour or two ha!!

thanks for the pic!

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Most common failure is a blocked metering valve. Those little brass fittings screwed into the manifold that the oil lines attach to contain a check valve, and a metering orifice, to meter the oil flow, and allow it to be balanced between the circuits. The orifices are VERY easy to clog, and once clogged nearly always need to be replaced. After having failures on all my previous machines. I re-plumbed my current machine to have NO valves. I ran a separate line from each oiling point to a 14-way selector valve, so I can pump pressurized oil to each circuit individually.

Regards,
Ray L.

[CNCer__]

So those are two partially-drilled holes that do not connect? Odd....

Regards,
Ray L.

Yep, quite odd. More precisely the bottom side hole (oil in, where the oil connector is attached) was blind and not connected with top hole (oil out for slideway) and top side hole (oil out for dovetail).

[pickled]

Blind holes where a 3" long passage should be? It maybe time to have the production and inspection crews collective eyes examined because one would have to be blind to miss that. That's really too bad.

[GLCarlson]

Most common failure is a blocked metering valve. Those little brass fittings screwed into the manifold that the oil lines attach to contain a check valve, and a metering orifice, to meter the oil flow, and allow it to be balanced between the circuits. The orifices are VERY easy to clog, and once clogged nearly always need to be replaced. After having failures on all my previous machines. I re-plumbed my current machine to have NO valves. I ran a separate line from each oiling point to a 14-way selector valve, so I can pump pressurized oil to each circuit individually.

Regards,
Ray L.

Those metering valves do plug up and if there is one in the line -not all lines have them- that would be my first suspect in a previously functional oiling system. Tormach recommended an overnight soak in WD40, or replacement. The WD40 treatment has worked on the one that was misbehaving on my machine.

[CNCer__]

Most common failure is a blocked metering valve. Those little brass fittings screwed into the manifold that the oil lines attach to contain a check valve, and a metering orifice, to meter the oil flow, and allow it to be balanced between the circuits. The orifices are VERY easy to clog, and once clogged nearly always need to be replaced. After having failures on all my previous machines. I re-plumbed my current machine to have NO valves. I ran a separate line from each oiling point to a 14-way selector valve, so I can pump pressurized oil to each circuit individually.

Regards,
Ray L.

Those metering valves do plug up and if there is one in the line -not all lines have them- that would be my first suspect in a previously functional oiling system. Tormach recommended an overnight soak in WD40, or replacement. The WD40 treatment has worked on the one that was misbehaving on my machine.

This is actually wrong thread, you discussing popspipes case from this thread:
1100-series 3 oil passages drawing



My issue is already diagnosed, see this video (2 oil outs not connected with oil in):
Blind Oil Passage - Video

and image:
Attachment 335238

[CountrySmith]

I spend 2 days on inspecting the oiling system on my new PCNC 1100. One of the x-axis slideways was completely dry, doesn't matter how much of oil I was pumping through the system. After an arduous investigation of the installation under the table, I've decided to remove the table. ...and shock!, the oil passage in the casting was not drilled through.
This machine pass 24hrs factory continuous running test. Can somebody with an experience tell me if the continuous dry movement over 24hrs can affect the sliding surface (Turcite) life?
The Tormach Technical Support Manager told me that the oil for slideways is provided externally (not through oiling system) for the factory test and the life of my Turcite will not be affected. When I asked how, just by wiping? ...he confirms this. I didn't argue with him as I don't have an experience in this matter. However, I'm still wondering how the oil can get under the sliding surfaces when is applied this way?

If this were my new machine, I would press Tormach for an extended warranty on the table ways. Say five years? Any damage done by not having proper lube for the ways may not show up for some time.

Given that the alternative is a replacement machine, I would think that option would be appealing to them.

From my interactions with Tormach over a number of issues, I would take any information given with a grain of salt. If Tormach doesn't run oil through the oiling system, how do they know it is properly functioning before they ship it out? As I recall,though, my oil reservoir was dry when I received my 770.

R J