side rod lubricators?

[hoppercar]

while taking the side rods off my engine to do some repairs, I was wanting to look into something different for lubrication?....the small hole drilled in the rod, thru, the bronze, does a good job lubricating the pins.....but there also just big dirt collectors. ....was looking at McMaster carr for small oil git cups......but they just seem to large. thought about drilling them out slightly larger to maybe 1/8 th or so, and packing them with felt or cotton as a wick?.....any ideas out there ?

[ccvstmr]

Hoppercar...

You'll have to bypass McMaster and look elsewhere. They don't sell the smaller thread sizes. Sorry, don't recall where I got the oil cups I've been using...but I did get them from some place on the internet...and they were 10-32 threaded GITS oil cups. So smaller sizes are available.

Drilled the side rod for the oil cup thread and if memory serves, drilled a #52 hole thru the bushing to dispense lube oil to the rod pins. Better to start small(er) and enlarge as needed. Can always run a test...drill/tap/mount the oil cup on a rod or any piece of scrap metal and see how your lube oil migrates thru the delivery hole over time. Obviously, don't want all the lube oil to run thru the hole in a few moments.

Photo shows the installation of a GITS oil cup to a friends Mogul main rod. It's desirable to have the spring loaded cover open "in-line" with the rod. You'll have to "work the tap" in/out of the hole several times so the threaded hole allows the oil cup to tighten up in line with the rod. Hope that helps you. Carl B.

[BAdams]

McMaster-Carr part number 1229K12 are 10-32
https://www.mcmaster.com/1229k12

MSC Part #03242229
https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/03242229

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here is a tiny lubricator. They come in various sizes and have screw on lids. I was given some years ago but they may still be available or you could make them. I agree with you that an open hole is a dirt collector.
Jack

[ccvstmr]

Hoppercar...sorry, my bad! Yes, McMaster (and some others) sell the item you're interested...but they call them "oil covers" and not "oil cups".

If you find your way to the GITS website, you'll the 10-32 thread oil covers are listed as part #00102. Furthermore, if you check out the website for leonardindustrial.com...you can find the #00102's for $3.00 each instead of the $8 to $10 at the larger industrial supply house. At that price, might as well buy 2x as many as you need. Better to have and not need...than want and can't find! Hope this helps. Carl B.

[Bill Shields]

even then..pack them with felt....

[RET]

Hi,

In this application, why not use Jack's idea, but put grease in it instead of oil. In the "old days," they used to have grease cups which had a fine thread cap and every once in a while, you gave the cap a quarter or half turn to lubricate the bearing that the cup was attached to. Very simple, and it worked very well.

Its also a device that would be very easy to make and wouldn't look out of place on 1/8th scale equipment. 40 x 1/4" TPI would be about right for the thread on the cap, but even 32 TPI. (Model Engineer threads) wouldn't be bad.

This device has a number of advantages:
Simple to make, easy to use, keeps any dirt from getting into the bearing, new grease forces the dirt out of the bearing, etc. The real thing had a larger diameter ridge at the top of the cap. the ridge was knurled to make it easy to turn. All you have to do is once a year take the cap off and refill it with grease.

In the old days, they were smart too.

Richard Trounce.

[Soot n' Cinders]

American Model Engineering has grease cups like Jack has. I used them on the wrist pins and rod big ends on my shay, they do work really well. You can feel when the bearing is full as the caps get tight and hard to turn. I run the caps down till tight after each 2mi round trip on our railroad, doing this the wrist pin cups usually last 3-4 trips and the big end cups usually last 2-3 trips.

[utahwestie]

Hello My Friends
Here is a tiny lubricator. They come in various sizes and have screw on lids. I was given some years ago but they may still be available or you could make them. I agree with you that an open hole is a dirt collector.
Jack

Jack,
What size is the threads for that little beauty?

Ant.

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here is a photo of the oilers. The small one has a #5-40 thread and has an OD. of .187. The mid sized one has an #8-32 thread and has an OD. of .250. The large one #10-32 and an OD. of .312. I only have a few of each. They were given to me by Doug Alkire years ago. I imagine he got them from Coles, which is now unfortunately gone. It shouldn't be too hard to make some up if they aren't available.
Jack

[jkimberln]

Debolt Machine Co and American ME Supply both have the little screw down grease cups. There may be others too

[NP317]

I got my similar oil cups from American Model Engineering:
http://www.americanmodeleng.com/id32.html
I have the capped oil cups installed throughout my 2-8-2.
RN