Can I use 3 in 1 oil for lubricating the axis?

[peetersm 124]

 

 

Also don't oil the Z pillars, ( unless you have really high spec bearings ). Oil on these makes the bearing balls slide, not roll.

 

All the UM official documentation clearly states that you SHOULD oil the z shafts,  but not the z screw which requires green grease.

 

Really? Please link/photo/screenshot

 

well...I just followed the link YOU provided in this thread, see image below, I have highlighted the text in question.

Also this same official UM page has a link to fbrc8 instructions. I have put the screen shot here highlighting the text.

Maybe there is another place where UM says other wise? Have you read some where that UM recommends not to put oil on the Z-shafts?

[neotko 1,418]

Well that sucks @peetersm I been reading over and over from users on this forums for almost 2 years that Z shafts should not get oil so the bearings of the Z roll instead of slipping. But if Ultimakers says so, dunno. Maybe @Sandervg can say more from Ultimaker info from their many engineers.

I know that the two printers I have with misumi bearings roll and move without any issue for now more than a year. And I never oil them.

[peetersm 124]

I think in practice the z-shafts and shafts that hold the print head need less oil as routine maintenance. I do feel like I am cleaning and putting oil on the X-Y shafts a lot, like every 10-15 print hours, because they start to feel "dry". But the z-shafts seem to be fine for months and keep their nice oily sheen, probably because they have so little movement compared to the X-Y shafts. also the bars that hold the print head seem to need less oiling, I'm guessing since they don't have the added rotational movements.

[SandervG 1,522]

I just checked with our technical support engineers, and they said the bearings are pre-oiled when they come from the factory. Initially, they don't need any additional oiling, but when you do maintenance, it can't harm to apply some drops of unilube sewing machine oil on them, which comes with the Ultimaker, if you feel the beds movement is becoming a little bit more stiff.

Basically, you can apply this oil on all smooth axles, and you should apply magnalube on the threaded Z rod.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Guest

[neotko 1,418]

Thanks for clarifying it @sandervg !

[yellowshark 153]

>>snip.

Offtopic. Also, anyhow, I wonder if to really get a linear bearing back to life, it might need vibration bath to fully take out the dirt from inside. Specially since umo+ bearings are quite poor quality (z at least).

 

I used to do a lot of RC 1/10 scale car racing and bearing maintenance was high up the list of maintenance to get that extra 10th second off the lap time. Now they were circular not linear bearings but I would have thought the principle was the same.

1. Clean the bearing. Ideally take a small container with a snap down lid to seal. Put some motor cleaner in the container along with the bearing and shake vigorously. Always amazed me how much crap was left in the cleaner. Take out the bearing and blast with compressed air. If the cleaner is dirty then repeat the process with new cleaner until clean.

OK so what is motor cleaner – cannot remember, just always bought it from a model shop. But it is not WD40, which leaves a residue and so is bad for bearings.

This is the type of stuff you are after https://www.modelsport.co.uk/schumacher-bearing-blaster-motor-cleaner/rc-car-products/23015

2. Oil the bearing. Basically any thin oil. Again I cannot remember what I used but I suspect it was proper 3 in 1. Basically any thin oil and of course sewing machine oil would be fine I think. Again a good model shop will have an appropriate oil.

3. With the circular bearing, say for a wheel, you could always turn it afterwards and feel whether the bearing was nice and clean without friction and ok to use. Maybe you would get a similar feel by pushing the shaft through the linear bearing but I have never been there so I do not know.

HTH

[smith59 0]

I think there may be some confusion - WD40 is a penetrating oil/cleaner and water dispersal *(hence WD) agent and is used on electrical (cars) to push water away where it is shorting the engine (traditionally sprayed on spark plug leads) and works brilliantly. Also good to a degree as a penetrating oil.

3in1 is a lubricating oil (yes there are other products in the range now that are spray cans etc - so to be clear I am talking about the DRIPPING OIL) and is fine for use on all your axes except the Z axix which should be grease.

So if you are spraying it - then NO - if you are dripping it then YES...