Oil Injector

[rossbotics]

Every time I oil my equipment I always think that a special oiling apparatus for those spring loaded ball oilers would be great, I have made several different sizes of tips to fit the spouts on oil cans that worked ok but some of those spring loaded ball oilers can be a little difficult to get oil into, I needed more pressure to force the oil into the spring loaded ball oiler, kind of like a hypodermic needle.

Years ago I worked at Machine Shop and we had an oiler that was kind of like a hypodermic needle, it was about an inch and a quarter in diameter with a total length of about ten inches and had a tapered point that fit the hole in the spring loaded ball oiler, I never took it apart and examined the internal components but all you had to do insert the tapered point into the hole of the spring loaded ball oiler and give it a push, sometimes if you had the oiler a little crooked when you were pushing it would leak a little but it would still inject oil into the ball oiler, I have never seen an oiler like this since I left there, although I haven’t looked for one either but I’m sure somewhere someone makes these things.

This is my version of that oiler; it’s very simple in design and consists of only six machined parts with four O-Rings, I made the nozzle to fit the smallest ball oiler I had which also worked out for the larger ones as well, like I mentioned it’s just a big hypodermic needle that holds 3 ounces of oil.

Below you will find some photos of the machining process and the completed oiler being used.

As always Thanks For Looking

[mklotz]

I accidentally happened upon a commercial oiler that works very well indeed with those infernal spring-loaded balls. Shown below is the form of the tip and a shot of the writing on the side. I don't remember where or how I acquired it but I love it.

The tip pushes the ball down against the spring and oil is pumped past the ball. Since I can see oil being ejected from under the way wipers on the carriage when I use it, I know it's doing its job.

[aphilipmarcou]

Good instructional video and great fun to make. If one is impatient/in a hurry I suggest an alternative that I made using the sort of syringe that one doesn't want to see unless aneathetised : one of those heavy duty types used on horses etc. I merely made a brass nozzle shaped so that it depressed the ball in the oil nipple then would use the syringe to inject the oil. The brass nozzle is attached to a length of plastic tubing. In fact those big syringes are useful for many things around the shop, especially if you have a selection of various diameter needles.

[Ralphxyz]

I like the rigid spout instead of a flexible hose. I even like a angle on the spout some of my ball oilers I can't get to straight on.

another thing to add to my list!!

Ralph

[ncollar]

Doug
Thank you very much, I am not happy with my oiler for my Millrite and I believe that would fit the bill.
Again thank you
Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year
Nelson

[Al8236]

I knew that I knew you from somewhere ! Al Meyer

[yves78]

Thanks a lot to share informations about your build !

It's have the same oiling problem for my machines. I get a damaged bore at a gear on my 9x20 lathe, because the dedicated oiler is difficult to access behind a pulley, and was for sure not oiled as well as needed :-(.

I use a commecial pump similar to mklotz one, designed for grease rather than oil. But since there is no dedicated small ball in the cap to retain oil, when cap is in a lower position than pump body, like in picture 9, oil is pouring/flowing on the machine :-(.

Could you please tell us if you have such a problem with your design, or not ?

[NortonDommi]

Very nice. I've got a couple of those baby grease guns that come in truck tool boxes that everyone biffs because they hold so little grease and I've been meaning to modify one to work with oil for a couple of years now. Your post has reminded me of how much I need to do it.

[volodar]

Doug, very nice work. I bought a somewhat equivalent tool many years ago for little money but that uses grease instead of oil. lt operates on a similar principle as your machined one, but is spring-loaded so it can be pumped, and is made of stamped metal. Indispensable for greasing chainsaw bar-tip sprockets through the tiny hole near the sprocket. One keeps pumping until grease shows on the chain links. There are several versions on the market, from $5 at Home Depot to $65 from SnapOn.

Peter

[ncollar]

I knew that I knew you from somewhere ! Al Meyer

Hello Al
Yes I have been on this group for many years, kind of call it home. There are some very special members and I got to know some closer than my neighbors. It in my opinion it is one of the best on the net. Have a wonderful new year.
Nelson