Oil for Heidelberg windmill in Australia

Hi letterpressers,

I’m new to letterpress and have recently picked up a Heidelberg windmill platen and working on cleaning it up and changing the motor.

Just wondering for all of you who use a Heidelberg windmill, which oil do you use? And where can I find some? I know the plate on the back makes some suggestions for oils to use, but since it’s so old I can’t source these oils.

I appreciate any help I can get with this.

Thanks

:)

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I also search oil for may new old Windmill… but i`m located in Europe… some drawing with all oiling point will also be very helpful

Hi, I have also just picked up a windmill and in the process of restoring it. Here is what I have compiled for my own records from this forum.

Heidlelberg recommend:
Mobil DTE Extra Heavy which is (FYI it’s now called Vacuoline 528)

Other custom recommendations:
(A) 30 wt. non detergent motor oil works great. I mix about 10% Lucas Oil Stabilizer with it. Works well in machines that tend to sit for a while between uses. The Lucas keeps a film of oil on the parts. Works great in an oil can as well.

(B) We use Mobilgear 600 XP150. It is a thick industrial gear oil that was recommended to us by the prior owner of our windmill and KS. It seems to stay put quite well and doesn’t fling too much from the gear at the left of the ink drum.

Red is daily, yellow is weekly, green is every six months. Oil goes into holes and nipples, grease goes into a recessed fitting using a conical-tipped grease gun (on cylinders, not sure if the platens have any grease fittings). In the US, the European oil-nipples are sometimes mistaken for Zerk grease-fittings (a bad mistake).

Turn the motor OFF, and turn the flywheel by hand. On the fly wheel, and looking down between the flywheel and the machine body, you will see a green nut that screams “OIL ME”. Take the nut out, and squirt a little bit of heavy weight in there. Torque the nut back in, and forget about it until next holiday season.

Hi, I am also finding out the same information and in the manual I have, it reads:
Shell-Mex & B.P Ltd: Shell Vitrea Oil 69
Mobil Oil Companies: Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy
Esso Petroleum Company Ltd: Esstic 65

I rang Shell Australia who informed me that the Vitrea Oil 69 is now the Morlina 150 and that I can get it from a company called Blackwood & Son. They are in every state of Aust. He also told me I need a iso 150 hydraulic oil. The only thing is that he told me they only sell it in 20 litres. Is this how you buy your oil?

I’ve been using Mobile Vactra Oil No.2. My presses are purring. I buy it in 5 gallons which lasts for years.