# Oiling router bit bearings.



## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

All the router bit bearings that I have seen say the bearings are sealed but they sell oil for them. Do I need to be oiling my bearings or are they just trying to seperate me from my money?

Don


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I give a squirt then hand spin all bearings before use. I haven't had a bearing fail in 25 + yrs.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Ghidrah said:


> I give a squirt then hand spin all bearings before use. I haven't had a bearing fail in 25 + yrs.


Thanks for the help. What oil do you use?

Don


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't generally oil bearings for woodworking bits. I would rather replace a bearing from time to time than risk getting oil on the wood. When I did formica work we gave them a squirt of WD40 before sitting the router each time. It helped lubricate the bearing as well as help remove the contact cement. In the evenings we often put the entire bits in a jar with some light oil like three in one oil.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I just use pneumatic oil till there toast and put new ones on. Problem most use solvents to clean bits and this removes oil from the bearing.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Rebelwork said:


> I just use pneumatic oil till there toast and put new ones on. Problem most use solvents to clean bits and this removes oil from the bearing.


Rebel,
You're exactly right on this. 
Even WD40 which some swear by is just a solvent. It will actually clean what little lubricant there still is in the little bearing. 
But getting this point across is as hard as arguing with a man that never changes his oil on his truck and has 100,000 trouble-free miles on it. 
Hard to win our point.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Toolman50 said:


> Rebel,
> You're exactly right on this.
> Even WD40 which some swear by is just a solvent. It will actually clean what little lubricant there still is in the little bearing.
> But getting this point across is as hard as arguing with a man that never changes his oil on his truck and has 100,000 trouble-free miles on it.
> Hard to win our point.


Funny I just changed my oil this morning. Every 10k with wix filter and pennzoil. 280K strong:thumbsup:...


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Rebelwork said:


> Funny I just changed my oil this morning. Every 10k with wix filter and pennzoil. 280K strong:thumbsup:...


 @Rebelwork
Many years ago I went to full synthetic oil on my lawnmower and I change it only once a year. Amazing stuff for a little air-cooled motor only that's only 2 1/2" off the dirt with enough grass clippings to choke a Hummer down. 
But I know we're getting way off topic here.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Hawkeye,
I still have an old can of and still use Sandaro bearing lube, I don't believe they're still in business, think they were bought out by a company named Bostik. They retained the can layout but changed the name on it. Dimes to dollars sewing machine lube or a good quality gun oil would be just as good.


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