re-lubricating power tools - what oil to use

[spyghost]

hi,

i got some power tools here that have been sitting for quite sometime unused to the point that the internal oil is leaking outside the housing.

though they are still working fine, i would like to re-lube them internally. problem is i don't know what kind of oil to use. anyone knows? i am planning to use an sae90 gear oil. is this right or sufficient?

btw, those tools that i am referring to are bosch jig saw, bosch corded drill, and makita cordless driver/drill.

 

[tom slick]

They use grease internally, they are not sealed to use oil. I've used wheel bearing type greases for power tool repairs with no issues.

 

[spyghost]

if it were grease, then what kind of oil was it that dripped when the tools were on the cabinet for quite sometime. i traced it and i was certain that it came from the inside of the power tools. it felt like oil and it smelled like oil.

 

[tom slick]

Grease is oil with a thickener and when it sits for extended amounts of time the oil sometimes separates. The Makita cordless has nothing to re-grease internally. The Bosch corded drill will have a gear set with grease and the jigsaw with have a reciprocating mechanism with grease.

 

[spyghost]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
Grease is oil with a thickener and when it sits for extended amounts of time the oil sometimes separates. The Makita cordless has nothing to re-grease internally. The Bosch corded drill will have a gear set with grease and the jigsaw with have a reciprocating mechanism with grease.

that's odd, the cordless driver/drill that i got is the makita 6012d - quite old and was already discontinued. i just found it in the cabinet lying there "upside down." i immediately took it and saw the oiled/greased upper portion including the casing which was covered with that

 

[punisher]

Echo what tom slick posted.

I acquired some late'50's/early 60's vintage Craftsman and Stanley drills and saws a few years ago. I used the monster 1/2" aluminum cased drill and noticed odd sounds coming from it. I opened up the case and found the grease had become like a hard wax as all of the "oil" separated out of that ancient grease long ago. I cleaned and relubed, installed new brushes, new power cords and all is well now. All of the tools were oily around the edges of the gear cases.

 

[tom slick]

Sorry, I assumed you had a more recent Makita cordless, most of your style died long ago. There is a small gear set in the 6012d that you can grease.