Is there anywhere I can get the oil for the z plus without buying a gallon for $50
Or will I need a gallon ??
I bought a quart on ebay (US). That quart of Mobil Vactra #2 will last a lifetime. You can search for Bridgeport Slideing Ways oil which is the Mobil Vactra #2. The old Bridgeport lathes used the oil for its moving parts.
The cost on the link is $9.52 + shipping.
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Smaller volumes are available from some sellers — I don’t believe we have any users who quite need a gallon at a time.
Please check in at sales@carbide3d.com — hopefully we’ll have a Maintenance Kit for the Pro available at some point in time which will include a reasonable quantity.
I suspect you could get along just fine with a variety of lubricants found locally. The manufactures of my industrial machines spec a variety of performance oils for various load and rapids requirements. Despite that, they’ve got me using some readily available grease - ball screws, rails, and racks.
I did ask before about using dry oil like 3 in 1 make but was told no need to oil the lead screw
I have a s3 xxl that I added the z-plus too
Working on phone but looking for the instructions on how to oil and I seen the below, it’s a shame we live in a world where these disclaimers are needed
“ For the legally-obsessed out there, the Shapeoko, Carbide Compact Router, and cutter shown in the photo are not included with the Z-Plus. But you already knew that.
I shall stick with the oil Carbide spec for now as they built the ma home and should know best
That said any oil that works at low temperatures I would have been fine, have not looked at at the specs for the Mobil oil yet
Please note that the linear rails on the Z-Plus do want oiling, and for them, it is the Mobil Vactra No. 2 way oil which is specified.
Understood Mr Will
I noticed when I first got it as it moved up and down it left a slight film onto of the rails and below
That film is now not so pronounced now, it’s still there but not as much which is why I’m looking at topping it up
Now I do hear a little squeak every now and again as the z axis moves 900% sure it’s from the lead screw but as it does not need dry oil I will leave it alone
You can’t please everyone but a maintain e kits with belts, wheels and nuts is great and I will be purchasing soon, would be great if it had oil too 
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So here is a loaded question that I may have answered myself in the earlier comments
How often do we oil, do we clean the film and wait for it not to appear? Once a month, once a year
All depends on usage but a a ballpark figure or timeline would be good
Really depends on your particular use case. Environment. What you are cutting. And how often you want to address it.
I lubricate my larger machines regularly, depends on use, but at least once a week. My Z’s are enclosed, so I only touch them for major services. Not so much a function of necessity when I am not cutting FRP’s, but good practice to keep hands and eyes on the hardware. As mentioned, I run grease. When servicing a bearing, I clean all of the balls and what not, and repack with grease. This works for me, I don’t have automatic oilers.
I’ve never done anything to the HDZ as of yet. Being a relatively slow appliance, I can’t imagine it needs much attention if kept relatively clean. As long as the rails have something developing on them, probably fine. The bearings have wipers which contain as much oil as possible(in the bearing) while resisting abrasive contaminates. Ways oils are generally oils that contain tackifiers to help them stick, like grease, and remain there. You don’t necessarily want your ways lubricant dripping from a vertical surface onto your work or into your cutting fluid.
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Thanks gdon
I ordered me some from eBay
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