What oils to use and wicks?!

Hi guys,
Just wondering what oil to use for each part?
I got a Woosted wool kit for Xmas, tried to fit it and it's Drained the oil pots!
Is it the oil I'm using (lawn mover engine oil for now as it was it the workshop!) or the wicks?
Any advice and pics of what other have done would be much appreciated

Hi

The wicks are made like little rag dulls on mine and I use Hallett oils. The lawnmower engine oil is basically water to steam engines. Good for running in as it flushes through quickly. I don't remove the wicks between steaming as I prefer the after steaming drip through on to the dog training pads I use as drip sheets. This also confirms the action of the oiler wicks etc. 

There is lots of articals online that show how to make them. I use bare copper wire from Maplin. Think it is about 0.25mm or something like that. Don't use any hard metals as if the wick gets down to the bearing or shaft it will not score or gawel.

After discussion with Hallett technical department they recommended the following.
Hallett
Bearing oil. LB460C.   25l 
cylinder oil. SCO680CT. 25l. 

The bearing oil is a good "golden syrup" in thickness when cold.
The cylinder oil is like molasses. 

For cleaning I use 
Locoklean. 22. 25l.

As it is good for cutting through the oil and grime without damaging the paint.

I use all the same as Lynn,

the lococlean is great stuff - better than parafin

If its the kit from heritage steam you'll have enough wool for decades, I made that mistake, but I now happily hand out hanks for others when the need some. I found the wire a little thick for our engines so just ended up using the earth wire stripped out from some 1mm twin and earth cable from memory.

As for oil I've been using Morris Universal steam oil in both bearings and the lubricator for over 2 years now and I'm very pleased with it, saves having to worry about the two different types. There was a member here who did a london to brighton run on a 4" showmans and they used it on that run and they were really pleased with its perfomance over this epic continous run.

Lyn you did those really good close up pics once of some wicks, I cant seem to find might be useful to the OP

Found the oil dollies.

Road Loco

About half way down.

Ah for got you did it for Mikes Road Loco there was me hunting through Crystals build

at least you remembered that I did it in the first place.

lynnr wrote:at least you remembered that I did it in the first place.

Believe me a lot of what you do I watch very closely and learn from for maintenance purposes as a owner driver rather than a builder.

I regularly look and your posts Lynn when I get stuck. Sometimes takes a bit of time but know it's there somewhere on one of the two threads.

Thanks Lynn
Sorry for the late reply!!

Had to drain an axle box as was just drinking to the floor. Reseated and will put the right oil in and see how it goes.

Managed to get her in the garden in this heat so hers a few pics of my build so far 😁

Lovely and brings back fond memories of my build.