Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear
oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get
the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business
Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still
make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris

"Christopher Tidy" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear
oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get
the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business
Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still
make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris


Chris,

As far as I know, (Mobil) Vactra is still very much available. I checked
Google to see if I could find a source for you in the UK, but the two links
I tried failed to work. Perhaps you would have some success on your end.
Dunno.

I use Vactra #2 for both my lathe and mill, and recommend it highly. I'm
not sure if the #2 would be considered their extra heavy, however. It is
also available as Vactra #4. Either of them would likely be much better on
your machines, and would smell better for sure. I'm not fond of the smell
of gear oil. As I recall, Vactra is not very expensive, something like
$10/gallon in a 5 gallon container, but with current crude oil prices, all
bets are off. :-) 5 gallons would likely serve you for years. I feel
it's worth the money.

Harold

Christopher Tidy wrote:
Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear
oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get
the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business
Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still
make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris


Hello Chris,

TrAchem list Vactra #1 - #4 at around £33 for 20 litres.

www.oil-store.co.uk

I bought some oil from them a couple of years ago - no other connection...

BR Jez.

In article ,
says...

"Christopher Tidy" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear
oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get
the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business
Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still
make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris


Chris,

As far as I know, (Mobil) Vactra is still very much available. I checked
Google to see if I could find a source for you in the UK, but the two links
I tried failed to work. Perhaps you would have some success on your end.
Dunno.

I use Vactra #2 for both my lathe and mill, and recommend it highly. I'm
not sure if the #2 would be considered their extra heavy, however. It is
also available as Vactra #4.

Vactra Extra-heavy and Vactra #2 and #4 are not simply
different viscosities of the same lubricant, they're
different products. Why Mobil does this is beyond me, but
IIRC, there are also two different Mobil DTEs.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-
English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENINDMOMobil_Vactra_Oil_Numbered.asp

http://www.mobil.com/USA-
English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENINDMOMobilVactraNamed_DoubleLetterS
eries.asp

I think the EP90 would be a closer replacement for the
Vactra Extra-heavy than one of the numbered Vactras,
especially if this is for a gearbox. But if it's for the
hacksaw's external slides, I wouldn't hesitate to
substitute one of the numbered Vactras for the Extra-heavy.

Oh yeah, one more caveat, some EP additives are
incompatible with copper alloys. I do know that Mobilgear
is OK in that respect, so that would be another possibility
if this is for a gearbox.

Ned Simmons

Jez wrote:
Christopher Tidy wrote:

Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90
gear oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity
to get the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the
Business Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if
Mobil still make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be
happy to buy a 5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris


Hello Chris,

TrAchem list Vactra #1 - #4 at around £33 for 20 litres.

www.oil-store.co.uk

I bought some oil from them a couple of years ago - no other connection...

BR Jez.

Thanks, Jez. I'll call Mobil and try to find out which is the equivalent
of Extra Heavy.

Chris

Ned Simmons wrote:
In article ,
says...

"Christopher Tidy" wrote in message
...

Hi all,

I need to get some oil for my power hacksaw. The manual says to use
Mobil Vactra Oil Extra Heavy. In the past I've oiled it with EP 90 gear
oil, but now I've run out so I thought it was a good opportunity to get
the right stuff. I've called about a dozen suppliers in the Business
Pages, but I can only get equivalents. Does anyone know if Mobil still
make this oil, and if so where I can get it from? I'd be happy to buy a
5 gallon drum unless it's very expensive.

Best wishes,

Chris


Chris,

As far as I know, (Mobil) Vactra is still very much available. I checked
Google to see if I could find a source for you in the UK, but the two links
I tried failed to work. Perhaps you would have some success on your end.
Dunno.

I use Vactra #2 for both my lathe and mill, and recommend it highly. I'm
not sure if the #2 would be considered their extra heavy, however. It is
also available as Vactra #4.


Vactra Extra-heavy and Vactra #2 and #4 are not simply
different viscosities of the same lubricant, they're
different products. Why Mobil does this is beyond me, but
IIRC, there are also two different Mobil DTEs.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-
English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENINDMOMobil_Vactra_Oil_Numbered.asp

http://www.mobil.com/USA-
English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENINDMOMobilVactraNamed_DoubleLetterS
eries.asp

I think the EP90 would be a closer replacement for the
Vactra Extra-heavy than one of the numbered Vactras,
especially if this is for a gearbox. But if it's for the
hacksaw's external slides, I wouldn't hesitate to
substitute one of the numbered Vactras for the Extra-heavy.

Oh yeah, one more caveat, some EP additives are
incompatible with copper alloys. I do know that Mobilgear
is OK in that respect, so that would be another possibility
if this is for a gearbox.

Thanks for that extra info. It's for the bowslide - this machine has a
polyvee belt reduction instead of a gearbox. The bowslide is a hollow
casting which serves as an oil reservoir.

I looked at the links above. Presumably this means Vactra Extra Heavy is
still in production? A local oil supplier has an equivalent called
"Machine Oil 150" at a fair price (cheaper than EP 90, actually). EP 90
might have more uses if I buy a 5 gallon drum, but Harold is right, it
stinks! Why is that?

Best wishes,

Chris