Before leaving the factory, every CA series lathe gets a thick layer of anti-rust grease applied to the bed ways and cross slide. The coating protects against corrosion during ocean freight, but it will clog the lubrication system if left on. Use a clean cloth and a mild solvent to wipe off all visible grease from the guideways, leadscrew, and sliding surfaces. Pay extra attention to the V-ways and flat ways – any residue left here will mix with the lube oil and cause accelerated wear. This step takes 15 minutes and saves you from a costly re-scrape later.

A manual lathe relies on a thin hydrodynamic oil film to isolate all moving contact surfaces and reduce wear. The CA series uses HL46 or HL32 hydraulic oil (viscosity 41.4–50.6 cSt @ 40°C). Pick HL46 for warm shops (above 25°C) and HL32 for cooler environments. Do not apply high-viscosity gear oil or solid grease on guideways. Heavy grease will block oil grooves, disrupt circulating lubrication, and increase operating power loss.

Lubrication schedule for a two-shift shop:

• Headstock and feed gearbox: forced circulation. Change oil every 50–60 days, but the first change after 10 days, the second after 20 days (to flush out assembly debris).
• Apron and saddle: same schedule. Drain the old oil, clean the reservoir and oil lines with clean kerosene, then refill with filtered oil.
• Always keep the oil level above the center line of the sight glass.

The CA series lathe is wired for three-phase power by default. A common mistake: connecting the phases in the wrong order. To verify: lift the spindle control lever upward to start forward rotation (facing the chuck, it should turn counterclockwise). If the spindle runs backward, swap any two of the three power wires at the incoming terminals. Then re-test forward and reverse operation. Do not run the lathe with reversed rotation. Once the direction is correct, you're ready to engage the feed and take the first cut.

The procedures above apply specifically to the CA6140, CA6150, CA6161, CA6166, and CA6180 models and gap bed lathe CA62 models. Other conventional lathes, like the CW series heavy-duty machines, have similar but distinct lubrication and electrical requirements. Do not mix the instructions – always refer to the specific manual for your model. If you're unsure about any step, contact JingOne's application engineers before powering up.