If you run a Thompson without the two Mold Stand Oil Cups, you are one squirt away from spending the day disassembling the Vertical Mold Blade gibs and reaming typemetal out of long thin inaccessible passages.
The two oil holes which came equipped with Oil Cups are (1) the one on the front left of the Mold Stand through which the left and front sides of the Vertical Mold Blade are lubricated, and (2) the one on the back right on the Mold Stand through which the back of the Vertical Mold Blade is lubricated.
The first problem in finding replacements is one of terminology. The Lanston Monotype-Thompson parts list calls the parts you screw into these threaded holes "Oil Cups," and is consistent in this usage (it dates to the pre-Lanston 1925 manual, at least). The 1941/42 parts list calls them out as 54TC37 Mold Stand Oil Cup (short) [for the front left] and 54TC38 Mold Stand Oil Cup (long) [for the back right]. This is not modern terminology, however; parts of this form are now called "Oil Hole Covers." This usage is actually much more accurate, as these parts do not really hold any oil, but simply cover a hole. Inaccurate though it is, in order to be consistent with the Thompson literature I'll continue to call them "Oil Cups" here (unless making specific reference to modern replacements). When searching modern catalogs, though, it is necessary to use the modern term.
These "Oil Cups" should not be conflated with Sight-Feed Oilers.
NOTE: There is also a 54TC49, "plug (for oil hole)", which is also screw 2248. I have not yet identified this on the machine.
The second problem is that there is no exact match in modern commercial parts for the Lanston parts. One modern part is close enough, though.
The third problem is only a minor annoyance, really. McMaster-Carr carries Sight-Feed Oilers but not Oil Cups appropriate for this machine. MSC carries Oil Cups (Oil Hole Covers) but not Sight Feed Oilers.
The thread on both of my Lanston Thompsons for both of these Mold Stand Oil Cup locations is 3/8-24 UNF (or possibly a pipe thread in which 3/8-24 UNF happens also to work; it's hard to tell with pipe threads).
MSC calls their part which will work a "Threaded Oil Hole Cover." They supply these in Standard and Low Clearance styles (shorter). However, the only one they stock which has the correct thread happens to be a Low Clearance Style. This works great as a substitute for 54TC37 (front left), as even a low-clearance oil hole cover comes very close to interference with the screw on a Ludlow or Linotype Matrix Holder. The back right location was initially fitted with an oil hole cover which was about an inch high (54TC38) for easy access. I know of no exact replacement, but the MSC short one for the front works just fine for the back as well.
So this is MSC stock number 03242351, Threaded Oil Hole Covers, Low Clearance Style. 3/8-24 UNF, 3/16" thread length, 9/32 height overall. Zinc-plated steel. In early 2012 they're over $10/each, but that's cheap compared to the time it takes to ream out the oil passages.
What you receive in fulfillment of this order is Gits Manufacturing Co. part no. 00205, which is one of their Style O [that's letter O] Threaded Oil Hole Covers.
Gits does manufacture a longer oil hole cover, their Style B. They don't list any of these in 3/8-24, however.
See http://www.gitsmfg.com/gits-oil-hole-covers.htm
To the best of my knowledge, neither the Cam Shaft (a2TC1T) nor the Cam Lever Shaft (5TC1) have any Oil Cups.
Although it has two bearings, the Clutch Shaft (a10TC10) has but one Oil Cup. This is 10TC18 Clutch Oil Cup, shown on Plates 3 and 13 of the 1956 manual. It is the Oil Cup right next to the Handwheel.
Here it is on machine 12,492. I have no idea whether this is an original Lanston part or not.
The left side of the Clutch Shaft is oiled by the tube 66TC1 Oil Pipe (Short) (to Clutch Shaft Bearing).
To the best of my knowledge, the Clutch Shifter Rod has no Oil Cups. On my machine s/n 12,492, the two oil holes in the Yoke through which this Rod is lubricated are smooth-bored rather than threaded.
Only a single Oil Cup is called out in the 1941/42 parts list for the Friction-Wheel Shaft. This is 19TC1 "Friction-Wheel-Shaft Oil Cup." (It is the only member of part group 19TC.)
I believe that this Oil Cup goes on the left side of this shaft. Both of my machines are threaded for an Oil Cup at this location. The holes/threads on each machine are different, though.
On s/n 13,068, the hole is threaded 3/8-24 UNF. This accepts the same Gits 00205 Oil Hole Cover used above on the Mold Stand.
On s/n 12,492, the hole is smaller. It presently is fitted with an interesting side-feed revolving Oil Hole Cover.
The right side of this shaft (to which the Stop Motion Crank Disk a84TC6 is fitted) has no Oil Cup on my machines, and I don't think that one was ever fitted.
The Friction-Wheel Shifter (a18TC18) is supposed to be equipped with a grease cup (18TC19), not an oil fitting. It is shown on Plate 10 of the 1956 manual, but it is shown in isolation, not fitted to the machine. I can't find this grease cup on either of my machines. I think that it is supposed to go on a18TC18, the Friction Wheel Shifter, but I'm not sure.
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