Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2016 19:37:36 GMT -5
Do new pillow blocks need lube?
Or factory lube already applied?
Yes, this means I will soon have a tumbler running!
And sphere machine grinding.
Woot!!
ETA and what grease to use?
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
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Post by ziggy on Nov 3, 2016 21:23:58 GMT -5
Do new pillow blocks need lube? Or factory lube already applied? Yes, this means I will soon have a tumbler running! And sphere machine grinding. Woot!! ETA and what grease to use? If they come with grease fittings, then they will need greased before using. Use any general purpose industrial and automotive NLGI 2 grease (lithium based). Only fill until evidence of new grease is seen exiting the bearing. Do not overfill. Overfilling causes excessive heat and grease churning. This is advice from my hubby who built machines for a living and installed and lubricated brand new pillow blocks every day.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2016 21:28:59 GMT -5
Yep. I went all out and bought the self centering with zerk fittings... ($17ea prolly Chinese, heavy solid cast frames) Thanks my new e-friend.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on Nov 4, 2016 0:13:46 GMT -5
I've never seen a new pillow block come in dry [22+ yrs. sawmill millwright and what I've done at home], if there's any doubt, take the zerk fitting out and have a look down the hole. Perhaps the gentleman who always relubed has a particular preference to a specific lube.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 4, 2016 7:27:45 GMT -5
I'm betting that when Shotgunner says there were zero fittings, he means that there is no place to screw in a zerk fitting even if he had one. If so, he has a sealed bearing that should need no lube, until it fails from lack of lube.
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
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Post by ziggy on Nov 4, 2016 8:25:05 GMT -5
I've never seen a new pillow block come in dry [22+ yrs. sawmill millwright and what I've done at home], if there's any doubt, take the zerk fitting out and have a look down the hole. Perhaps the gentleman who always relubed has a particular preference to a specific lube. Depends on who the manufacturer was and how the bearing was ordered. The last two my hubby bought came with the zerts in a little baggy and with a spec sheet stating they were not factory lubricated and stated what type of grease to use. Hint, if it comes with the zert already in, it is most likely lubed. If you have to install the zert, lube it too. I guarantee, no manufacturer is going to ship lubricated bearings with the zerts not already installed as to do so would allow the possibility of contamination of the grease as well as leakage and possible melt out if for some reason they were allowed to get hot. BTW, in my husbands former job assembling machines, his company (Glassline Inc.) never bought pre lubricated pillow block bearings. The bearings they used sometimes needed a special type of grease, sometimes two different greases were used on the same machine depending on what they did and what conditions they operated under and even sometimes on what the customer wanted. If a machine was shipped without every fitted bearing being lubricated, someone there would lose their job, guaranteed. Then, they would ship the machine and it would run great until the factory millwright (usually down in Mexico) re lubricated with the wrong (and most likely contaminated) type of grease or until it wore out from lack of maintenance. Below is one of the windshield screen printers that my husband specialized in building. This one machine uses at least 40 or 50 different pillow blocks. All needed to be lubed after installation. He started with the frame of the machine supplied by the fab shop and a box full of parts supplied by the machine shop and vendors, and assembly drawings from the engineers. The machine when done had to pass a repeat-ability test where the windshield had to land in the exact same spot on each cycle, which is no small miracle considering that the machine used vacuum cups for holding the glass which was picked up and put down as well as moved horizontally. Windshields are big and heavy. The machine is large enough to fill a large living room. The fact that he bought sealed pillow blocks makes all these technicalities a moot point. They will be fine until they fail. If the bearings he bought were sealed and not able to be lubricated, why did he ask what kind of grease to use?
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quartz
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breakin' rocks in the hot sun
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Post by quartz on Nov 4, 2016 11:02:05 GMT -5
Excellent explanation ziggy, thank you, often bearings in a certain environment do last better with a specific grease, and I think some O.E.M.'s probably don't use the best of lubes in them at the build point. I didn't know they could be ordered dry, but at the mill it all came from the same supplier, and our requirements weren't as picky as some places have to be.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 13:18:53 GMT -5
I'm betting that when Shotgunner says there were zero fittings, he means that there is no place to screw in a zerk fitting even if he had one. If so, he has a sealed bearing that should need no lube, until it fails from lack of lube. Actually that was the damned ipda respelling my word. They have zerk fittings! Ill be putting some lithium grease in there. Thanks to all. Tom, sorry for the cornfusion this ipda drives me crazee!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 4, 2016 13:45:38 GMT -5
The ipda can't even get that right, how ironic.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 15:26:56 GMT -5
The ipda can't even get that right, how ironic. Lmfao! So true.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 4, 2016 16:45:59 GMT -5
As the kid that came home from school, changed clothes quickly, and scrambled to the field so I could pump the grease gun as my dad crawled around underneath the combine, cornpicker, or other machinery with the business end of the grease gun, I do ... understand what grease is for and to use it often. One caution is don't force too much grease into those zerks, a little bit once a week or month is probably better than a bunch at one time that may blow out seals that are there for a purpose. I've got sealed bearing on bike wheels, and on other equipment so indeed they exist, and you could have bought some that lacked lubrication ports. To your credit you did not. Cheers.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 17:48:30 GMT -5
As the kid that came home from school, changed clothes quickly, and scrambled to the field so I could pump the grease gun as my dad crawled around underneath the combine, cornpicker, or other machinery with the business end of the grease gun, I do ... understand what grease is for and to use it often. One caution is don't force too much grease into those zerks, a little bit once a week or month is probably better than a bunch at one time that may blow out seals that are there for a purpose. I've got sealed bearing on bike wheels, and on other equipment so indeed they exist, and you could have bought some that lacked lubrication ports. To your credit you did not. Cheers. See you in Q?
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 4, 2016 21:44:37 GMT -5
@shotgunner is there a 2017 Q thread yet? Nevermind, I'll google that myself. I always get prelubed pillow blocks or flange bearings and I still give them 1 pump with the grease gun after installation. Main reason is I look for non-chinese old stock and as such they've probably been in storage for a lot of years.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 22:21:47 GMT -5
No, but maybe we should make one! Thanks for the advise. I need to buy a gun and a tube of grease. Mine are chinese. Will assume they cheated and under lubed. Light at the end of the tunnel. Next question is going to be about belts. I have found a v belt calculator online. What kind of store/vendor has a wide selection of v belts? And how are they spec out? I have seen chatter about link belts too. Any advise on which way to go when building your forever tumbler? Rockoonz, quartz, ziggy, jamesp, Peruano, Garage Rocker
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Nov 4, 2016 22:31:11 GMT -5
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 5, 2016 0:40:08 GMT -5
I have been using the gates green FHP belts, I get them at oreilly auto parts but ace probably has them. Honestly, I haven't put a link belt on anything yet, waiting for a feed drive belt to go bad on one of the old HP saws but those green belts might outlive me. Gonna be in Qsite for 1 or 2 days on PowWow weekend if weather and Moms health permits.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 5, 2016 7:08:39 GMT -5
My homemade saw has bearings on both sides of the belts and hence when one of them eventually breaks it would mean a total removal of the arbor just to replace the belt -- except for the magic of link belts which can be built to various lengths and reconnected around such obstacles. I've never bought one (yet) but I will when the time comes (more expensive). I normal applications I like Rockoonz would prefer a normal v belt. Hardware or automotive outlets should meet any need you might have. Quartzite would be nice. I've only been to the rocks extravaganza once, but it was memorable for rocks and being able to see the faces of some of the voices on this forum. I'll have to give it a try if a 50th wedding anniversary trip to Argentina does not interfere. Before you congratulate me I should warn you its all been with the same wife. Some folks have had 4 or 5 spouses by the time they get to 50 years married.
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
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Post by ziggy on Nov 5, 2016 8:08:33 GMT -5
One caution is don't force too much grease into those zerks, a little bit once a week or month is probably better than a bunch at one time that may blow out seals that are there for a purpose. Words of wisdom. Most manufacturers recommend 40 to 50 percent filling is about the right amount of grease unless the bearing is water vulnerable. If exposed to water then you would fill 80 to 90 percent full. The one thing I have a problem with in these directions is how can one tell how full is 40 or 50 percent. My hubby just filled up the bearing until a little tiny bit oozed out. Pillow block bearings normally have metal bearing race protectors and not actual seals. They are meant to let overfilling be compensated for.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on Nov 5, 2016 10:24:42 GMT -5
NAPA auto parts store is the best source here for v-belt selection, seems like the best selection varies greatly depending on the business model of the individual store.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 10:30:25 GMT -5
Thanks evryone. Ill google 3L ad 4L. ππ½ππ½
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