Oak Bearing replacement

[printcom]

Hi Chaps,
I have a 10ft Ballast roller that uses Oak bearings, I am sick of replacing these so I thought I would make some up of of plastic.
Two questions, is it a good idea and whats the best stuff to use.

 

[Dee J]

Why do the wood bearings fail so quickly? Is the shaft surface damaged? Need to fix that first to make any bearing last. After that, plastic or wood should work fine if kept lubricated

 

[printcom]

No damage to the shafts, they just rot or in this case split. Trouble is I leave it out over the winter and they don't seem to make Oak like they used to. This almost a bi yearly occurrence.

 

[brightspark]

No damage to the shafts, they just rot or in this case split. Trouble is I leave it out over the winter and they don't seem to make Oak like they used to. This almost a bi yearly occurrence.

its grown and seasoned not made

 

[8ob]

They still make brake shoes for trains out of Poplar and some other timbers, worth watching the video because the timber goes through a process before its suitable.Perhaps make the bearings out of this.

Go full screen or you wont be able to read the sub titles.

 

[Gareth0123]

Years ago where I did my apprenticeship we boiled up wooden bearings for Combine harvester straw walkers and baler ram slides with linseed oil......... In old 5 gallon Hy-Tran tins over a pallet wood fueled fire.

 

[Gareth J]

Hmm, I'm no expert but something must be amiss. We've an old ballast roller here (and a nearly new one) that is used annually for 10s of hours. Left outdoors among the stinging nettles and brambles and not particularly well looked after. I don't think I've ever replaced a bearing block. Honestly the old one is that old the tanks have been welded up a couple times and the frame has needed attention too. No trouble with the bearings though.

There are grease nipples which I cleared out years ago at the grease wasn't getting anywhere near the shaft. But I bet they're bunged up again.

Can you post a pic?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Use Popular wood, steeped in Linseed oil. Not the boiled stuff.

Oak was used when Popular was hard to find. So oak from the continent was used.
Nasty stuff.
Fast grown and badly seasoned.

 

[Bill Edwards]

I would think the original bearings would have been very well treated with something such as creosote, special oil or whatever. And I don't mean dipped in the stuff but boiled or done with pressure etc. There can be a massive difference in how these things are done, look at a 12" telegraph pole that's been cut and it's treated nearly all the way through, the creosote goes in several inches. Paint it on a post yourself and it only goes a couple of mm!

I'm in the same boat myself, needing to replace at least one wooden block bearing. I'm thinking of using one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metric-Im...hash=item2edf7abf97:m:mfcZtDfPGvjnW7laIt92Khg instead.

Or, with a little fabrication one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UCF-SF-Mo...hash=item2378929d5b:m:mJsh1CT57Rw-Hl18zBok-jg would be much stronger.

They're cheap enough I think they're probably worth a try - make sure it fits the shaft, drill two holes and job done.

 

[8ob]

Mine are still alive after ten years, dont know how because the kids roll the fields with my old 90 and they can get that into top gear

Bob

 

[Screwdriver]

Might it be a candidate for a babbitt type bushing?

 

[Maker]

Might it be a candidate for a babbitt type bushing?

Beat me to it, I was just looking for a link.

As I've found it now, here it is;

 

[Screwdriver]

Like me then, you probably just want to see someone have a go.

 

[Agrismith]

I cant remember exactly but i dont think out is the correct wood for roller bearings
They need a very twisted grain to stop it splitting easily along the grain but cant remember what it was
Something begining be b i think

 

[brightspark]

I cant remember exactly but i dont think out is the correct wood for roller bearings
They need a very twisted grain to stop it splitting easily along the grain but cant remember what it was
Something begining be b i think

iroko has random grain

 

[Bill Edwards]

Mine are still alive after ten years, dont know how because the kids roll the fields with my old 90 and they can get that into top gear

Bob

It's had the bearing(s) go at some point

Looks just like my machine.

 

[nick952]

I thought they used Lignum Vitae for the bearings.

 

[Gareth J]

Yikes there are some outta the box ideas flying around! Let's not forget that this isn't a precision tool and it very likely that the shaft end will be that rusted and worn, anything with a tighter tolerance than a bit of wood will be destroyed in no time.

I'll take a couple pics of the two we have here when it's not raining (one is the same as that blue one above).

In the mean time, why not phone up twose of tiverton. That's who we bought our new one from. Maybe they can advise or even supply ready made blocks. It may need to be something with a bit more give than oak.

 

[brightspark]

just out of curiosity why do they have to be wood ???

 

[graffian]

What about beech