Beaver Milling machine runout

[andyf]

Darren, I think all that can be condensed down to a single word: EXPENSIVE!

[John Stevenson]

So Paul's ABEC 7's fitted in 1965 now have play, at what year did the unnoticed play exceed an ABEC1 specification?

Answers on a postcard please.

As a reference any named supplier of bearings like Nachi will not sell ABEC1 angular contact bearings as they know they have to do a far greater job as regards precision than a deep groove ball race.

ABEC1's are related to deep groove ball races that you buy for pence and fit to electric motors etc,

Quality suppliers like Nachi will only sell ABEC3 in angular contact series and whist what Forrest writes about bearings is correct you have to take into account what it's going in.
Today housing can be machines to less than tenths in climate controlled shops, advanced machine tools also built to fantastic standards ensure this.

Now rewind to 1960 and some dirty engineering shop on the wrong side of the tracks using WWII tooling to machine the next generation of machine tools. Were those housing really true and square, are all the spindles produced over a day from cold machine to hot machine exactly the same ?

Has the machine ever been abused, crashed, put away hot and sweaty with no oats in it's 50 years of life ?
The fitting of bearings is just as important as the quality, well fitted ABEC3's can be better than a set of ABEC 7's thrown in the hole.

John S.

[Darren]

Darren, I think all that can be condensed down to a single word: EXPENSIVE!

(insert your preferred unprintable words here)


my version "oh dear, they just might be" more than the mill is worth I'd imagine at that rate.

[Darren]

Now rewind to 1960 and some dirty engineering shop on the wrong side of the tracks using WWII tooling to machine the next generation of machine tools. Were those housing really true and square, are all the spindles produced over a day from cold machine to hot machine exactly the same ?

John that has honestly crossed my mind too ...... I'm thinking ... "oh come on.....!!"

[John Stevenson]

When I got my Bridgy the spindle bearings were shot and knowing how expensive they were I decided to fit a decent set of bearings and replace later if needed, knowing I probably never would.
However the bearing stockist had a set of ABEC7's he's ordered for a customer who never collected so he sold me these very reasonable and I fitted those.
Never checked spindle run out and don't propose to but this old POS has worked every week for me and put bread on the table, often the floor as well.

I often wonder what the ABEC7's are now rated at, are they 5.5 or have they degraded to lowly 3 yet ?

It replaced a large Mill/ Drill you know the round column ones that everyone loves to hate, which incidentally just had two deep grove ball races from some unknown origin in SE Asia, but that still put bread on the table and floor.

It makes you wonder doesn't it ?

John S.

[Darren]

Yes John you have made me start to wonder if I'm being too fussy?

I have my son here over the Hols and have been spending time with him in the workshop. He's 15 an has taken to the 1024 lathe like a duck to water making some small parts for his car. I have tried to inc a few different types of turning jobs and he's loving it. Later we are going to pick up some wheel spacers and turn the thickness down. (show him how to use a dial gauge at the same time)

Suffice to say the miller bearings will have to wait for the moment, no rush anyway. I need to concentrate when tackling those.

But your writings are making me think twice, this miller would be fine in a normal workshop I'm sure. But you know how we home guys can be .... pedantic !!

Though I will say this thread has been interesting and I sure have learnt a lot about bearing types and how they are used/set-up.

If anyone has anyone has more info to give please keep it coming .... 

[Darren]

I often wonder what the ABEC7's are now rated at, are they 5.5 or have they degraded to lowly 3 yet ?


John S.

John this line threw me at first, but this morning it dawned on me what you meant by it. i.e. the 7 grade bearings have degraded in your machine to ??? but are still doing a fine job ....


It has crossed my mind that the cheaper mills and lathes that many have (and I have owned) could not have the high spec bearings due to costs.

It simply would not be viable due to the retail value. But they machine just fine.

Heck I put new bearings in my 7x12 lathe that cost about £15 for the pair, not £400 ....!!


Some reality checks need to be made here me thinks .... I would like a nice expensive flash car, but a 10yr battered one still drives perfectly ...