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Making a special size ball bearing the fast and eazy way with pics

edwin dirnbeck

Hot Rolled
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Location
st,louis mo
In a previous thread I was asking for help finding a special size ball bearing . I need a 6005 metric bearing ,but it must have a 1 inch bore instead of 25 mm (.984 inch).None are available ,so I made my own.I chucked up the 6005 bearing in my 4 jaw chuck. I indicated the face and then the bore. I then more tightened only 2 oposite jaws .The bore still was centered and round but the outer race was distorted this prevented the inner race from rotating so that I could take light cuts with my carbide borring bar. I will now try to load pics. I hope this is helpful to others.






 
I agree with redlee. Distorting the hardened outer race on a bearing will likely leave it with some distortion, greatly reducing it's life.

If I had to do something like that I would have taken to my milling machine, laid it down on a couple of parallels or an oversized (but parallel) ring , clamped only the inner race, sweep it in with a "tenths' indicator and use my boring head to size it.

BTW, odd looking finish on that 4-jaw chuck. Looks painted silver.
 
You tightened it enough to lock the balls , might need a new bearing!

Maybe so...it would seem to distort the outer race permanently.

Maybe he can pinch the other 2 sides to loosen up the balls, then he will have a ball bearing that doesn't turn smoothly! :rolleyes5:

There is a chance the race popped back to shape, I have no idea, as will anyone else with the information given. But I would also question how much you took off the inner race, they are not that thick to begin with, and it would appear you took off .016" from your comments. If the race is 1/16" thick, you just took 25% off of it. :scratchchin: (I'm not sure how thick they are)

Cheers,
Alan
 
A hardened bearing race is pretty springy: I think it will spring back exactly round. You'd have to press it much farther than a few thousandths to permanently deform it, and I think you'd actually have to break it before it would stay out of round.

I wouldn't do this to a high precision bearing, for fear of spalling a spot on a ball or two.
 
As for distortion of the outer race, How do you think the races are filled? Squeeze 'em and pop in the balls! The cages are added after.

Regarding denting? Hmm,, a careful and considered tightening. Even steel balls bounce, proving eleastic deformation.... ;-)
 
I'm in the camp of "any bearing I need badly enough to modify, I wouldn't modify in this manner." With that said, I hope it works for you. Report back?

As an aside, next time could you hold the bearing on a faceplate with strap clamps across the inner race? Much less risk of distortion during machining or damaging a race. The only problem that comes to mind is the strap clamps getting in the way of indicating face runout. But taking a skim-cut on the faceplate beforehand should make this a non-issue, no?

If I didn't have a faceplate, I'd follow PixMan's example and use the mill.

Second guessing is so fun!
 
Maybe so...it would seem to distort the outer race permanently.

you guys understand that there's a point where the force is high enough for plastic deformation (permanent) and before that it will return to its original shape? To lock up up the inner the outer would be only moved tenths, I'd say hardly enough for plastic deformation

deformation of the outer race imo wouldn't be the issue, i'd wonder though if the very high point loads between balls and race would be enough for plastic deformation - a microscope flaw created on race or ball that would lead to early failure. Not sure if its a real worry or not, but that would be where the issue would be if there was one
 
If he merely only sprung the outer race, wouldn't it merely spring back? And if he presses the bearing into a press-fit hole, then wouldn't that pretty much correct any ovality in the outer race?
 
As for distortion of the outer race, How do you think the races are filled? Squeeze 'em and pop in the balls! The cages are added after.

Regarding denting? Hmm,, a careful and considered tightening. Even steel balls bounce, proving eleastic deformation.... ;-)

You learn something new everyday,I didnt know that they squeezed the outer race to load the balls . Do you know of any videos of this . Thanks .Edwin
 
This thread has got me thinking on one of my pet peeves.

My local "steel vendor" only stocks cold rolled in imperial dimensions.

The local bearing supply has to special order imperial size bearings at a high cost (New Departure) plus shipping!

Sometimes global standardization makes a lot of sense!
 
I suppose you could freeze the entire bearing so the grease was hard. I have run the outer race on a grinder to reduce the diameter for things like carts pushed by hand.
Bil lD.

PS: I remember asking here about an ice lathe and finding out is designed to hold gold chains in a matrix of ice so they can be machined. Somehow it cools the chuck and keeps the workpiece frozen solid.
 
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PS: I remember asking here about an ice lathe and finding out is designed to hold gold chains in a matrix of ice so they can be machined. Somehow it cools the chuck and keeps the workpiece frozen solid.

it may have been me that commented on that, or at least i've seen it first hand. flattened chain is wrapped in a helix around a drum, they moisten it and then into a freezer (may have been colder than regular freezers, dunno). stays frozen long enough to skim the gold - irrc there was no cooling system in the drums
 
About 5 years ago, I needed a bearing for the electric clutch on my grasshopper mower. I had no luck in finding a bearing that wild fit, I just popped the seals out and cleaned it and regreased it its been fine ever since. They want to sell you a complete new clutch. I will keep this thread in minde if and when it goes out.
 








 
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