Found a source of cheap bearings for the main belt idlers. They use a Felt Seal version of a 203 or a ND C8504. Applied couldnt find anything, they said felt seals were hard to find now. Then I found IKS has Felt Seal Replacment bearings. Same dimensions but a rubber seal instead of felt:

http://iksbearing.thomasnet.com/keyw...pe=2&keyType=P

I ended up with the 87504 bearings. $9 each. Made in Japan. Much better than the old ones.

Thank you for the great tip! Just ordered a set of four, very good price.

The bearings arrived today by UPS. I'm a well satisfied customer, great price, very well packaged, speedy service and a good product (Japan).

Thanks again Macona.

My idlers are pot metal.

Has anyone considered making replacements from a more durable material. Steel, perhaps?

I'm making new ones from 6061-T6. I figure if pot metal will last over 50 years aluminum will outlive me.

"I figure if pot metal will last over 50 years aluminum will outlive me"

A-men!

The idlers I got from someone on the board here were in really good shape.

One thing I have noticed is that the belts will spin up faster than the idlers and they rub on the belt. If they were steel or heavier the would slip more.

Also they spin pretty darn fast. Probably 6k rpm at full speed. Might need balancing.

A glass reinforced plastic might work well.

"Also they spin pretty darn fast. Probably 6k rpm at full speed. Might need balancing.

"A glass reinforced plastic might work well."

Sounds right.

I'll make my replacements from Al, I think.

My originals appear to be made from Zamac, or another engineered alloy.

The early idlers were iron (1940). Then came cast zinc. The latest idlers are aluminum, turned from bar stock.

The early idlers never wear, but the zinc idlers are often worn, grooved, dinged on the edge, etc. Aluminum idlers are also often worn/grooved. If you want a quiet running machine, iron/steel idlers seems like the way to go.
-Dave

"If you want a quiet running machine, iron/steel idlers seems like the way to go"

Dura-bar sounds like the way to go.

All design choices involve tradeoffs of material characteristics. I doubt if many of these machines will see the hours and dirty conditions of a shop floor machine run hard and long enough to justify steel or CI idlers. Confronted with the choice between eternally lasting idlers (CI, Dura-bar, steel), the PIA cleanup after CI or Dura-bar, the slog through steel or ripping one out of aluminum (sorry, polymers not welcome) for me it's an easy pick.

On the other hand, drives on nitro (high acceleration) such as Macona's could benefit from low polar moment of inertia idlers.

On my 10EE one idler is pot metal, the other looks like Nylon, that yellow/white color, its grooved much more than the pot metal one.

I needed bearings also, but couldn't find them from my usual sources and Monarch wanted something like $63 each. Then I remembered this old post of yours. Noma IKS in CA was great. $9 each, you can't beat that.

Thanks again for posting this information.

John

A bit more information. The supplier is Noma IKS Corporation, 1555 W. Rosecrans Ave., Gardena, CA 90249-3027, www.iksbearing.com/index.html. I ordered two #88503 and four #87504 bearings for the three idler pulleys. They cost $9 each and charged $7.73 for shipping to WI.

Just posted a new thread that involved idler bearings.

I only have one idler on the machine as it came to me and the existing bearing is a 6204 which has the same ID and OD as those listed here (20mm x 47mm).

A source for bearings I have used is VBX (I bought replacement bearings for a Campagnolo bottom bracket, I was happy with their service and quality). Their 6204's are here;
http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit486
10 bearings rated for 15K rpm, they also have ceramic variants for $$$

Just a potential additional source for bearings.
Paul

Made new idlers from bar stock aluminum, and they work just fine!! I had to resleeve the top spindle pulley because of slop and worn keyway, that one was dynamically balanced.

I just purchased a round dial 10ee (ser. 15383). The first part of the machine I have dived into is the saddle and apron. The bearings for the leadscrew and feed rod on the tailstock end have ball bearings. Monarch is looking for for $38 for each of the two bearings. Wondering if anyone has any suggestion for something more reasonable??

The bearings that hold the saddle down to the ways are a very common size. I noticed that there is a matte finish on the o.d. of the bearing. Wondering if that is essential to how they work. Also wondering if those bearings should be used on a circa 1942 lathe. If there is any wear in the bed I would think that the bearings would bind up on the less used portion of the ways??

Non-bearings question. I removed the reservoir on the bottom of the apron. Can the cork gasket be replaced with permatex?

Another non-bearing question, sorry to stray. Someone attempted to repair the crossfeed leadscrew. The acme screw is new and the old 7/16" rod is original. A weld connects the two pieces. When turning the screw it binds every half turn because it runs out so bad. Has anyone built their own leadscrew for the crossfeed? Any tips? I will probably order 7/16" drill rod and try to salvage the acme screw that is there. Bore the acme screw and press the 7/16" rod into the acme screw. Finish it off with a roll pin going thru the assembly.

The pinion for the longitudinal feed that engages the rack is quite worn. The teeth are just about sharp. A replacement from Monarch costs a kings ransom. Is there an alternative? How hard is it to replace? Do you suggest replacing?

Last question. While taking apart the apron I found a dowell pin floating around. It measures .150" in diameter and .641" long. Can anyone suggest where this came from??

Thank you for help and posts. I'll keep the idler bearings in mind for when I start working on the headstock.

I have a source for the bearings for the tailstock end of the lead and feed, SKF-22022rsj price: $15.62 each from my local bearing supplier.

Buffalo Bearing
1175 Military Road
Buffalo, NY 14217
1800-669-8019
(716) 874-1720
Fax (716) 874-3063
http://www.buffalobearings.com/bflobring_main.htm

They will take phone orders and will ship. I am a very satisfied customer.

I can't answer the question about permatex, I'm going with cork my self, but I recall reading some have used permatex and others have used nothing both with good results.

I am reassembling my apron right now, and I don't recall a dowel pin. There is a taper pin that holds the shift fork to the shaft (sorry, don't know the name of the shaft, pull and push to engage power feeds). Mine was loose and fell out when I was disassembling the apron.

Ryan

Unfortunately I already ordered a set from Monarch ($38 per). I will check to see if I'm missing the pin in the direction control shaft. Thanks

both of the idler pulleys and the brackets that hold the pulleys are missing from my 1942 10ee. Can anyone provide a source for buying new? Can anyone provide pictures or a drawing so that I could make the idlers? Thank you.

You can get them for around $6 from accurate bearing. japanese made too.


Sean