Thornton mechanical lab surface grinder

Bob Korves said:
Check your bearings closely for wear and damage. Surface grinders live in a world of metal grit and grinding wheel dust, which must be kept out of the bearings, or they will rapidly get damaged. Make sure you have some kind of sealing system that works properly, no missing parts or aftermarket wannabe sealing, everything in the bearing area tight and spotless when it goes back together.
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The bearings are smooth.


I was thinking about flushing out the bearings with kerosene and soaking up the remainder.

I guess I'll never know what oil to run ....
 
Read the product description for Mobile Velocite Oils in the MSC catalog (Look at the "Big Book Page 3090" online). I think it sounds like what you need.
They list one gallon containers for two ISO Viscosity Grades (10 & 22). Considering your infrequent and light duty use, it's a coin flip for me to choose between the two viscosities. Any Tribologists out there?

 
extropic said:
Read the product description for Mobile Velocite Oils in the MSC catalog (Look at the "Big Book Page 3090" online). I think it sounds like what you need.
They list one gallon containers for two ISO Viscosity Grades (10 & 22). Considering your infrequent and light duty use, it's a coin flip for me to choose between the two viscosities. Any Tribologists out there?

Click to expand...
I can buy a gallon of that exact oil on Amazon for $35. I should probably do it.
 
I ordered the Velocite no 6. When I get home this weekend I'll flush out the bearings with kerosene and soak up what is laying in the bottom of the tube. Then I can clean everything and reassemble. No sight glass so filling is a guess.
 
Batmanacw said:
Yes but there is ZERO information that I can intelligently turn into a specification for my machine.
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I'm sorry. I thought an educated guess would be useful, rather than waiting for an original manufacturers specification (due Neveruary 30th).
When I read ". . . for high speed spindles for machine tools . . ." and "High speed spindle bearings in precision grinders . . .", I thought that sounded pretty close to your application and a lot closer that "SAE 30 non detergent" motor oil. Apparently good enough for you to try.

Regarding fill level, another guess, I would fill enough to so the oil level, at rest, was always slightly above the bottom of the inner diameter of the spindle bearings. In other words, at rest, oil would always flow into the lower ball race so that oil would be distributed by the procession of the balls.
Would it be possible to make a "dip stick" that could be inserted through the oil fill fitting?

Tip: I would also add two small Neodymium magnets in the bottom of the housing, one near each bearing, to collect any possible ferrous FOD. It can't hurt.
 
extropic said:
I'm sorry. I thought an educated guess would be useful, rather than waiting for an original manufacturers specification (due Neveruary 30th).
When I read ". . . for high speed spindles for machine tools . . ." and "High speed spindle bearings in precision grinders . . .", I thought that sounded pretty close to your application and a lot closer that "SAE 30 non detergent" motor oil. Apparently good enough for you to try.

Regarding fill level, another guess, I would fill enough to so the oil level, at rest, was always slightly above the bottom of the inner diameter of the spindle bearings. In other words, at rest, oil would always flow into the lower ball race so that oil would be distributed by the procession of the balls.
Would it be possible to make a "dip stick" that could be inserted through the oil fill fitting?

Tip: I would also add two small Neodymium magnets in the bottom of the housing, one near each bearing, to collect any possible ferrous FOD. It can't hurt.
Click to expand...

I'll definitely throw a couple magnets in, one for each bearing.

I'll most likely start by filling until it leaks a bit. The tube is only the width of the outer race lower than the balls so it will never need a lot of oil. It just needs enough to keep the balls wet......yes I said that.

I don't think the journal is dead true so I've been considering some sort of joint filling compound like green loctite on the shaft to help fill voids from the knurling someone did long ago. Maybe someone can suggest a good material for that. I can't afford to have the shaft spray welded and recut right now.
 
Is it ok to tighten ball bearings to a no clearance condition? I know that tapered bearings always need some extra room to allow for the bearings to expand when they heat up.
 
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