# Jet vertical mill



## R.W. Parker (Mar 28, 2021)

Greetings all,

I have a Jet JVM-728, it's a ram-turret vertical knee mill that also has a horizontal spindle. Decent machine, but the bearings in its vertical spindle are getting long in the tooth. I want to minimize down time as much as possible, so I'd like to have the correct replacement bearings on hand before I tear down the head. I'd appreciate hearing from any other JVM-728 owners who've replaced these.

Thanks!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 28, 2021)

Hi Richie,
welcome aboard
i don't have the Jet 728, but i have a VHM726- they should be very similar
the 3 spindle bearings were 6008 bearings in my unit, yours may be the same.


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## R.W. Parker (Mar 28, 2021)

Hi Ulma,

Thanks for the welcome, as well as the information. I take it that you've had the head apart on your machine, is there anything out-of-the ordinary that might rear its ugly head? I've searched for an exploded diagram, but can't find one anywhere.

Best regards,

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 29, 2021)

R.W. Parker said:


> Hi Ulma,
> 
> Thanks for the welcome, as well as the information. I take it that you've had the head apart on your machine, is there anything out-of-the ordinary that might rear its ugly head? I've searched for an exploded diagram, but can't find one anywhere.
> 
> ...


Hi Richie,
i got to go far away for work today. i'll scan and share a copy of what i have
the spindle comes out pretty easy


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## R.W. Parker (Mar 29, 2021)

Wow, that'd be GREAT! I really appreciate it, thanks.


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 30, 2021)

R.W. Parker said:


> Wow, that'd be GREAT! I really appreciate it, thanks.


I apologize, Richie
 i had a 14 hour day today. i'm gonna need another day to scan and share the manual i have
sit tight, i'll get back at you tomorrow


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 30, 2021)

i apologize in advance for the electrical ladder diagram.
it was cut off at the bottom on the copy i have


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## R.W. Parker (Mar 31, 2021)

Doc, that's my machine EXACTLY! I've been looking for those diagrams for YEARS, with no luck. How unbelievably kind of you to send those, I simply can't thank you enough! You're a prince, buddy.

God bless!

Richie


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## R.W. Parker (Mar 31, 2021)

Oh, and one other thing, if you don't mind. When I order those 6008 spindle bearings, is there any special prefix or suffix that I should include? Seems there are a few different 6008's, and some are a lot more expensive than others. I just want to be sure that I order the proper bearings.

Thanks again!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 31, 2021)

Hi Richie,
6008 C3 or C2 should be sufficient
6008-2RS/C3
Or
6008-2RS/C2

the -2RS designation is 2 neoprene seals, lifetime lubricated

C3/C2 is the clearance 
C3 is a little looser than C2


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 1, 2021)

Thanks again Doc, you've been a lifesaver!

I'll order the bearings today. Might take me awhile until I find time to pull that head apart, but I'll report back when I have news...

All the best!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 1, 2021)

Happy to help out!
Looking forward to seeing your project


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 1, 2021)

I ordered the three bottom bearings (SKF 6008 2RS C3) from an outfit called "locateballbearings.com" But at the risk of sounding like Peter Faulk on the old "Colombo" detective series, "There's one other thing..." 

You see, I haven't been inside of a milling machine head since I was an apprentice some 40 years ago. When I looked at that sectional view you so kindly sent, I remembered that there's a bearing at the top of the spindle too -- duh! The callout for that one is #507. 

To do a proper job, I should probably replace that one too Doc. Would you happen to know what it is, or should I just measure the old one after I've pressed it off the spindle?

Thanks!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 1, 2021)

R.W. Parker said:


> I ordered the three bottom bearings (SKF 6008 2RS C3) from an outfit called "locateballbearings.com" But at the risk of sounding like Peter Faulk on the old "Colombo" detective series, "There's one other thing..."
> 
> You see, I haven't been inside of a milling machine head since I was an apprentice some 40 years ago. When I looked at that sectional view you so kindly sent, I remembered that there's a bearing at the top of the spindle too -- duh! The callout for that one is #507.
> 
> ...


Hi Richie,
I’ll check and see if i have that written down. I can’t recall the upper bearing number off the top of my head.
Sit tight


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 2, 2021)

i gave a search around the shop, i don't have the top bearing documented, sorry Ritchie
if you get your's apart, i'd love to get the dimensions
i can translate them to bearing #'s
IDxODxWidth in mm
(inches ok if you don't have metric measuring devices)


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 2, 2021)

<i gave a search around the shop, i don't have the top bearing documented, sorry Ritchie
if you get your's apart, i'd love to get the dimensions
i can translate them to bearing #'s
IDxODxWidth in mm
(inches ok if you don't have metric measuring devices)>

That's okay Doc, thanks for checking. It would've been nice to have the top bearing here and ready to go, but it isn't a big deal. When I get the old one off the shaft, I'll post some measurements. (All my instruments are inch, but that's okay -- I know how to multiply by 25.4!)

Like I said earlier, it might take me awhile until I'm able to pull this head apart. Presently, I have my thumbs stuck in a lot of pies!

I'll report here when I have the information, so please check this thread from time to time.

Thanks for everything buddy, you've been a HUGE help!

Richie


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## Richard King 2 (Apr 5, 2021)

I would expect any good industrial Bearing house would have those bearing in stock.  If I were you I would wait until you have it apart before ordering them.  Ifby chance they are wrong most places have a 20% re-stocking charge.   You will need to buy some good grease too if you don't go with the sealed bearings.  I recommend Mobil Grease 28 or 32.  It is what I pack my spindle bearings with.  It's red and it says aviation grease on the Mobil web site.  I buy 1 pound cans.   Only pack the bearings 1/3 full otherwise the bearing get to hot.    Ulma has some good advice, but if it's a different model number it could be different bearings.   Rich


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 5, 2021)

Has anyone ever dealt with "locateballbearings-dot-com"? Five days now, and still no bearings. 

I'm wondering if they're the kind of outfit that takes your money up front, and then shops around in their leisure time for the lowest possible price on the bearings you need.

I've gotta find their number and give them a call, and see what the heck is going on!


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 5, 2021)

Richard King 2 said:


> I would expect any good industrial Bearing house would have those bearing in stock.  If I were you I would wait until you have it apart before ordering them.  Ifby chance they are wrong most places have a 20% re-stocking charge.   You will need to buy some good grease too if you don't go with the sealed bearings.  I recommend Mobil Grease 28 or 32.  It is what I pack my spindle bearings with.  It's red and it says aviation grease on the Mobil web site.  I buy 1 pound cans.   Only pack the bearings 1/3 full otherwise the bearing get to hot.    Ulma has some good advice, but if it's a different model number it could be different bearings.   Rich


Thanks for chiming in Rich, there's no such thing as too much information. I'm confident that Ulma Doc's recommendation is sound, as his machine seems to be identical to mine. The bearings are the 2RS type, so I won't need to pack them.

What I face now, unfortunately, is having to track down the whereabouts of the bearings that I paid for. By God's grace I'll eventually get to the bottom of that dilemma, and the bearings will be the right ones. If they aren't, I suppose I'll have something else to deal with.

One of the pitfalls of moving out to the sticks is the lack of nearby sources for industrial products. Nearly everything has to be purchased from afar.


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 10, 2021)

Well the bearings finally arrived yesterday, so no complaints with the vendor. Now I just have to set aside a few hours and pull the quill out of the head...

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 11, 2021)

advise and tid-bit's....
it's not that difficult of a job, but it may be a bit time consuming if you have not done it before.
take pictures or make drawings during the process, it may help if you forget something
the manual drawings are great, but it helps to have many forms of backup 
don't force anything, unless you are sure all the retainers or set screws are removed
remove the spindle as a whole unit, don't try to replace the bearings in place
i pulled everything out of the top of the unit, reinstalled from the top

i'm happy to help if you get stuck


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 14, 2021)

By God's grace I got the quill out today, it wasn't difficult at all. And that needed to be done anyway, because mice had apparently nested in that head long before I acquired this machine!

The head casting will require a fair amount of cleaning, but I'll do that prior to reassembly. Now, it's time to remove the spindle from the quill. Ulma Doc, if you're still out there, I'll post my findings on that top bearing when I get that far. Shouldn't be long now...


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 14, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> advise and tid-bit's....
> it's not that difficult of a job, but it may be a bit time consuming if you have not done it before.
> take pictures or make drawings during the process, it may help if you forget something
> the manual drawings are great, but it helps to have many forms of backup
> ...


Just saw your post Doc, glad you're still out there! Thanks for letting me know that the spindle comes out of the top of the quill, that's a help. And although I've kept good notes during disassembly, I may still need some advice on reassembly. Particularly with the installation of the quill downfeed shaft. I removed it as a unit, and I'd like to get its spring preload right the first time when I reinstall it.

I'm not even close to doing that yet, however!

Best,

Richie


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 14, 2021)

Okay, I got the spindle out of the quill by pressing it out from the top (press ram against the end of the spindle where the drawbar goes in). The top bearing was only sealed on one face, and it was mounted with the sealed face aimed toward the machine table. 

OD 55mm 
ID 30mm 
Height 13mm 
Marked "NACHI JAPAN 6006NK"

Now I need to get inside that head casting and do some major cleaning! And my neighbor turned me on to a bearing & drive place that I never knew about, so I'll drive out there tomorrow for that top bearing.

Doc, the open face of that top bearing was facing up. A solid threaded cap screws into the quill on top of it. Should I replace it with a "2RS" type like the bearings I ordered for the bottom? Or should I try to get the same type of bearing and pack the open side with grease, before reinstalling that solid cap on top of it? Or does it matter?

I'm also assuming that the top bearing should be the same "C3" clearance as the bottom bearings.  Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Richie


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 14, 2021)

Uh oh...

Richard King, I'm afraid you were right about different model number machines having different bearings. Ulma Doc's Jet HVM-728 appears identical to my Jet JVM-728 in every respect. However, the bottom bearing on my spindle is marked "NACHI 6007 Z". (I didn't take them off the spindle yet.)

The bearings I bought are 6008-2RS1/C3.

Gentlemen, have I ordered the wrong bearings?

Richie


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 14, 2021)

Yes, now that I've pressed the three bottom bearings off the spindle, it's obvious that the 6008's I ordered are definitely the wrong ones. 

It also turns out that the bearing & drive place my neighbor told me about is a long, harrowing drive from here.

So here's my question, if you gentlemen would be so kind: The MSC catalog lists both the top and bottom bearings I need by dimension, they're categorized under "ABEC-3". The double-sealed 2RSJEM bearings are rated for 7,000 rpm, and are a bit more expensive than the open-type bearings rated for 15,000 rpm. Both open and double-sealed have the same load ratings, both are SKF manufacture, both are deep-groove ball type.

I'm assuming that I should order the  double-sealed bearings rated for 7,000 rpm, unless you deem otherwise. But is the "ABEC-3" classification correct for use in a milling machine spindle?

Thanks guys, I'd be lost without your help!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 15, 2021)

R.W. Parker said:


> Uh oh...
> 
> Richard King, I'm afraid you were right about different model number machines having different bearings. Ulma Doc's Jet HVM-728 appears identical to my Jet JVM-728 in every respect. However, the bottom bearing on my spindle is marked "NACHI 6007 Z". (I didn't take them off the spindle yet.)
> 
> ...


your spindle bearings are 6007 Z
that means they are using a single dust shield (Z)
the 6008-2RS (40x68x15) unfortunately they are not going to work for your application 


R.W. Parker said:


> Yes, now that I've pressed the three bottom bearings off the spindle, it's obvious that the 6008's I ordered are definitely the wrong ones.
> 
> It also turns out that the bearing & drive place my neighbor told me about is a long, harrowing drive from here.
> 
> ...


your spindle will never see 7000 rpms in normal operating conditions, the double sealed bearings will be just fine
ABEC3 is the clearance, this bearing specification is used in electric motors, they will be fine in your spindle
you can get more precise bearings, but you will pay big for them. 
have a look at ABEC5 if you want more precision for very small endmills working at high speed
if you are going to be doing work on a NASA contract , buy the better ABEC7 (or up to ABEC9) bearings


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 15, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> your spindle bearings are 6007 Z
> that means they are using a single dust shield (Z)
> the 6008-2RS (40x68x15) unfortunately they are not going to work for your application
> 
> ...


Hiya Doc!

Yeah, who would've thought, huh? Your machine seemed IDENTICAL to mine! Oh well, it's water under the bridge now. And it goes without saying that a 6006NK is also the wrong top bearing for that HVM-728 you used to own. The JVM-728 and HVM-728 have entirely different spindles, I would've never believed it!

Anyway, thanks for straightening me out on the ABEC classes. That's what I was beginning to think, that these bearings are primarily intended for electric motors. I just couldn't understand why the bearing rated for higher speed was less expensive than the bearing rated for lower speed. Then it hit me: the lower speed bearing in the MSC catalog is a double-sealed type, while the higher speed bearing is open. I believe I'll order the double-sealed type though. 

I primarily wanted to replace these bearings because they started to make a little noise, and the surface finish on side cuts was getting a tad rougher than I liked. Nothing that a spring cut wouldn't clean up, but I knew it was time -- bearings are cheaper than endmills! As far as accuracy is concerned, I've run 1/16th endmills with the old spindle bearings, and the accuracy was equal to any J-head.

Last question, Doc: To establish measurements for the initial pre-load, I placed the nose of the spindle on my surface plate, and measured to the top of the bearing nut with a height gage. For the top bearing, I measured from the top face of the quill to the threaded flange that installs over that bearing. These measurements were taken with the old bearings still in place.

I figure those two numbers will give me a good starting point for pre-load. If the new bearings felt okay by hand, I then planned to install the spindle in the quill, and mount the quill horizontally in a bench vise. Then I'd install the drawbar, and mount a dowel pin in a collet. That way I could chuck the opposite end of the dowel in a drill motor, run the spindle for a few minutes, and check for any heat on the new bearings. Do you think that ought to work?

Thanks, buddy!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 15, 2021)

Generally speaking, ball bearings are not pre-loaded in the same manner as a tapered roller bearing in the sense that you don’t want to place loads axially.
Ball bearings are designed to take radial loads. When axial loads are applied the balls wear at an accelerated rate.
I would be looking at low (.003” ) to zero clearance 
You can feel resistance by hand
It should spin with little or no drag


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 15, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> Generally speaking, ball bearings are not pre-loaded in the same manner as a tapered roller bearing in the sense that you don’t want to place loads axially.
> Ball bearings are designed to take radial loads. When axial loads are applied the balls wear at an accelerated rate.
> I would be looking at low (.003” ) to zero clearance
> You can feel resistance by hand
> It should spin with little or no drag


Understood Doc, thank you! Much of what I've read likely pertained to tapered roller bearings, but the distinction wasn't made clear. I'll just bring the nuts up nice and easy to remove any axial play. The bearings were ordered today, and should be here this time next week at the latest.

Tomorrow I've gotta see a man about a spring, as the quill return spring in that head was broken. For twenty years, my wife ran the night shift at John Evans Sons in Lansdale, they're America's oldest springmaker. I talked to their head honcho today, and he agreed to wind a new one for me. The wire is 5/32, so that spring would be VERY difficult to wind in either of my South Bend lathes (9 and 10-inch)! 

In the meantime, I've been keeping myself busy in the parts washer. I'll report in when I have more news...

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 15, 2021)

R.W. Parker said:


> Understood Doc, thank you! Much of what I've read likely pertained to tapered roller bearings, but the distinction wasn't made clear. I'll just bring the nuts up nice and easy to remove any axial play. The bearings were ordered today, and should be here this time next week at the latest.
> 
> Tomorrow I've gotta see a man about a spring, as the quill return spring in that head was broken. For twenty years, my wife ran the night shift at John Evans Sons in Lansdale, they're America's oldest springmaker. I talked to their head honcho today, and he agreed to wind a new one for me. The wire is 5/32, so that spring would be VERY difficult to wind in either of my South Bend lathes (9 and 10-inch)!
> 
> ...


if you need pictures or the unbroken spring itself, let me know
OR
i can tear the spring out of mine and send it back to you, just send it back when you have yours made 
it's good to have friends in high (and low ) places- lotsa things get done for having both types of friends

let me know if i can assist in any other way.
all the best


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 19, 2021)

Hi Doc,

I got the spindle bearings from MSC today, they're SKF "Explorer".  I received three 6007 2RS JEM for the spindle nose, and one 6006 2RS JEM to replace the top bearing.

When I took these new bearings from the box and removed the cellophane envelope, I immediately noticed a BIG difference from the old bearings. The old bearings would spin freely. In fact, I probably could have spun the inner race on the old bearings just by hitting them with the air hose!

The brand new bearings, on the other hand, did NOT spin freely like that. Their inner races moved smoothly but, compared to the old bearings, there was definite resistance. To give you some idea, they were like filling the old bearings with 40W oil and leaving them out in the cold for a few hours.

I remembered how you said that when I mounted the new bearings on the spindle, the spindle should  
"spin with little or no drag".  I said to myself "With the resistance I'm feeling on each of these individual bearings, there's NO WAY that I won't feel drag on that spindle when it has these four new bearings mounted on it!"

So I pressed the three 6007 bearings onto the spindle nose, one at a time of course. They went on nice and smooth. Then I ran the retention nut up by hand, until I just felt it touch the bearing stack. I took a height measurement, and the bearing stack with the nut was tall by .010 inch. I adjusted the nut slightly downward until the height was the same as the original bearing stack. That hardly took any effort, I probably could've torqued that nut by hand. Then I tightened the set screw in the nut, and checked the height measurement again. It was perfect. I spun the bearings by hand, and felt the same amount of resistance that I felt when I unwrapped them.

Next, I gently pressed the spindle with its mounted stack of bearings into the quill. They went in smooth, and I could feel when the bearing stack stopped on the shoulder of the bore. I spun the nose cap onto the quill, and it would've needed to go about another 3/8-inch on its threaded circumference for its locking set screw to line up with the original mark left on the threads. If the cap had indexed PAST that mark, I would've known that my bearing stack was pressed together tighter than it was originally. But since it was slightly above that witness, I was sure that the bearings had adequate clearance. 

Finally I installed the new top bearing. This one presses onto the spindle and into its quill bore simultaneously. It also went in smooth, and I stopped when I felt it touch the shoulder of its bore in the quill. I then installed the threaded cap over the top bearing, which holds that bearing captive in the quill. It only took a bit of light torque on the spanner to set the depth of that cap to the original measurement.

There is absolutely NO slop in that spindle now, Doc. However, its motion is like I figured it would be. When you grab the drawbar end of the spindle and turn it, there's resistance. It doesn't feel like there's anything wrong, and there certainly isn't any noise like crunching or grinding. The spindle turns smoothly, but it feels a lot stiffer than it did with the old bearings. For example, it's not like my bench grinder where I can give the wheel a push with my finger, and it'll spin several revolutions before it glides to a stop. This one only turns when you turn it, it doesn't free-spin.

Anyway, I mounted the quill horizontally in my bench vise, installed the drawbar, and mounted a 3/8" dowel pin in a collet. I then chucked my drill motor on the dowel, and spun the spindle using the drill motor's highest speed. I did this for five minutes by my wristwatch. When I stopped, the spindle nose was slightly warm to the touch, right up near the end bearing. I couldn't feel any heat through the quill at either end, just a little warmth at that end bearing.

I still need to get that new quill return spring before I can reassemble the head. The guy who is winding it went in for a COVID "vaccine" right after I brought him the broken spring and a sketch, so hopefully he didn't drop dead on me . But I'm also hoping that I've adequately described my observations on this spindle, and that it's functioning like it's supposed to. It's difficult to describe how a spindle "feels". This one now feels really good as far as any slop or play is concerned, because there is NONE. But on the other hand, it doesn't free-spin like it did when the old bearings were on it, or like the spindle in my bench grinder. But because I really took my time and did everything properly, I can't see where I might have made a mistake.

I'm anxious to hear what you think!

Thanks,

Richie


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 19, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> if you need pictures or the unbroken spring itself, let me know
> OR
> i can tear the spring out of mine and send it back to you, just send it back when you have yours made
> it's good to have friends in high (and low ) places- lotsa things get done for having both types of friends
> ...


Wow Doc, you must've sent this while I was "hunt-'n-peck" typing today's events! Either that, or I didn't see it previously (I'm still trying to figure out how this forum works).

Anyway, I should be okay on the spring,  provided the guy who's winding it didn't do a Hank Aaron or Marvin Hagler after the COVID shot. But it was incredibly kind of you to offer me your spring on loan -- thank you!

I'll wait to hear your thoughts on my rebuilt spindle, hopefully I got it right.

All the best,

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 19, 2021)

It sounds like you did this well!
The resistance you are feeling is the grease and the increased sealing of the new bearing.
Open bearings or single dust shield (Z) will have low rolling resistance in the absence of grease, these factors in addition to wear clearance in the old bearings would explain the differences in felt resistance between a new double sealed and a dust shielded/open combination bearing


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 20, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> It sounds like you did this well!
> The resistance you are feeling is the grease and the increased sealing of the new bearing.
> Open bearings or single dust shield (Z) will have low rolling resistance in the absence of grease, these factors in addition to wear clearance in the old bearings would explain the differences in felt resistance between a new double sealed and a dust shielded/open combination bearing


Hooray! Doc, I can't begin to tell you how happy this makes me!

Not that I was seeking validation, of course. After all, I'm the student here. If you had pointed out where I'd made a mistake, I still would've been happy. 

Part of me suspected that lubrication had something to do with the resistance, as it's still been pretty cold in the shop overnight. But I never considered the other factors you mentioned. It all makes perfect sense.

Hopefully Jesus will send that new spring soon, and I'll be able to button this job up. The rebuilt spindle, combined with removing all of the gunk and mouse debris from that head, ought to make a WORLD of difference.

Thanks again, buddy. I'll let you know how things progress from here.

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 20, 2021)

I’m happy that everything worked out!
Good job!
Every completed job is like a feather in your headdress 
Soon the headdress will be full of feathers!


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## R.W. Parker (Apr 21, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> I’m happy that everything worked out!
> Good job!
> Every completed job is like a feather in your headdress
> Soon the headdress will be full of feathers!


Thanks, Doc. This afternoon I put everything back together, sans downfeed of course. Which is only five minutes work, once I have that spring in hand. It's just that cross shaft, and the fine-feed clutch and the quill lever.

But today I was at least able to hold the quill in the head using the quill lock, so I put power to the spindle. It runs like a dream. I believe this head should now produce finishes every bit as fine as a good 2-J.

In fact, I always thought this was a better machine than any of the small Asian mills I've seen. The horizontal spindle has come in handy a few times, but it's a really nice little vertical mill. The screws are great, and repeat very accurately over their entire range. In fact, the machine is so accurate that I hung an Acu-Rite DRO on it about ten years ago when MSC was running a close-out sale.

The machine's only fault was perpendicularity of the head, because it doesn't pivot over the Y-axis like a Bridgeport. Thus, it was out-of-tram over the Y by a few thousandths. However, that was easy to solve with a proper shim between the base casting and the back of the turret. After tightening the turret nuts, the head trammed in closer than any of my indicators could resolve!

For a long time I hoped to get my hands on a decent Bridgeport or Alliant, but the money was never there. One day my old boss, an engineer from a toolroom I worked in back in '98, stopped by my shop and asked if I wanted a mill. I certainly wasn't going to say no to a free milling machine, so I gathered together a few friends and we went to pick it up. It had been sitting in a leaky barn for a long time, and was in pretty sad shape. The table was remarkably good though and, once I stripped the machine down and cleaned everything up, I was really surprised by how close it would work. It was FAR better than those whipped WWII-vintage machines that I used as an apprentice. The screws were so bad in some of those that you had to hang a mag base and indicator on every axis. You couldn't trust the dials at all!

After awhile one of the magnetic contactors went bad in this machine, and I called Jet to see if they had a replacement. They didn't, because Jet hadn't imported that model for a long time. But the guy I spoke with must've worked at Jet for quite awhile, because he remembered my mill. "You've got a good machine" he said. "In fact, your machine is a LOT better than any of the smaller mills that we sell nowadays!"

I managed to find new contactors from another source, and they were made in the U.S.. So I replaced them all, and never had any more trouble with the electrics. 

Doc, your help was invaluable on this job, and I'd really like to do something to show my appreciation. Let me send you these three SKF 6008 bearings that I ordered by mistake. I'll never have any use for them, and I'm not going to send them back. The company I got them from was a pain-in-the-butt to deal with, and they'll nail me with a restocking fee. One of the bearings they won't even accept, because I opened the end flap on the carton (the cellophane bag is still sealed, though).

It's the very least I could do, and I'd hate to see them go to waste. Just let me know where to send them, okay? You'll find a use for them before I ever will.

Thanks again, and God bless!

Richie


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## Ulma Doctor (Apr 23, 2021)

Wow Ritchie, thank you for the offer on the bearings, i really appreciate it! 
i'll send a PM!
thank you!


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