An update...found out that the local bearing supply company is closing. Sad to hear that; they've been very helpful the few times I've needed them over the years. However, I located another supplier that isn't too far away (Atlantic Bearing & Drives, Milton, ON). They were able to order in the bearings in a day...only $7 Cdn each! (
@Moderatemixed )
The bearings are marked "EZO R4AZ JAPAN". The only difference is that they are shielded on both sides whereas the old bearings only had a shield on the outboard side.
Don't think I mentioned before, but the spindle on my grinder is noticeably bent. Looks like it was dropped. And I'm pretty sure the spindle in it is not original. I'm going to try my hand at making a replacement. The only trick is that the threads on each end are 1/4-32 which I believe is UNEF (extra fine).
I also took the motor apart. Different from the current parts list/exploded drawing, mine has bronze sleeve bearings rather than ball bearings. There was a remarkable amount of grinding debris inside the motor housing. I washed it out as best I could and added some light oil to the bearings. The motor shaft seems to be in decent condition--didn't think to measure the size. There is a slight bit of play in the bearings but I'm going to leave them as is for the time being. The motor seems to run fine as it stands. I do want to find something for strain relief where the cord enters the housing. The previous owner had wrapped on gobs of electrical tape which have now just fallen off.
The next part I'll need is the flat drive belt. According to the Sopko site (thanks,
@darkzero ), the machine uses a 10-5/8 X 3/8 inch belt. As before, ordering from the USA is dicey now--and shipping costs have been climbing for years. If I can't source the belt locally, I'll be forced to order from Sopko, who appears to be owned by Dumore.
Slowly making progress.
Craig
