Help Finding Atlas 73 Bearings

Susan_in_SF

Wood and Metal Goddess
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Jul 18, 2017
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Hi guys,
A 15" vintage Atlas 73 floor drill press fell onto my lap (ouch), and I was hoping to get help here in buying the correct size bearings. Below is a screenshot from the manual:
Screenshot_2018-03-14-18-01-11.png Do I just Google "2.05 bearings," or do I need more info? I just bought my drill. It's sitting in my car. I suppose I can open it up and look at what the old bearings say, but was hoping to just buy the bearings now, if possibe - before taking the drill apart.
Here is a pic of my new addition to my 1 car garage :)
00d0d_RZ6C7Aexna_600x450-2.jpg00404_7Vrh1JDUHal_600x450.jpg
Intervention will be necessary if I continue buying old machinery. I find deals, and just can't say no :)

Thanks,
Susan
 
Like Jim said take it apart to get the numbers off the bearings, however, sometimes the numbers are obsolete, if so, just measure the bering and order one with the same specs.
 
another way to find the bearing if there are no numbers present is to
measure the inside diameter, the outside diameter and the thickness- in Millimeters unless the measurements don't jibe well with metric dimensions.
for example most metric bearings will land on whole or .5 MM- you generally don't se a 4.183mm bearing dimension- usually 4.0 or 4.5mm
where imperial bearings can have fractional decimal dimensions like .3125"
up until about the-1960's they were mostly imperial dimensions, most bearings are metric dimensions after that- it seems

here is a chart that may help for metric bearings

http://www.microbluebearings.com/bearing-size-charts/

and for imperial bearings

HTB1_9hYJXXXXXbsXFXXq6xXFXXXl.jpg

i hope the information is helpful
 
Pull it apart making sure to take digital pictures of all, put the parts in a plastic bag, plastic pail or tin can, not cardboard box .The bearings will have a number on them.

Then look for industrial grade bearing distributor in San Fran area and buy there and not at some auto parts store. If you need some help I have a friend in Berkeley who does machine repair and he is very good. Message me and I'll give you his info.
 
Thanks guys. Even though I was hoping to be able to buy bearings off the manual's diagram info, now it seems easier than I thought to just get it from the current bearings' size/code imprunt - duh on my behalf! I think I was just super excited about getting this awesome drill and was a bit impatient, wanting to get everything needed to get him running smoothly :)
 
The easiest way to get the correct bearings is to go to a bearing store with the old ones in your hands. They will probably not look at them for more than a few seconds before going to get the bearings off the shelf, at least if they are more common bearings, not something really old or off a precision high speed spindle. If your old bearings are shielded, I recommend you replace them with double sealed bearings. Usually bearings have number suffixes like -ZZ for double shielded and -SS for double sealed. Double sealed will keep contaminants out better.
 
Hello neighbor, I’m thinking of at least one bearing store in our area (won’t name it). And if you go there, you will probably get sticker shock and maybe pay more for the bearing(s) than you did for the whole drill press. I would step back and go slow. Take it apart first see and check the condition of the bearings. If the bearings are good, then fix something else. If the bearing(s) are bad and if original to the drill press, then they should be numbered. I would then ask me or other close HM folks for the bearing. If no luck, then I would surf fleabay for the bearing(s). I have not bought any bearings locally for 20 years. I can’t afford their prices. "Buying the correct bearing and installing the bearing correctly can be a learning curve". Again, we are here to help, Good Luck…Dave
 
Those are PRICES on those original drawings Susan not part numbers- that tells you how old it is :)
Mark
 
As mentioned the numbers and most likely the manufacturers name will be stamped on the bearing race. For a machine this old I doubt it has metric bearings. The reason the numbers are not in the manual is that the manufacturer wanted the business of selling replacement parts. They applied their own part number. In reality there were probably a dozen different manufacturers used to supply bearings. The number on the bearing would be a standard number for that exact bearing regardless of the manufacturer. While the number is unique to that specific combination of materials, seals, and size bearing there are probably many others with different seals and different tolerances that would be interchangeable. I would get the numbers and manufacturer and cross reference them using the IBI (International Bearing Interchange) books. Until the advent of ISO this organization was the primary source for bearing identification and cross referencing.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of trying to cross reference them yourself you can give Locate Ball Bearings a call or drop them an e mail. They specialize in hard to find and obsolete bearings. They are not your typical bearing distributor. They buy out bankrupt distributors and manufacturers, as well as buying obsolete, slow moving, and hard to find stock. I used them to find bearings for my 1960 Sheldon lathe.

Here's some information:

Locate Ball Bearings
Eric Leimkuhler
75090 St. Charles Place
Suite B
Palm Desert, CA 92211
United States
Phone: 800-409-3632
eric@locateballbearings.com
www.locateballbearings.com
 
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