Someone here really good with bearings?

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Hukshawn

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On my Bridgeport clone...
The bearings on the spindle were replaced with regular off the shelf bearings. 6206ZE

I'm all for replacing parts with genuine parts.... Wallet permitting.
I simply cannot afford the $300 proper Bridgeport abec7 bearings right now. I've already spent too much on this mill.

Someone ran this mill (and ran it a lot...) With regular bearings. I need to replace them, they were filled with grease, I flooded them with oil and a knock reared its ugly mug...

What is an affordable compromise? I don't know bearing designations. I'd only be picking from a catalogue, and my wholesaler doesn't know enough to give me advice, again, just picking from a catalogue.

If I got a few years of hobby use out of off the shelf bearings, I would be happy. That would put me in a different place in life to possibly afford the appropriate spindle bearings. Basically, "sounds like a job for future Shawn's wallet."

As far as accuracy, as good as I can get is obviously preferred, but I'm not creating press fit items down to the tenths.

Thanks
 
Shawn, have you considered changing from ball bearings to angular contact bearings? I personally would not use ball bearings in a milling machine spindle; taper roller bearings or angular contact bearings would handle the radial and axial loads the spindle experiences and can be preloaded to minimize run out.

I should think an ABEC5 or P5 bearing would be sufficient. If your spindle is a high precision one then you need more accurate bearings but I bet an Asian mill would be fine with P5.

Personally, I would look for a FAG 6 or 7206-B-2RS-TVP bearing with a P5 rating. This is a sealed, lubed for life angular contact bearing that is installed in pairs. It may be a millimeter thinner than a ball bearing but that can be shimmed. I used these P5 bearings in my RF-31 and run out is less than 0.0001" - not bad. The best thing is that unlike ball or taper roller bearings, they are maintenance-free for the life of the bearing. Cost is not too bad if you search.
 
mikey said:
Shawn, have you considered changing from ball bearings to angular contact bearings? I personally would not use ball bearings in a milling machine spindle; taper roller bearings or angular contact bearings would handle the radial and axial loads the spindle experiences and can be preloaded to minimize run out.

I should think an ABEC5 or P5 bearing would be sufficient. If your spindle is a high precision one then you need more accurate bearings but I bet an Asian mill would be fine with P5.

Personally, I would look for a FAG 6 or 7206-B-2RS-TVP bearing with a P5 rating. This is a sealed, lubed for life angular contact bearing that is installed in pairs. It may be a millimeter thinner than a ball bearing but that can be shimmed. I used these P5 bearings in my RF-31 and run out is less than 0.0001" - not bad. The best thing is that unlike ball or taper roller bearings, they are maintenance-free for the life of the bearing. Cost is not too bad if you search.
Click to expand...
I have not considered. I don't know bearings. I don't know where to even start. Your idea sounds appealing, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Are you able to obtain the necessary info from the 6206 bearing info?
What's the average cost of these different types of bearings?
 
True Bridgeport Series I bearings are a 207 series, not 206. Are you sure about the bearing number having 206 in there?
 
Hukshawn said:
I have not considered. I don't know bearings. I don't know where to even start. Your idea sounds appealing, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Are you able to obtain the necessary info from the 6206 bearing info?
What's the average cost of these different types of bearings?
Click to expand...

The 7206 has exactly the same dimensions as your 6206 bearings so they are a direct replacement. Just search for the best deal you can find on the 7206-B-2RS-TVP bearings. This FAG bearing is a class P5 bearing and should suffice. You can find more info here: http://medias.schaeffler.com/medias/en!hp.ec.br.pr/72..-B-2RS*7206-B-XL-2RS-TVP. Be sure to click on the tabs to sort out what the different letters in the bearing designation mean.

I also discussed them and their installation here: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/spindle-bearing-replacement-for-the-rf-31-mill-drill.49002/
 
4gsr said:
True Bridgeport Series I bearings are a 207 series, not 206. Are you sure about the bearing number having 206 in there?
Click to expand...

Isn't the mill under discussion an Enco Asian mill?
 
4gsr said:
True Bridgeport Series I bearings are a 207 series, not 206. Are you sure about the bearing number having 206 in there?
Click to expand...
I'm fairly sure... But now I'm not so sure any more since you question.

The pulley bearing was a 207. I recieved those today. I'll put them in tonight.
 
No, sorry. It's a First mill.
Almost part for part a bridge port. Very few differences.
 
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