Changing Bandsaw Guide Bearings

[Red]

At the weekend I managed to toast one of my guide bearings while resawing a log that was beyond the bandsaws capabilities. The bearings have never been changed by me and were probably really old, so I'm going to assume time is to blame and not my poor judgement. Either way they need replacing.

So I've pulled one off the saw, cleaned it up to get the markings and looked around the forum. I've ordered some replacements from bearing-king.....and now I'm left wondering how I get the old ones off the post and the new ones back on. Is there a trick or a tool? Can you buy them with the posts (couldn't find any sign of that)? Any advice on tackling this maintenance for the first time is appreciated. The saw is a Record Power SMB65 and the bearings are NSK 626Z.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I think you'll find you can drift them off the posts. PM me your address and I'll send you a couple of bearings - I bought a pack of ten.

 

[Trevanion]

Place the shaft downwards in something where the bearing is contacting solidly at the top, (a vice opened just a little bigger than the shaft diameter or a block of wood with a hole drilled in it works well) find something smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the bearing that's pretty solid and give it a few whacks and it should come out. Lay the new bearing on a flat solid surface and tap the shaft into the new bearing.

 

[Red]

Thanks for the help. I always can hit it with a hammer, but it's knowing if I should.

PM me your address and I'll send you a couple of bearings

That is incredibly kind of you. I've already ordered some, and I'm sure others need your generosity more than I do, so I'll pass on your offer. Thanks

 

[bourbon]

use a soft face hammer to put them back in, you won't mushroom the end of the shaft then.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thanks for the help. I always can hit it with a hammer, but it's knowing if I should.


That is incredibly kind of you. I've already ordered some, and I'm sure others need your generosity more than I do, so I'll pass on your offer. Thanks

That's fine. I bought a pack of ten of China's finest for about £4, so I've still eight left.

 

[donwatson]

Just an aside here - when you are about to replace the bearing, push it gently on to the shaft, it probably won't go far, then put the shaft and bearing into the vice (an engineers vice preferably), checking that IT IS SQUARE between the jaws and gently screw the vice shut, constantly checking SQUARE. If it is square it will go on very easily. If it is not square STOP and CHECK what is happening. Easily done when you know how and a work of a couple of minutes.
PS If you have a lathe stick the shaft in the chuck and give the very outside corner a rub with fine wet and dry , Just the very edge mind and make sure you clean the shaft thoroughly before assembly.

 

[novocaine]

another tip so you don't destroy the bearing before you've installed it. cool the shaft in the freezer overnight. take it straight from the freezer to the bearing and assemble.
make sure the inner race is touching the surface you are hammering against (or pushing if you use the vice). I normally put a washer behind it so you lift the outer race out of contact with the surface.
heating the bearing to be removed also helps but in this instance I think would be overkill.