Creative uses for bearings in the workshop

[SteveG]

I've got access to a mixed bunch of NOS ball and roller bearings that are looking for a new home. Given the circumstances, it wouldn't be ethical for me to grab them for free and then sell them off so I'm looking for other interesting uses around the workshop other than the standard shaft type applications.
Sizes range from about 30mm outside to around 600mm !! There are multiples of some sizes, but others are just one per size.

One thought was to use some bare as high load wheels for casters or machine skates, but I'm not sure about their load capacity when not supported by a housing.
I don't fancy the idea of an outer race shattering, losing its elements and collapsing one corner of a machine....

Some ideas I've seen:
- large outer races being put flat on a milling table and used as a reference surface for tramming the head
- individual balls/rollers as pivot points for clamping rough stock in a vice
- pipe trolleys like THIS


What other useful things would do in your workshop if someone dropped off a bunch of mixed bearings for free??

Steve

[Pete O]

To save the risk of outer races shattering when used as wheels, you could turn up some steel 'tyres' out of suitable round stock.
A couple of the larger ones might be a good starting point for a swinging gantry; a large tube with arm attached, rotating around a somewhat smaller diameter tube welded to one of your shed posts; swing it over your lathe and mill- good for changing lathe chucks, lifting that dividing head you know you're going to buy, etc...

[Dr Stan]

(09-07-2017, 09:47 PM)SteveG Wrote: Some ideas I've seen:
- large outer races being put flat on a milling table and used as a reference surface for tramming the head
- individual balls/rollers as pivot points for clamping rough stock in a vice
- pipe trolleys like THIS


What other useful things would do in your workshop if someone dropped off a bunch of mixed bearings for free??

Steve

+1 on all the above and on adding a steel or other metal sleeve to the OD when used as wheels.

[SteveG]

(09-08-2017, 06:35 AM)Pete O Wrote: To save the risk of outer races shattering when used as wheels, you could turn up some steel 'tyres' out of suitable round stock.
A couple of the larger ones might be a good starting point for a swinging gantry; a large tube with arm attached, rotating around a somewhat smaller diameter tube welded to one of your shed posts; swing it over your lathe and mill- good for changing lathe chucks, lifting that dividing head you know you're going to buy, etc...

Awesome - hadn't thought of making tyres for them. I'll see what size pipe I've got lying around and see if there are some bearings that would work with that rather than having to start with solid stock.

The swinging gantry is a great idea too, and I've got the perfect spot for it - next to where the mill is going to live, across from the lathe, and with the sliding door open it would swing into the new bit of shed where I have my main gantry. I was going to set up a fixed pipe gantry rail, but a swinging one would be a lot more flexible I think.
I nearly bought a compressed air powered 1/2T chain block I saw for sale the other weekend - would have been a perfect use for it :(

Steve

[Highpower]

Make some lathe / mill edge finding or centering tools.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubXRia_VY5Q

Or make some pipe / shaft rollers for indicating / straightening, or welding pipe, round stock etc.

[Mayhem]

Post them to your machining buddies in Oz to show how much you care

[EdK]

Darren,

Do Ausies have a term for "mooch"?

Ed

[rleete]

I believe the word they use is "mate".