Replacing X2 Spindle Bearings

[nateman_doo]

After a quick search, I found the info on the Spindle Bearings for the Head assembly for the X2

I ordered them from McMaster...
UPPER: $11.84
5972K47 Metric Steel Ball Bearing Double Sealed Bearing NO.6206 for 30mm shaft diameter

LOWER: $14.03
5972K85 Metric Steel Ball Bearing Double Sealed Bearing NO. 6007 for 35mm shaft diameter

I am going to use a threaded rod, scrap metal, some ingenuity and go through the process of bearing removal and installation. I will post pics of the process. I have never done this before so wish me luck.

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[hoss2006]

Little machine shop has had this covered for years, might help you along.
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Ins...ndle%20Kit.pdf
Hoss

[nateman_doo]

I have been reading that for quite some time, but I wanted to add more info to the process. Sort of dumb it down a bit.

[1HobbyMachinist]

My X2 has been torn down for a while. Aside from filling everything with JB-weld, attempting to strengthen the column, and now embarking into hand-scraping the ways I ruined by over-lapping, I swapped out the spindle bearings. For the bottom I used a roller-taper bearing. I don't remember the part number off hand, but I'm sure it's on the web somewhere.
At the time, I thought I was going to run an oil bath through the head with a small pump. I even went so far as to order and install an oil seal for the spindle.
However, the project has been shelved for a long time. Since I've been reading here about the apparently amazing Gruber (spelling?) grease, I've been thinking about just using that instead to save myself the headache of the oil bath.

At any rate, I don't recall exactly what I did to remove the spindle and bearings, but I think it was pretty easy and straightforward.

[nateman_doo]

you know, I was thinking about that today. How hard it would be to seal the head and just pour a quart of something in there. Should help keep spindle temps down, but that would certainly add resistance. Maybe would add vibration dampening?

[1HobbyMachinist]

you know, I was thinking about that today. How hard it would be to seal the head and just pour a quart of something in there. Should help keep spindle temps down, but that would certainly add resistance. Maybe would add vibration dampening?

Yeah the temp thing is what I was thinking too, that and impurities. At worst I figured I could run the oil though some kind of homemade cooler if I had problems with it.
But now I just don't think I want to mess with it if I can use grease. After all, the bearings aren't all THAT expensive, and the teardown is pretty easy.
My plan B is filling the head with as much JB Weld as I can cram in there for rigidity. Time will tell if it was a good idea...

[photomankc]

What RPM are you planning to get out of the machine? What service-life increase are you looking to get from the $40 - $60 of bearings and how much time, money, and effort is that going cost to get from an X2? Most TRB are good to 6 or 7K with grease and Kluber grease seems to work very well. Unless you are just doing it for giggles.

[nateman_doo]

I am doing to because I have had a year of service on my current bearings and they don't sound so hot.

Also I just changed the controller board to get MUCH more torque and speed, so I think the upgrade is a requirement. The bearings I chose were sealed/lubed so I didn't have to worry about the stuff flying out of it, or lubing it myself for that matter.

Each of them are good to 7500 RPM, which my spindle seems to be around 5500 or so.

Here is the info on the bearings I chose:
Type
Ball Bearings
Ball Bearing Style
Double Sealed
Ball Bearing Type
General Purpose
System of Measurement
Metric
For Shaft Diameter
35 mm
Outside Diameter
62 mm
Width
14 mm
ABEC Precision Bearing Rating
ABEC-1
ABEC-1 Precision Rating
Regular
Bearing Trade Number
6007
Dynamic Radial Load Capacity, lbs.
3,592
Maximum rpm
7,500
Temperature Range
-22° to +230° F
Bearing Material
Steel
Seal Material
Buna-N
Note
Bearing comes greased.

[photomankc]

Nate,

I can understand looking at them but honestly, if the bearings are toast after a year I'd be pretty concerned that there's another problem going on. However it's also nice to just put new in and not worry about the quality anymore. I'm more referring to oil-bath. You hear people talking about that with high RPM spindles where it becomes required but I can't see why on a 4 or 5K spindle it would be needed. Properly loaded bearings should be fine for decades of home use with grease.

[nateman_doo]

They still move just fine, I said they don't sound like they used too. I wouldn't say they are toast, but I enjoy the peace of mind that new bearings comes with. Anything McMaster sells, has to be better then the Chinese bearings that came with them.

I know an oil bath isn't required, but I just thought it would be fun to see how it worked out, just pouring some type of oil, or even trans fluid inside there. Since I will have taken all the gears off the spindle there won't be much sloshing around since its basically a smooth shaft turning in a fluid. Should also keep the lower bearings cooler, and and some sort of dampening to the head.

[photomankc]

Might look at VXB.com. Nachi bearings are pretty nice too. Anything you get at McMaster is generally going to cost a decent bit more, but they are nice for one-stop shopping.

Otherwise, have at it.

[hoss2006]

Yeah, you should at least get deep groove ball bearings not general purpose, angular contacts would be even better.
The lower bearing on the X2 is the same size as on the g0704, you can get cheap AC's at VXB good for 9500 rpm at vxb.
7007B Angular Contact Bearing 35x62x14 Ball Bearings
they have better Japanese Nachi bearings too like this one for the upper.
7206 Nachi Angular Contact Bearing 30x62x16 Steel Cage C3 Japan Ball Bearings
I'm using some decent AC bearings from Bearings Direct that are good to 16000 rpm.
7007C Bearing
7206C Bearing
get the good Kluber grease and you can run as hard as the X2 could possibly stand.
G0704 Belt Drive
Hoss

[nateman_doo]

I think I have everything to do it. The bearings are FAG bearings. Obviously not American bearings. Made in Korea. Somewhat dissapointed, but whatever. Cant hurt to try them.

[nateman_doo]

is a TIR of roughly 0.001" good for this mill?
I just changed the bearings and they seem to run just fine.

[Winnfield]

Did you measure your runout on the taper of the spindle?

[nateman_doo]

I put a carbide end mill in it, let some of the bit out of the collet so the indicator had a nice surface (spindle isn't pretty banging into clamping kits over the life of it) and I measured a bit.

[nateman_doo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-XMLH8r_4&list=UUqJgO1mRLdoS_ToPPfibt2Q&index=1&fea ture=plcp]This bits about to blooowwwwwww - YouTube

[photomankc]

You measure on the inside of the spindle on the taper. If that's banged into anything you got bigger fish to fry. 0.001" is not real good. 0.0005" isn't great but would be much more acceptable. Measuring run-out any other way is not accurate.

[nateman_doo]

The inside is just pitted from use. the spindle itself on the outside is 0.0005

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Outside measurements tell you absolutely nothing of value.... All that matters is the taper.