New Home Brew V Bearing Idea

[GeeksGoneBad]

Hey everybody!

I just had a discovery that I wanted to share

I'd bought (which I'm sure you've all seen) the Butcher Boy bearings off of eBay... Needless to say there's too much play and slop to use them for any linear motion application...

Well I have a box of them and hated to see them go to waste so I've been working on ways to use them...

One idea I had was that if I could get rid of the bearing part of the assembly and just use the outer V housing part with two skate bearings that I'd have something pretty good

Well... Needless to say the Skate bearings are too small for the hole that's created after removing the inside bearing... So I started to look for some larger OD skate bearings

and I found them at www.skatebearings.com - their 1606ZZ bearings were approximately the size that I'd measured the hole to be - so I ordered up a pack of them to play with...

Well I just got them today and they fit PERFECTLY - I mean PERFECTLY!

So for about $5 I've got a two bearing VBearing wheel that I think will really work nicely!

I'll be replacing my patio door bearings that I used for my machine this weekend (the patio door bearings have a LOT of slop and don't roll smoothly at all unless lubed constantly) so I'll post those results this weekend but I couldn't wait to share this discovery

[sonicwonder2000]

Very cool discovery! Keep us posted -

[CousinVinny]

Thanks for the info and the link, I also bought a box (20 I recall) of butcher bearing off Ebay, probably from the same seller. So if I understand you correctly that I'll need 2 bearings per v-roller? is the right? Thanks, Vinny

[GeeksGoneBad]

Yes I'm using two skate bearings per v bearing, as I figure that'll give me double the support. Plus I know they put two bearings in skates and rollerblade wheels, so I figure they must have a reason for that

After doing 8 wheels (getting my X Axis done) I found that most of the bearings were really tight fit and a few were a little loose - so be prepared for the butcher boy bearings to be not so precise on their size

for the ones that were too small I made dimples all around in the inside of the butcher boy bearings, and for the ones that were too big I just pressed them in harder - although that seemed to make the skate bearings a little rougher rolling - but once installed in the axis the assembly rolls fine it seems

I'd like to mention that I don't have an actual bearing press either and I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just pressing them in with a couple pieces of hard plastic and my clamp

[CousinVinny]

Great info, thanks again. -Vinny

[GeeksGoneBad]

Just to update this thread - the Butcher Boy converted v-bearings are working great - my machine speeds have doubled since I installed them - I can now consistently get 60IPM on the X and Y Axis - where before I was getting 30IPM consistent... Although - I did make a few other conversions when I had the machine apart - so it might not all be because of the bearings - but they are a lot smoother than the patio door ones and there's zero slop in them now!

[Kipper]

Good result! No doubt a few others will be rushing to the trash can to get theirs back out

[Switcher]

Good find!

Thanks for sharing

[CousinVinny]

I ordered my bearings from skatebearings.com a couple days ago and should be here next week to install in the butcher V wheels. Im exited to share my rail set-up but will wait till its more together and post pics to share info here. I asked them (skatebearings,.com) to consider advertising here if they arent already. Thanks again to Geeks for sharing. -Vinny

[GeeksGoneBad]

I was thinking of trying out a new rail design as well - but I'm reluctant to take my machine apart again LOL I need to make a few things first!

I might work on it "on the side" though - I've been meaning to try and make a 2 axis CNC to put on my Shopsmith to try and get a CNC lathe going

[pencilneck]

Originally Posted by GeeksGoneBad I was thinking of trying out a new rail design as well

Would you care to spill the beans this new rail design? I'm getting ready to build my first CNC mill and I've been carefully going over your website looking at your 2nd mill, I'm pretty much looking to copy the bulk of your work. To that end, thanks for the time/effort to share what you've learned.

I've found what I think are the Butcher Boy bearings on ebay, they are listed as "Track Roller V Groove Bearing", sold as a 10 pack. I sit here with my finger hovering over the "Buy Now" button......

[CousinVinny]

Pencil, push that button and buy them. I received my bearings today from skatebearings.com (part# 1606ZZ, $1.78 ea + UPS). After about an hour I had pressed out 12 old bearings and installed 24 (2 per wheel) new bearings.
No more wobble or side play, nada , zero. Im running 4 butcher wheels per side on my Y axis and 4 total on my X axis for 12 total.
Geek is right on the money, these babies seem made to fit in the wheels, its such a stroke of luck and Im very grateful that he posted his find. Here's a drawing of the design Im using, It utilizes a wood 2x4 as its base. 8020 Alum could easily be used in place of lumber, Im trying to keep this budget as low as possible. Then 1''x1'' angle iron with 3/8'' inch smooth rod welded to it gets screwed to it. I dont believe any warpage of the wood will vastly effect/twist the steel angle iron. For adjustment, I'll be adding thin shims under both sides of the iron to ensure everything runs true. The Butcher Bearings have a 3/8'' round groove machined into them and they glide like butter on a 3/8 in. steel rod. The only draw back was the slop in the bearings, but thanks to Geeks, that is no longer an issue. -Vinny