tablesaw arbor bearings click

[Robert Reece]

I have a Jet cabinet saw and I have broken it down for it's once-every-decade cleaning (I've owned it about 9 years now, first thorough cleaning) and I listened to the arbor bearings. One of them clicks on every rotation.

Should I replace it? Do I take it to somebody with an arbor press? Do I take the whole cabinet to them or do I have to get the trunnion assembly out and take that (without the motor obviously).

Should I check arbor runout before I go to the trouble of replacing the bearings? I have no reason to expect that the arbor is a problem, but I doubt I measured it when I got the saw because I didn't have a dial indicator with magnetic base then.

Also, I am following an article on tablesaw tuneup that is in Fine Woodworking #179. He uses two different lubricants. One is a heavy duty lubricant which is Moly lub and that is used on the gears and the trunnions. I believe I can get a Moly lub at an auto store. The other lubricant is a penetrating lubricant which he uses on the various brackets and shafts. What is an acceptable penetrating lubricant? Silicon spray? I am sure the auto supply store will have something, just like to know what to ask for.

[Julian Wong]

Robert,
If you need to get new bearings, you can just bring the arbor to a bearing shop and thay should be able to remove the old bearings and press a new one in for you. You don't need to breing them the whole cabinet ;)

I would avoid silicone based lubricants. They tend to attract and build up more sawdust then others. I use white lithium grease on mine.

[Pete Bradley]

You shouldn't hear any clicking from the bearings, they're likely toast. Replacement varies, but you don't necessarily need a press. Often you can tap them on (carefully) with a mallet and a piece of pipe of the appropriate diameter. See if you can find a diagram which shows how the assembly goes together. Some arbors go in as a unit with both bearings (easy), others have a bearing pressed in from each side (somewhat harder).

I wouldn't use white lith on my mower. It isn't great right out of the container and it hardens and crumbles quickly. The top of the line dry lube is Molykote 321, but on machinery I also use Finish Line dry lubes available at bicycle shops. Finish Line is better for mirror-smooth surfaces and shearing loads like raise/lower pinions than 321.

I'd also stay away from sillycone. It's a major league contaminant that will fisheye most finishes. It's surprising how silicone used for one project can mess up another.

Pete

[Chip Lindley]

All bearings should rotate smoothly with NO noise! Yours are on the way OUT!

Replacing TS arbor bearings is not be too involved Robert. A small bearing puller will remove them from the arbor shaft. As mentioned, new bearings can be tapped into place with a piece of pipe and hammer. Make sure the pipe (I have used deep ratchet sockets for this) contacts only the inner race of the bearing. Never the center shield or outer race!

Just take it easy and always protect the arbor shaft ends. IF you have an exploded view of the saw's parts, this will guide you through re-assembly, to get all spacers, retainer rings, etc. in their proper place.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Before you go and spend money on some expensive spray stuff in a can get yourself a copy of the MSDS for that product and run down the CAS numbers - if the MSDS fails to clearly state the contents.

Most often you really can just make your own from stuff you already have laying about like Mineral spirits Fuel oil ( or Kero) and mineral oil, and save a bundle. Use a poly squirt bottle to apply it.


Often they only list the CAS # with some vauge term like "hydrocarbon[fill-in-the blank] which invariably tells me that they really don't want you to know how massively easy it'd be to just make your own.

Some products require sophisticated compounding under specific conditions like high temperatures in a vacuum or reducing atmosphere. Some require micro mill and vapor deposition to obtain an ultra fine powder like the Moly Lubes. But not one of the anti rust or lube in a can products are like that.
And most all the lubes are also simple.

WD40 is just a plain "old school" stirred mixture relying mostly on Kero with some other stuff like wax

Boeshield T9 is even simpler.
http://www.theruststore.com/msds/MSDS_T9_Liquid_2005.pdf
It's mineral oil & mineral spirits - - that's it.
What do they charge for a can of the stuff?

T9 is the current inheritor of the "Topcoat" brand name shown in that PDS on fine woodworking.


Here:
Here is a list of the most common spray on products in the Rust treatment line:
http://www.theruststore.com/The-Rust-Store-MSDS-Sheets-W16C3.aspx

Top right corner LPS Co. has MSDS available
http://www.lpslabs.com/
Plug in yout product and take a gander

As the man said: Read 'em and Weep~!!
But in your case you get to weep for the companies that were charging you an arm and a leg for some very inexpensive stuff in a can.

As an aside: Wintergreen oil from your pharmacy is the best penetrant oil you can get.

[Dave Lehnert]

Before you go and spend money on some expensive spray stuff in a can get yourself a copy of the MSDS for that product and run down the CAS numbers - if the MSDS fails to clearly state the contents.

Most often you really can just make your own from stuff you already have laying about like Mineral spirits Fuel oil ( or Kero) and mineral oil, and save a bundle. Use a poly squirt bottle to apply it.


Often they only list the CAS # with some vauge term like "hydrocarbon[fill-in-the blank] which invariably tells me that they really don't want you to know how massively easy it'd be to just make your own.

Some products require sophisticated compounding under specific conditions like high temperatures in a vacuum or reducing atmosphere. Some require micro mill and vapor deposition to obtain an ultra fine powder like the Moly Lubes. But not one of the anti rust or lube in a can products are like that.
And most all the lubes are also simple.

WD40 is just a plain "old school" stirred mixture relying mostly on Kero with some other stuff like wax

Boeshield T9 is even simpler.
http://www.theruststore.com/msds/MSDS_T9_Liquid_2005.pdf
It's mineral oil & mineral spirits - - that's it.
What do they charge for a can of the stuff?

T9 is the current inheritor of the "Topcoat" brand name shown in that PDS on fine woodworking.


Here:
Here is a list of the most common spray on products in the Rust treatment line:
http://www.theruststore.com/The-Rust-Store-MSDS-Sheets-W16C3.aspx

Top right corner LPS Co. has MSDS available
http://www.lpslabs.com/
Plug in yout product and take a gander

As the man said: Read 'em and Weep~!!
But in your case you get to weep for the companies that were charging you an arm and a leg for some very inexpensive stuff in a can.

As an aside: Wintergreen oil from your pharmacy is the best penetrant oil you can get.

Now that was an interesting read. Thats for posting.

[Wes Grass]

"Boeshield T9 is even simpler. ... It's mineral oil & mineral spirits - - that's it."

Mineral spirits, 61% by weight. Mineral oil, 10% by weight. If "that's it", what's the other 29%? The can?

[Chip Lindley]

*PRO-PELL-ENT*!! *smirk*

[Robert Reece]

I will check out Wintergreen oil, never heard of it.

As for my tablesaw bearings, I got them off the arbor with some persuasion (after getting the trunnion out of the tablesaw with some persuasion). My wife was out earlier so I sent her by Advance Auto and while she got the right sized bearing, it's not sealed. So I need to see if I can find a 6203 sealed bearing. Should an auto store have a sealed bearing? I have no idea if sealed bearing are used in auto applications or not.
<edit> I called Advance and after some more questioning, the person who helped my wife found out that a 203SS bearing is sealed on both sides. So they have what I need. Good grief. </edit>

I noticed that McMaster Carr has a few different bearings in 6203 size. There is the unsealed, there is a sealed (with rubber) and there is a shielded (basically sealed, but with metal). There is a also "perma lub", which is packed with grease and then sealed? Seems like perma lub is what I want?

[Jerry Bruette]

Robert,

The term "sealed bearing" is relative, if that bearing were to be run in a wet environment water will get into it, for your application the rubber "seals" will keep dust and dirt out. Generally speaking the metal "shields" are just that shields they don't seal.

Every bearing I've dealt with that was sealed or shielded had the proper amount of grease in it from the manufacturer. Saying a bearing is lubricated for life or permanently just means that when it goes South the life expectancy has run out.

If you like this kind of reading there's some good information on the SKF web site about seals shields and proper lubrication of bearings.

Good Luck
Jerry

[Sean Dugre]

Robert,

I think the one's you want are 6203-2RS (sealed with rubber). Thats what came out of my unisaw. I got replacements at Fastenal for $2 a piece.

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0474389

[Robert Reece]

ok, now I'm really suspicious. Fastenal sells sealed bearings for $2. Napa quoted me $28 today on the phone. Advance sold the unsealed bearings for $14, I am sure the sealed ones will be $20.

What gives here? Does the $2 variety last 15 minutes or are Napa and Advance just making obscene profits.

[Bruce Wrenn]

6203's are the most common bearing available. Everything uses them, idler pulleys, alternators, electric motors, table saw arbors. I order them in bulk (10 at the time) from Reid Industries. Two years ago, in an emergency, I bought one from local NAPA store. Paid $17, and less than six month later it was TOAST! For some interesting reading, go to The Big Bearing Store's web site and read how ball bearings are made. It will make you wonder how they can be had so cheaply. Oh yeah, when you get ready to install bearings, set them on top of a 60 - 100 watt light bulb (turned on of course) for five minutes. Use gloves, as they will be hot, and literally drop them on the shaft.

[Alex Shanku]

I only deal with Lynne at Accurate Bearing.

6203's are around $5.

Nachi brand.

Sealed bearings will last, at most, 15 years or so. That is with them sitting on the shelf, not in service. The grease hardens over time.

[Robert Reece]

I had Nachi's in there, soon I will have Nationals.
I had surmised that the sealed bearings at Advance would be $20 but they were about $5. What's up with that, the unsealed bearings were $14 and the sealed are $5. NAPA wants $28 for sealed bearings. Whatever.
The unsealed bearing sure did move a lot more freely, but I guess I would expect that.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

On the other topic about lubricants...

I believe Wood Magazine or Fine Woodworking Magazine had an article about 10 years ago on lubricating tablesaw mechanisms. They recommended butchers wax applied with a brush to all the exposed gears. I just plop it on and leave it there.

I believe they also recommended graphite powder lubricant found at auto stores. I have this stuff, but did not use it because of its black messy nature.

I have also used PTFE which is a dry teflon based powder suspended in a solvent carrier. When the solvent evaporates, it leaves a thin teflon powder residue which lubricates. It really slick and does not attract dust but wears off quickly on high friction applications. Since it's at spray, it penetrates into tight places. I don't think it contains silicon, but I'm not sure. Never had a problem with fish eyes.

-Jeff :)