Any pillow block bearing experts in the house?

[Phil Thien]

I'm looking at pillow block bearings for my shop-made jointer. My cutterhead is a Grizzly 12" unit with a 30mm shaft out the back, and a 30mm shaft out the front that is reduced to 20mm after approx. 1.10" (hope mixing measurements isn't too confusing).

When mounted in the GO609 jointer from which it was pulled, they used bearings with a 30mm ID on the rear (obviously), but bearings with a 20mm ID on the reduced shaft in the front. It would simplify my life greatly to stay on the 30mm portion in the front, though. Doing so will negate the need to use a spacer under a smaller front pillow block. I'm not sure why they built the cutterhead like they did, it is possible that they were trying to accommodate a rabbeting ledge or something. I don't need that.

That really only gives me about 1.1 to 1.125" of shaft on the front onto which the pillow block can be fitted. Many of the FHY blocks I've seen on eBay have a bore (with set screws) that accepts 1.5" to 2" of shaft. Not sure I want to load only 1.10" of that. Thoughts in this regard?

I need pillow blocks that can handle the RPM's (I will try to achieve near the original 4950) of the jointer and are sturdy so I don't have to worry about catastrophic failures.

I've decided that at least for my initial unit, I'm going to use LVL that is 1.75" thick for the base. But I can add material and increase the thickness in the bearing mounting area.

Any thoughts?

I found these:

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Metric-Mounted-Bearings/Kit15818

But the specifications seem short on speeds and other ratings.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Phil, the lock collar won't be usable on a shaft that doesn't stick out far enough for it to rest on. I doubt it's a problem to just use the other one to to secure the cutter laterally, as long as your frame not going to break. The pillow blocks would basically need to sit on the same frame member. The lock collar deletion would take out a layer of safety, but if it is accounted for in the frame, no big deal.

[Bob Wingard]

How about using the cam-lock style that Woodmaster uses ??? No setscrews to mar up the surface of the shaft ... plenty of grip.

As for matched sizes, how about turning the 30mm down to 20mm and use that on both ends ???

If you think the cam-locks might not hold, a stepped end cap can be made with a hole in the middle ... drill & tap the ends of the cutterhead shaft ... screw the caps in place using a drop of blue LocTite ... they'll never let go on their own and you have all the security you'll ever need.

Just thinkin' out loud ...

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Bob, aren't they all cam lock? The set screw is just to keep them from un-camming, not for lateral support, as far as I know.

[Phil Thien]

How about using the cam-lock style that Woodmaster uses ??? No setscrews to mar up the surface of the shaft ... plenty of grip.

As for matched sizes, how about turning the 30mm down to 20mm and use that on both ends ???

If you think the cam-locks might not hold, a stepped end cap can be made with a hole in the middle ... drill & tap the ends of the cutterhead shaft ... screw the caps in place using a drop of blue LocTite ... they'll never let go on their own and you have all the security you'll ever need.

Just thinkin' out loud ...

I'd actually prefer the compression-style lock, but I don't think I'm going to find them in the size I can accommodate. I've already contemplated what the set screws are going to do to the shaft.

I'll look into it some more.

I did speak to FYH (Japanese maker of pillow block bearings with office in Illinois) today and they have suggested the UCP206D1K3. The D1K3 is the bearing needed for the freespin of 5000-RPM's, and they don't have them in the U.S. they'd have to import them from Japan (two months). Interesting that at no speed these pillow blocks are rated for 2550 pounds each, at 5000-RPM that drops to 395 pounds each.

I'm waiting to hear from Peer to see if the pillow block I referred to earlier will actually handle the RPM's I need. The Peer-made unit is a beefier casting, I'd sort of rather use the Peer than the FYH just because the casting is more substantial.

I'd rather not turn the rear shaft down, I'm going to try to accommodate what I already have if possible.

[Phil Thien]

Someone from Peer called back and I learned the pillow blocks I originally listed are rated for 5k-RPM. Now, that is the max, and that top speed will be reduced if there is misalignment.

But it got me to thinking, do I really need to go 4950-RPM? That is was Grizzly did, but this is a four-knife cutterhead, I'm sort of thinking I could reduce the RPM to the mid 4k-RPM or even a bit lower.

The DJ-30 ran at 5k-RPM but with three knives.

Hmmm...

I don't consider a jointer to be a finishing tool, but a flattening tool.

Thoughts?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Have you looked at Timkens?

http://www.timken.com/en-US/products/bearings/productlist/Pages/default.aspx

They have the longest lasting bearings for the applications I'm familiar with. No idea on the cutter speed, I'd guess that it probably wouldn't matter much.

[Bob Wingard]

Bob, aren't they all cam lock? The set screw is just to keep them from un-camming, not for lateral support, as far as I know.

Nope .. they are NOT all cam-lock ... the one shown in Phil's link is definitely held on to the shaft with setscrew(s). That's why they should ALWAYS be installed with the setscrews located on the INSIDE of the setup. That way, the bearing will come off the shaft even if the screw buggers up the shaft. When I HAVE to use that style, I've always filed a small flat right where the point of the setscrew contacts the shaft ... pays for itself many times over when it must be disassembled.

[Phil Thien]

Have you looked at Timkens?

http://www.timken.com/en-US/products/bearings/productlist/Pages/default.aspx

They have the longest lasting bearings for the applications I'm familiar with. No idea on the cutter speed, I'd guess that it probably wouldn't matter much.

They have what looks like a lower profile snap lock system, I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and inquire.

[Paul F Franklin]

Could you make (or have made) a sleeve or bushing to step the 20mm up to 30mm?

[Phil Thien]

Could you make (or have made) a sleeve or bushing to step the 20mm up to 30mm?

I don't think I'll need to, but have considered it.

I'm still looking into the Timken products, they have a few different options for locking which are designed to minimize damage to shafts. I spoke to a salesperson from Timken on Friday and truth be told, even he was a bit overwhelmed by the selection.

But I'm in no rush, just want to get it right.