What brand bearings do you use?

[Bill Bukovec]

What brand bearings do you use when replacing bearings on your tools? I 'm looking for something high quality. I need to replace bearings in my Delta lathe. Delta has discontinued this bearing.

The bearing is marked NBK 6205Z

[Martin Siebert]

Replaced a lot of bearings in my time...the best are Timken. Lathe bearings really need to be the best you can get...it's not like you can pop them in and out quickly!! Usually auto parts stores have a "better" {USA made} line and they also carry a "B" line, which are typically a lot less money and made in China. Some places you have to specify which of the two you want, sometimes they don't give you a choice. If you are unable to find a Timken replacement for that number, I would make sure you are at least getting the higher quality bearing and not the Chinese replacement.

[Lisa Starr]

SK is another better brand. I believe they are from England.

[Darcy Warner]

It's just a 6205, buy a set of Nachi's

[Terry Therneau]

Go to owwm.org, in the "Old Woodworking Machines" forum there is a sticky topic "Ordering from Accurate Bearing". This is a supplier that proven to be an excellent source of bearings for older equipment. An entire cadre of people swear by them. (Fair prices as well)

Terry T.

[Matt Day]

I use the brand Fastenal carries if they are standard off the shelf variety: 6204, 6205, etc. Haven’t had a problem and they are cheap.

If it’s a specialized bearing I get whatever Accurate Bearing sells me.

[Rod Sheridan]

Timken, SKF, NTN".......Rod

[Bruce Wrenn]

I'm with Matt on the Fastenal bearings. Put an expensive ( $20+) NAPA bearing (6203 - 2RS) in idler pulley on daughter's Honda. Lasted about 6 months. Replaced it with Fastenal bearing ( $1.99,) over ten years ago. Four years ago, replaced bearing in idler pulley on van with another Fastenal beariing. Two years ago, replaced bearings in alternator with Fastenal bearings. Two bearings for alternator were about six bucks, added a $7.00 set of new brushes. Reman. alternator was over $150.

[Charles Lent]

A bearing or power transmission store near you can help you choose and purchase the better bearings for your lathe. You already have the number that equates to the "shoe size of the bearing. The 2RS is a code relating to the side seals and the internal lubricant. Let them help you pick a good bearing of that size. Tell them what it is for too. You will be very happy with the result. Delta didn't make the bearings in your lathe. They bought them, and likely purchased whatever brand they could get cheap to keep the tool cost down. You can do much better this time, for little or no additional cost, if you go to the right place.

Charley

[Jerry Bruette]

I've been installing bearings in all sorts of equipment from pneumatic wrenches to 200 HP motors for almost 30 years. Some of the types of bearings I've installed are Flange, Pillow Block, Deep Groove Radial, Cylindrical Roller, Tapered, Thrust, Roller, Linear, and Angular Contact. All these bearings have come from manufacturers such as SKF, NSK, NTN, Timken, Koyo, INA, FAG, Nachi, Kaydon, MRC, and others I can't remember right now.

When you're dealing with something as common as a 6xxx series bearing any of the brand name companies will fit the bill. Go to your local industrial bearing supplier and provide them with the number on the bearing and they can provide you with what you need. I wouldn't go to any automotive supply house for an industrial bearing, I don't want that bearing to say NAPA or Fastenal on the side of it.

What's more important than the name on the bearing is the way the shaft(s) and housing are prepared and that the bearing is properly installed. Bearings can fail for alot of reasons and improper installation is probably the number one cause.

I noticed the bearing you're looking for is a 6205Z. It seems that alot of woodworking machines have shields instead of seals, personally I like seals. I know the seals will run a little warmer but it shouldn't be a deal breaker and they'll do a better job of keeping crap out of the bearing. In my opinion you should be looking for a 6205 2RS.

I wouldn't get hung up on an American made bearing either. All of the above mentioned companies have manufacturing facilities around the world and they're all good bearings. I Googled NBK bearings and found them to be a Japanese company. Don't know how long they were in your lathe but I'm guessing they worked okay for a long time.

[David Kumm]

As Jerry said, there is lots to learn about bearings but usually sealed or shielded bearings are not a high precision bearing. The seals or shields usually a stamped steel cage and ABEC1 precision. SKF Explorer or Natchi Quest are a slightly better bearing. Clearance is also something to read up on. Lathe bearings on better metal lathes are usually open wiith machined or phenolic cages and higher precision. I'd stick with an ABEC3 Explorer in standard clearance. An SKF bearing listed as JEM is C3 rather than CN clearance. CN is what I'd use. Dave

[Scott T Smith]

I’ve found that typically the highest quality bearings are US, Japanese, or Western European manufacture.

Thanks for the tip about Accurate Bearing; I’ll check them out.

[Erik Loza]

SKF was always my choice but will say that I tore down an MM20 bandsaw at one point and it had Korean-made bearings for the flywheels. I assume Centauro must have used these for a bunch of machines but cannot recall ever having a warranty issue or complaint related to bearings, despite how dirty BS’s run. I always considered bearings a wear item that you would expect to replace at some point, anyhow, so never over-thought it.

Anyone ever use ceramic bearings on their machines, out of curiosity?

Erik