What you get here are the two most useful recent books on re-surfacing and re-pouring babbit bearings, plus one freebie on how the Navy did it in 1928: How I Pour Babbitt Bearings, by Vince Gingery, who is ably carrying on his father’s great tradition of Do-It-Yourself metalworking Babbitt Bearing Techniques, a compilation of shop hints and tips pulled out of early 1900s Machinery magazines by crazed genius and honorary mad scientist Lindsay, and Bearings and Lubrication, one of the first little booklets we reproduced (back in 1999), taken from a 1928 U.S. Navy book, Bearings, Lubrication and Propellers. Here is more detail on each of these three books: How I Pour Babbitt Bearings, by Vince Gingery, published by Gingery Publications, 2001. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 paperback, 43 pages. ISBN 1-878087-24-X. How I Pour Babbitt Bearings, is a detailed, step-by-step explanation of how to rebabbitt bearings on old machinery and tractors. Essentially, you look over Vince's shoulder as he restores a saw-mill arbor to like-new condition. He's certainly not inventing anything new, rather he's showing you how you can do the job today. Vince writes that Babbitt metal is a soft, white, anti-friction alloy, the formula of which was developed in 1839 by Issac Babbitt. His original formula consisted mainly of tin, copper and antimony. But since then, others have experimented with the original formula by adding lead as well as other elements. As a result of this experimentation, quite a variety of white, silvery alloys with varying characteristics have been developed. This group of alloys known as the "White Metals" have been used for everything from machine bearings, packings and linings, to toys, ornaments and fusible metals. Prior to 1940 just about every machine built used Babbitt bearings, and every mechanic was familiar with them. If, today, you ask the average guy under 40 years of age if he has ever heard of Babbitt you will likely get a blank stare. And when you try to explain it, the reply might be something like, 'that's old technology, who needs it, and who cares'. Many of us get a great deal of satisfaction from restoring old tools, machinery and automobiles that are destined for the scrap yard. We find that there is a lot of old, heavily-built machinery built to last still available at scrap prices. Often all that is required to put one of these machines back in working order is cleaning and painting individual parts and re-pouring the Babbitt bearings. This little booklet contains the basic information you need to melt and pour, in other words, restore Babbitt bearings. Topics include: bearing metal requirements, Babbitt availability, safety, cleaning the shell, anchoring the Babbitt, tinning, set up, melting, preheating, pouring and finishing the bearing etc. In addition, you should consider making your own bearings from scratch. You will be amazed at how simple it is. It's a valuable skill for those of us who design and build our own machine tools. Light duty, low cost pillow block bearings are still available. When you price a set of heavy duty pillow blocks for a saw mill arbor or surface grinder, however, you quickly realize the value of being able to make such items yourself. Table of Contents Introduction Bearing metal requirements History Types of bearing metals Babbitt availability Safety first The process Cleaning the shell Anchor holes Tinning Mandrels Setup Choosing a melting pot Melting the Babbitt Preheating the shell Pouring the lower bearing Pouring the bearing cap Bearing lubrication Finishing the bearing Peening Bearing clearance 10 point review Conclusion Babbitt Bearing Techniques: Machinery’s Industrial Secrets, originally published in Machinery magazine in the early 1900s, compiled by Lindsay Publications, published by Lindsay Publications, 2000. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 paperback, 48 pages. ISBN 1-55918-244-X. These days we use bronze bushings, ball bearings, and roller bearings. At one time, though, bearings were cast from Babbitt metal, an alloy of tin, antimony and lead. It was very similar to type metal used in Linotype machines or solder. It was also called soft metal or white metal. Modern knuckleheads laugh at Babbitt. It "couldn't possibly" be any good because it is so soft. "Only modern bearings" are any good. Bull! It was excellent bearing material, but the main reason we don't use it these days is because modern bearings can be much smaller to carry a given load, need essentially no maintenance, and they're now mass-produced making them cheap. A hundred years ago, Babbitt was king. Many people are not familiar with the technique. For instance you might have a cast iron shell for a pillow block. You place the drive shaft through the shell and center it with a simple jig. You melt Babbitt with a torch (propane will do) and pour it into the space between the shaft and the shell. In a couple of minutes the metal has frozen, and you can remove the shaft and check the result. To use your homemade pillow block just put the shaft back into the bearing being sure to supply adequate lubrication. It will run and run and run. It's cheap, fast, and inexpensive. And it performs. Some of the finest lathes ever made had Babbitt headstock bearings. These articles are full of drawings, how-to, arguments among machinists, experiments, discoveries, and experience. Babbitting is something to learn about and use. Afterall, most early 1900's engines - marine, airplane, steam, automobile - used Babbitt in their bearings for good reason. These articles from early issues of Machinery Magazine reveal discussions among WW I era machinists about their techniques, secrets, and discoveries. Topics include Making Babbitted Bearings in Halves Numerous Babbitting mandrels Centering jigs Special jigs for special jobs Babbitting and Planing Cross Head Gibs A variety of Babbitt Bearing Molds Use of Soft Metals in Machinery Construction Anchoring White Metal Lining Bearings with Babbitt Metal Babbitted Machinery Construction Alignment Babbitting Babbitting Cross-Heads Lining Cast-Iron Bearings with Babbitt Metal Standard Babbitt Specifications Babbitting Fixture for Small Bearings Oil Channels in Babbitt Bearings Bearings and Lubrication, from Bearings, Lubrication and Propellers, originally published in 1928 by the Bureau of Navigation, Department of the Navy. Reprinted in 1999 by Nation Builder Books, Leesburg, VA. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 paperback, 33 pages. Keep in mind that the Navy Bureau of Navigation people probably wrote this for officers and seaman dealing with LARGE engines weighing several or even hundreds of tons. Still, you will probably find many useful hints and tips, especially in the section on inspection and care of bearings. Table of Contents: Bearings and Shafting: Requirements for Successful Operation Bearing requirements Bearing area Characteristics of bearing metals Navy Department specifications for bearing metals Oil supply Bearing adjustments General discussion of alignment Aligning bearings Alternate method of lining up bearings Lining up spring bearings Allowance for sag of wire Method of installing line shafting Alignment of shafting Origin of alignment Raising or lowering the shaft Flange method of checking alignment Bearing Clearance Bearing clearance Factors governing clearance Liners Oil clearance for various bearings Taking a lead Placing leads on journals Precautions while taking a lead Examination and measurement of leads Marking bearing nuts Adjusting a bearing by feel Alternate method of setting oil clearance Bearing clearance for reciprocating engines Necessity for knowledge of bearing pressures Point of delivery of oil to bearing Beveling sides of bearings Origin of pressure sustaining the oil film Effect of grooving turbine bearings Grooving of turbine bearings Grooving low-speed reciprocating engine bearings Extent of grooving Shape of grooves Lignum-vitae bearings Stern tubing Strut bearing Stern-tube stuffing box Stern-tube and stern-bracket clearances Inspection in dock Inspection and Care of Bearings Causes and Treatment of Hot Bearings Procedure when bearing begins to heat Hot bearing Items involved in a heated bearing Steps to take to restore bearing to normal temperatures Procedure if trouble is inherent in bearing General summary of procedure Procedure with a “wiped” bearing Care and Repair of Bearings and Journals Bridge gauge reading of bearings Form for bearing records Treatment of journals Running heat of bearings Care during first few minutes of operation Measurement of wear on gear wheel and pinion bearings Rolling out lower half of bearing Materials to use in cleaning Inspection of bearing for condition Precautions while rebabbitting Rebabbitting a bearing Centrifugal method of babbitting bearings Spotting and fitting a bearing Use of bearing compounds Grinding in a bearing Clean thoroughly after grinding Precaution against compound entering lubricating system Grinding mixture Safety precautions
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