Noisy Band Saw Bearings

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:55 pm

garys wrote:I think the noise isn't a bad bearing as much as a dry bearing. I find that spraying a good synthetic lube into the noisy bearing lasts longer than replacing it with another one that will quickly dry out.

I have heated the bearings on a stove and carefully dropped them into a small cup of light oil. Wait until the next day to remove the bearings. A recommendation from "Farmer" that I have done in the past. This will work for metal shielded bearings, not too much on rubber sealed bearings.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:15 pm

billmayo wrote:I have heated the bearings on a stove and carefully dropped them into a small cup of light oil. Wait until the next day to remove the bearings. A recommendation from "Farmer" that I have done in the past. This will work for metal shielded bearings, not too much on rubber sealed bearings.

Farmer heated them on a light bulb, and dropped them into grease. He also removed the shields temporarily.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:39 am

JPG40504 wrote:Farmer heated them on a light bulb, and dropped them into grease. He also removed the shields temporarily.

If you have removed the shield, why not just pack the bearing and put the shield back on?

I tend to destroy shields attempting this!:eek:

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:27 am

dusty wrote:If you have removed the shield, why not just pack the bearing and put the shield back on?

I tend to destroy shields attempting this!:eek:

I am with you Dusty! I can usually take a small issued and turn it into a big one in cases like this!

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:48 am

One reason that I changed to the (VXB) aftermarket, rubber-sealed "wide" bearings on my SS BS was that the last set of metal-shield ones from SS had a shield detach after routine installation. So far so good with the VXB rubber-sealed ones; the dampening effect of rubber seal contact may cut down on vibration and howling too.

garys · Post by **garys** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:03 pm

dusty wrote:How do I do that? These are sealed bearings.

They are called a sealed bearing, but they aren't sealed tightly. If you lay them on one side, spray some lube on that side and spin them, the lube goes right down into the bearing. Then, repeat on the other side, and wipe the outside clean. I've never seen a need to remove the dust cover because I usually bend it, and that causes more problems than it solves.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:37 am

garys wrote:They are called a sealed bearing, but they aren't sealed tightly. If you lay them on one side, spray some lube on that side and spin them, the lube goes right down into the bearing. Then, repeat on the other side, and wipe the outside clean. I've never seen a need to remove the dust cover because I usually bend it, and that causes more problems than it solves.

Bearings are open, metal shielded, or rubber sealed. I think there be others, but that covers the majority.

The shields can be on both sides or only one.

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 7:50 pm

dusty wrote:...Until then, I am hoping that several will comment on the noise level in the video as it compares to their own machines.

I refuse to try and explain the following.

I did have similar noises and motions (in and out of the 'crack'). For other reasons, switched to a 1/4 blade from the 1/2 I was using.
Re-aligned the Auto Trac bearing (Left) with the change. Also re-set all the other stuff- guides, etc.
Put cover back on, set height, yada yada, turned on and ran up to 900.
I swear I'm not makin this up, and again I refuse to try and essplane it.
No noise.

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:11 pm

reible wrote:...While I haven't tested this I am now thinking that the mounting location of that bearing might just happen to occur at a natural resonant spot in the bandsaw housing. Ed

Okay, I wasn't gonna bring this up, but since you mention it...

I'd sorta reached a similar conclusion re resonant spot or such. And then when I put my cover back on after a noise tracking session, I got a little "confirmation" of sorts.
Quickly put on the cover, just for safety. Fired up the saw and talk about "resonant Spot"! (hm, good name for a noisy dog, aint it?) I thought something was goin to blow up. But it sounded 'unusual' as well as unusually loud. And I thought hmj, cover just on loose...
Loosened cover knobs, used 2 hands to embed cover in place, as knobs tightened, noise disappeared.
Resonance? Up the whazoo. I bet if I knocked a hole in one of my stereo speakers I could use that cover as a temporary repair.

The simplest things, sometimes...

I usually do place that cover on carefully, as there is a Lotta Slop (hm, food for Resonant Spot?) and I don't want the knobs to be shakin loose.

db5 · Post by **db5** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:24 pm

videobear wrote:That fixture appears to put zero side load on the bearing. Could it be a side load that causes the squeal?

Two weeks ago I bought a great used book, Bandsaw Handbook, Mark Duginske, 1989, ISBN 0-8069-6398-0. He devotes 9 pages to this issue. Most people adjust coplanar (parallel) wheels with a blade removed. This increases maximum lateral play. He recommends using a 1/2 inch blade which reduces the amount out of coplane with any blade. I can't post here due to copyright laws but I can send you them to your email, which is no different from sharing photocopied information with another person.

Another issue could be that there is too much tension on the blade, which could attribute to side load.

This may not be the answer but this is really a great book and I'll look over it to see what else comes to mind.