[Duane Bledsoe]

Besides woodworking my other pass time is fishing. Most people serious about fishing will routinely break down their reels into pieces, strip and clean every part, soak bearings in acetone to clean them, then oil them, grease gears, and then reassemble it all. This is said to be done for performance increases, to ensure no problems arise during tournaments, and to preserve the reel and make it last.

I've noticed that router bit bearings appear to be the same as the stock bearings in fishing reels, they look as if they're the ABEC 3 type, but I never lube them at all for fear the oil would get on my wood project. With them spinning at 25000 RPMs with no lube, and no doubt with a little wood dust in them, this seems it would be brutal but the bearings don't seem to be affected.

 

[Dave Paine]

Give them time. I have had bearing fail, not often but it happens.

Early warning sign if you are lucky is the bearing does not rotate freely. Sometimes you can lube and get a bit more life.

If you hear the bearing start to whine, time to replace.

 

[Duane Bledsoe]

I guess if you have a bit with a trapped bearing then the whole bit gets replaced, right? Maybe a flush trim bit with the bearing at the top?

 

[Dave Paine]

I guess if you have a bit with a trapped bearing then the whole bit gets replaced, right? Maybe a flush trim bit with the bearing at the top?

Normally the bearings have a lock screw on the bottom. If I recall my top bearing bits have a lock collar above the bearing.

If the bearing does not come off for whatever reason, then sadly the bit may be wasted if the bearing dies.

 

[Hammer1]

Lube the bearings from time to time but with only one small drop of a light oil. There are specialty bearing oils but any light oil will work. If you worry about any oil shedding on your work, just run a piece of scrap. Router bit bearings fail and seize all the time, never seen one that isn't replaceable. They have to come off to sharpen the bits.

 

[TimPa]

i'm guessing that the exposure of fishing reel bearings to water, often times not clean water, make a harsher environment. as the water can soak in and work against any lube in there.

 

[bladeburner]

I've had bits whose shanks had expanded after the bearing/collar were installed at the factory. IOW, a month after buying the bit, I found out that the collar wouldn't slide off the shank.

So now, immediately after receiving a new bit with a collar/bearing, I remove them before I even touch the wax. Over the past few years, I've returned at least 4 bits for that reason.

The main reason I need to be able to remove the collar/bearing, is to be able to hone the carbide. I hone the flat before every use (6-8 strokes on a diamond).

The second reason is, I sometimes use different bearings on some bits.

 

[cabinetman]

Lube the bearings from time to time but with only one small drop of a light oil. There are specialty bearing oils but any light oil will work. If you worry about any oil shedding on your work, just run a piece of scrap. Router bit bearings fail and seize all the time, never seen one that isn't replaceable. They have to come off to sharpen the bits.

+1. :yes: Bits with bearings should be checked regularly, first to make sure the screw that holds it in place is snug. If there is a washer, check it for deformity or discoloration. Check the bearing for any bluing. With the router off, rotate the bearing and feel for any roughness. A drop of oil on top and bottom would be sufficient. You could use 3 in One, or air tool oil.

If a flush trim bit with a bearing is used for trimming laminate glued with contact cement, keep the bit clean, and free of glue build up.

.

 

[Improv]

i'm guessing that the exposure of fishing reel bearings to water, often times not clean water, make a harsher environment. as the water can soak in and work against any lube in there.

+1. Let's not confuse rusting with heat expansion. Fishing reels do not normally spin at several thousand RPMs and routers don't normally get used in wet environments.

Regards,
Steve

 

[del schisler]

Besides woodworking my other pass time is fishing. Most people serious about fishing will routinely break down their reels into pieces, strip and clean every part, soak bearings in acetone to clean them, then oil them, grease gears, and then reassemble it all. This is said to be done for performance increases, to ensure no problems arise during tournaments, and to preserve the reel and make it last.

I've noticed that router bit bearings appear to be the same as the stock bearings in fishing reels, they look as if they're the ABEC 3 type, but I never lube them at all for fear the oil would get on my wood project. With them spinning at 25000 RPMs with no lube, and no doubt with a little wood dust in them, this seems it would be brutal but the bearings don't seem to be affected.

one little drop of 3in1 oil , spin by hand than wipe off with rag, now turn on router, let run for a while shut off, than wipe again, i have never had a oil on wood problum, and so far in 20 or so with bit's , i havent had a beiring go bad, lucky ?

 

[Lola Ranch]

Oh, contrare my friend. Router bearings fail all the time and can quickly ruin your workpiece or even the entire project.

I always (almost) check the bearing screw, add a drop of oil and then test it on a piece of scrap to spin off the excess oil instead if soiling my workpiece.

This is just s personal thing but I don't really like routers or routed edges. I use them but try not to. A router leaves a freshly machined look to an edge. I would prefer to see a hand worked edge using a molding or block plane or a spoke shave. It could be that because I've run a router on so many miles of edges over the years that I'm just sick of it but I don't tire of the hand worked edge.

Bret

 

[Wendel17]

When cleaning off contact cement, I prefer varsol. I find laquer thinner dries out the bearings.

 

[Sarge240]

The bearing doesn't spin at the same speed as the bit itself. If you press the wood to the bearing it stops and turns in the direction you are feeding. The friction is limited to wood surface and bearing face.

Bearings fail all the time, but they won't burn up as quickly as you might believe.

 

[ryan50hrl]

The bearing doesn't spin at the same speed as the bit itself. If you press the wood to the bearing it stops and turns in the direction you are feeding. The friction is limited to wood surface and bearing face. Bearings fail all the time, but they won't burn up as quickly as you might believe.

Sure it does. The center race of the bearing is moving at the same speed as the bit...

 

[Sarge240]

Common sense works every time! I was thinking of the bearing surface.

 

[cabinetman]

When cleaning off contact cement, I prefer varsol. I find laquer thinner dries out the bearings.

Varsol is basically the same as naptha, which likely costs less. It will loosen and lift contact cement without dissolving it. Lacquer thinner and mineral spirits dissolve contact cement making it gooey and gummy.

.

 

[cabinetman]

The bearing doesn't spin at the same speed as the bit itself. If you press the wood to the bearing it stops and turns in the direction you are feeding. The friction is limited to wood surface and bearing face.

Bearings fail all the time, but they won't burn up as quickly as you might believe.

The bearing will spin the same speed as the bit, if it gets locked up. That spinning bearing can burn wood or laminate.

.

 

[Hammer1]

If you do laminate work, the Euro bearings are great. Keeps a spinning bearing off the work. I use them a lot for wood also, particularly softwoods, but anytime I fear the bearings making a mark.
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/euro-router-bit-bearing-1-2-od-3-16-id-southeast-tool-sbe115-es/

 

[Duane Bledsoe]

+1. Let's not confuse rusting with heat expansion. Fishing reels do not normally spin at several thousand RPMs and routers don't normally get used in wet environments.

Regards,
Steve

Have you ever seen me cast? LOL

 

[FrankC]

Varsol is basically the same as naptha, which likely costs less. It will loosen and lift contact cement without dissolving it. Lacquer thinner and mineral spirits dissolve contact cement making it gooey and gummy.

.

Think you are a bit confused and giving dangerous information.

Varsol is the same as mineral spirits, not nearly as flammable as Naptha or white gas used in camp stoves etc.

For you information this is a link to an Exxon site:
http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/C...carbon-oxygenated-fluids-products-varsol.aspx