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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default How hot can a spindle get?

    I have a friend who has a vertical mill, that he says gets quite hot in the spindle after running for a while.
    Not just warm but hot to touch, even with no load.
    It is lubricated by oil bath.
    The taper roller bearings are not overly tight.
    Is it normal for the spindle to get hot?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
    Age
    64
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    4,887

    Default

    Can he hold his hand against it or is it to hot?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    As long as you can put your hand on it and not that hot you have to take it off it.
    I research this many years ago and that's what is recommended.
    Using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Perth WA
    Age
    71
    Posts
    6,458

    Default

    JP,

    The vertical head's spindle runs very hot on my early model Hercus No.O mill. The heat is due to friction between the lipped rubber oil seals and the spindle. Seal replacement hasn't lessened the heat. In comparison the labyrinth sealed 13's head will run for hours and barely get warm.

    If your friend's head is fitted with rubber seals they too may be the cause of the undue heat.

    BT

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    Thanks Fellas,

    I'll pass on the info.

    By the way, the mill in question is a Taiwanese, branded Huei Chang. It has taper roller bearings at the bottom of its quill.

    Here's what my friend said, comparing his Huei Chang with his Bridgeport:

    "I only noticed the hot spindle recently after I removed a collet and found the collet was warm. I then put my finger up the R8 hole and found it was hot! As an experiment I let it all cool down than ran it for a minute, inserted my finger and found it warm, ran it another minute, put my finger in again and found it hot enough to make me jump. I didn't wish to run it any longer as it doesn't seem right.
    As an experiment I ran the Bridgeport for the same period to compare and it's R8 spindle hole was stone cold.
    I think the Bridgeport uses ball races, not tapered, and I assume they are fed from an oiler above? The manual says three drops twice a day but we only use it once a week!"

    I'm guessing the BP doesn't have a rubber lipped seal like the HC, maybe instead a non-contact type so it runs cooler, but also leaks a bit.

    Jordan

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    Hey Bob,
    You get the cupie doll.
    He did a test run with the seal removed, and it was reportedly as cool as a cucumber.
    Now he's looking into low friction seals.

    Jordan

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