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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    On the Bellarine
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    167

    Default Bearing Question

    G'day...hoping someone may be able to help me out with some local knowledge on a bearing issue ......let me explain:

    Recently acquired an old Servian Pedestal Drill press from a deceased estate and doing a minor resto starting on the quill. First up thought I would change the bearings. They aren't seized up or anything and could probably be repacked and left alone, but there's the start of an annoying grate much like a politician at a sausage sizzle so while it's apart, reckon it's time to change them as I will also be changing the donk to a variable speed and putting new pulley on the quill.

    The bearings on it are stamped "Made in England - FBC - L610" but I cannot find any information on them nor does that lettering show up in any of the material I have.

    Beauty of old English engineering is everything is legible and I measured them out as OD:2.25"; ID: 1" and Width : ~0.615.

    Thinking I would like to replace them with some type of sealed or shielded bearing but afraid my knowledge is limited on what's the best way to go with them.....especially when I can't find a direct equivalent.

    I don't have a fly or other press so may have to send them out to be removed and new ones fitted but was hoping to get newbies first and send them along with the quill to be fitted at the same time rather than not know what they have been replaced with....

    Appreciate any suggestion you may have..................Lee

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    34
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    1,075

    Default

    Found some (basically) direct equivalents for you 2.25 x 1 x 0.625 (5/8)
    Open: https://www.skf.com/au/products/roll...ductid-RLS%208
    Shielded: https://www.skf.com/au/products/roll...tid-RLS%208-2Z
    Sealed: https://www.skf.com/au/products/roll...d-RLS%208-2RS1

    There's no real reason to go sealed in a drill press IMO as there's little chance of much dust getting in

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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    70
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    1,511

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Mt Pleasant SA
    Posts
    126

    Default

    Hi, looks like your bearings are equivalent to the old Hoffman LS10 whose width is 0.625" ( I doubt your width measurement). Try Googling (ball bearing 1" x 2.25" x 0.625" ). There is at least one UK company specialising in old equivalents, but don't leap on the first you see, I was recently on a similar hunt & found a UK source for an old style bearing, 145 POUNDS ea, as used on old BSA m/c ! Ended up getting one OFF the SHELF at local BRG shop .. $16. Afterthought, I doubt you'll get anything other than open type, but you never know. SLOW typist, started before the other posts!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    On the Bellarine
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    167

    Default

    Thank you for the input..it's greatly appreciated.....yes, I did recheck the width several times and I do get 0.61 but they are coupled next to the large washer and butted tight so it's difficult to get an exact measurement while they are in situ.

    I would have thought it'd be 5/8" for sure given the DNA of the machine but I am unable to get an accurate measurement while they are mounted - was hoping the Part number L610 would give me the exact dimensions - hence the query.

    Will take some piccies and post them tomorrow.

    As an aside the press belonged to an old electrician so was told ---- with the utmost respect to any sparkies out there, the plug and wiring was a nightmare, bare wires, frayed connections and a broken bakelite switch so must have been one of those TUIT jobs we all have but he probably ran out of time...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
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    59
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    6,540

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by barkersegg View Post
    The bearings on it are stamped "Made in England - FBC - L610"
    I have a Fafnir bearing book (FBC = Fafnir Bearing Company?) and according to that, when a 'L' is used as a prefix, it means that it is an internal self aligning type.

    Michael

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
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    6,216

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    I have a Fafnir bearing book (FBC = Fafnir Bearing Company?) and according to that, when a 'L' is used as a prefix, it means that it is an internal self aligning type.

    Michael
    Could also be Fischer Bearing Company. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Fischer_Bearings_Co
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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    Default

    The AHR site may be of help for technical questions about the original bearings.
    Nev.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
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    Default

    Maybe not the brightest question but have you searched around for the manuals or parts diagrams of your drill press? Or for others that have rebuilt one that might have said what bearings they found and where to get replacements? Someone else might have already done the legwork for you.

    Pete

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Athelstone, SA 5076
    Posts
    4,255

    Default

    If it was me, I would be taking it (sample) to CBC or whoever...and let them tell me if something is available off the shelf or from OS rather than trying to determine if what I see on sites via the internet is really what I need....

    if they they say nothing can be found, then I might be be spending the time to see if I can find something.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    On the Bellarine
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    Default

    Thank you for all the comments and suggestions......they have given me plenty to work with. Unfortunately Pete there are no service manuals or literature for this machine that I could find but in all honesty it is a pretty basic machine, built in Australia around the 40's-50's I believe and built like a tank but elegantly simple....the pedestal which is over a meter tall is made from solid material probably close to 3" thick though I haven't measured it yet...weighed a ton moving and thankfully the engine hoist did the heavy lifting but initially 4 mates had to lift it from his bench to the ground and they struggled....took lots of hydration therapy for them to cope......I then trolleyed it to my trailer and off to it's new abode where it sits patiently waiting some lippies, spit polish on the pretty bits...and paint on the not so pretty bits....

    Thanks Eskimo, will take the disassembled quill and bearing housing along to CBC or equivalent bearing place in nearby town for them to have a gander .....appreciate that suggestion.

    Michael G, I'm not sure the L prefix and you are probably correct...hoping the bearing people will be able to confirm what it needs

    In the meantime I have taken some piccies of the quill and the housing and you can see there are two different brands of bearings used - one US the other FBC England made..hopefully the piccies make sense but I can take more if you need them.

    Found some restos of Servian Drill Presses on the WWW but none had any specs or were different models - they all seemed smaller versions but as it's a pretty basic construction and not overly complicated. Way it's built reckon it will outlast the grand kids when they come to ransack my tool shed after they send me off in the blue bus.

    One of the reasons I got this being how solid it was plus it can take MT2 taper so I can at long last use the set of MT2 drills I bought 20+ years ago and not have to use the lathe for them...

    Thanks again, I really do appreciate all your help and comments .....stay safe......Lee
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    332

    Default

    Hi Lee,
    I have just refurbed a Tough drill from roughly the same era and with similar bearings, the local supplier Statewide was able to provide off the shelf items at reasonable cost. Several photos of mods I did which maybe of help during your restoration process, the better one is the split collar with a nylon washer on top to allow the table arm to be swivelled for alignment and the recent Supercheap car jack $27 to tryout table raising, works well, so will make up a similar mechanism more in proportion. The eye bolt lifting ring on top of the column is also useful. Good luck with the restoration and for sure it should last another 50+ years. Alan
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    Looks like a LS10 bearing and a New Departure 3203. The common equivalent for the ND 3203 is a 5203. New Departure used a 3 where everyone else used a 5.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Charlestown NSW
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    65
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    1,669

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by barkersegg View Post

    As an aside the press belonged to an old electrician so was told ---- with the utmost respect to any sparkies out there, the plug and wiring was a nightmare, bare wires, frayed connections and a broken bakelite switch so must have been one of those TUIT jobs we all have but he probably ran out of time...
    I hope it wasn't the cause of his demise.

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