What do dying bearings sound like?

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ed4copies

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Would you believe they make a kind of high-pitched whine that sounds like they are saying, (READ MELODICALLY, please)


"Time to replace me, time to replace me, time to replace me"???????
 

karlkuehn

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I think there's a couple different sounds that they can make. At slow speeds, they sound like what Ed describes above, but if you turn the rpms up, the noise becomes much more concise...from what I understand it's more like:

MoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoneyMoney...

:D[:p]

We're sure helpful, aren't we?

Are you talking about the headstock or motor bearings? Could be anything from a whine to a scratchy/grating type noise, depending on the level of 'badness'.
 

ed4copies

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How does one DESCRIBE a NOISE?????

In German, dogs don't say "woof". Even MAKING animal sounds in China, we never figured out WHAT we were EATING!!!

How do we DESCRIBE a NOISE?????
 

karlkuehn

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Originally posted by ed4copies

How does one DESCRIBE a NOISE?????

In German, dogs don't say "woof". Even MAKING animal sounds in China, we never figured out WHAT we were EATING!!!

How do we DESCRIBE a NOISE?????

HEh...you should hear my wife describing any of the current noises that our cars make on a given day. [:p]

My dog is half German Shepherd and half Chinese Shar Pei. He has a lot of issues when trying to communicate that he has to go outside and poop, usually ending up with him just whining at the door. I wonder if maybe his bearings are going bad? heh:D
 

ed4copies

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Karl,

Get real!!@ If the dog is HALF German and HALF Chinese, you REALLY DON'T EXPECT him to SQUEAK in ENGLISH, do you????????????????
 

dlindquist

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You guys are hilarious. Moneymoneymoney is probably the one. It has the motor on the bottom and the sound is coming from the top - the headstock, so at least I know it is not the motor. How much do bearings run? Never mind, I'll look it up. Can I do it myself? Never mind, I'll just buy a new lathe. It lasted 9 months, so I guess thats pretty good.
 

karlkuehn

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You got me, Dave! I'm a big fan of your school of thought, just buy a new one and closet the old for a later 'fixit' project, although it should still be under warranty if it's only 9 months old.

I've never replaced bearings myself on those things, but I have one that's sitting there waiting for me to try. Just one more pen on the new lathe, and I'll get to it...LOL
 

dlindquist

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Its the renowned Jet JWL 1220, I like it a lot. I've used it about 5-6 times a week, for about 2 hrs a day, for 9 months. Is that about the lifespan of one of these things?
 

Randy_

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A couple of thoughts come to mind, Dave. Sounds are a little tough to describe and they will be different depending upon how far gone the bearings are and how fast the spindle is turning.

First thing to do is loosen the belt and turn the spindle by hand. It should rotate very smoothly. If you feel any roughness or grittiness, the bearings are probably shot. While you have the belt loose, check it out, too. Look for cracks, missing sections or unusual wear. Belts that are going bad can make noise or vibration as well. Be sure to look at the inside if the belt as well. You can get a build-up of wood dust in the belt grooves and that can sometimes be a problem.

The 1220 will have a 2 year and maybe a five year warranty so cost shouldn't be an issue; but, if you are in hurry and want to buy bearings locally and replace them yourself, a pair should be around $20. Coincidentally, there is a new IAP library article on the home page describing the method for changing spindle bearings. It describes the process for the 1014 lathe; but the 1220 should be the same. Replacing the bearings is a relatively simple job if you are reasonably handy with a wrench and a screwdriver and it takes less than an hour to do. (I should know since I wrote the article.:D) If you don't feel comfortable with mechanical tasks like that, check out the JET web site for a service center in your city. I'm sure there will be at least one in Austin.

Another diagnostic test is to grasp the nose of the spindle and give it a good shaking....both back and forth in the direction of the spindle diameter and in and out in the direction of the spindle axis. If you feel any play, the bearings need replacement.

If it turns out to be the belt, I would email JET and see if they will send you a new one under warranty. If they won't, there several Internet vendors where you can buy belts for less than half of what JET charges. I don't have the link handy; but you can search the IAP for the link or someone will be along shortly and post it, I'm sure.
 

holmqer

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I went looking for these bearings and found lots of choices. You can get open, double sealed or double shielded. Within those categories are Clean-Wearing, Perma-Lube or General Purpose and an additional wrinkle of ABEC-1, Precision-Plus or ABEC-3.
 

Sfolivier

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Dying bearings make a sound that is different from the noise they were making when you bought the lathe :D At least that's my rule of thumb, new noises are bad.
 

TAld

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Another way to check is to use a mechanics stethoscope and probe each bearing until you find the bad one. They are available from Harbor Freight for about $7.00. Also make sure bearings are rated for the RPM's you need.
 

fafow

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Instead of buying a stethoscope, you can always use a long screwdriver. Back when I was a car mechanic (about 25 years ago) we would use a long screwdriver (had to be long so you could hold it up against your ear) and would touch the end to various places to see where the noise was coming from. It worked pretty well. A few years later one of the mechanics bought one of those stethoscopes from Snap-On and it worked even better. So, if you want to save some dough, give the screwdriver a shot.
 

dlindquist

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Thanks, all. Especially Randy. I looked in the library before I posted, didn't see anything. I'll go back and have a look a that article, in case I need to changed them. olivier is right, I think, all new noises are bad. Its also starting to make a new noise when it starts up, a quick, quiet thump sound, kind of. ( Sounds are hard to describe.) That one can't be good either. Well, thanks again. Wish me luck. I need to get it solved, since there are not enough pens in the world. Dave
 

loglugger

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Originally posted by dlindquist

Thanks, all. Especially Randy. I looked in the library before I posted, didn't see anything. I'll go back and have a look a that article, in case I need to changed them. olivier is right, I think, all new noises are bad. Its also starting to make a new noise when it starts up, a quick, quiet thump sound, kind of. ( Sounds are hard to describe.) That one can't be good either. Well, thanks again. Wish me luck. I need to get it solved, since there are not enough pens in the world. Dave

That sounds more like belt or pullies to me.
Bob
 

Randy_

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Originally posted by TAld

Another way to check is to use a mechanics stethoscope and probe each bearing until you find the bad one. They are available from Harbor Freight for about $7.00. Also make sure bearings are rated for the RPM's you need.

Just curious, Tom. I am familiar with the theory of using a stethoscope; but have never used one myself. The bearings on the JET mini are only about 3 inches apart. I don't know if the spacing is different for the 1220; but I bet it is the same or, at least, very close to the same. Would a stethoscope be sensitive enough the allow one to figure out which of the two bearings was making the noise?

From my perspective, it doesn't really make much difference, though. It is almost exactly the same amount of work to change one bearing as two so tho only thing you are out is the cost of one more bearing which is not too much. If one bearing is bad, the chances are pretty good that the other could fail shortly as well so it seems like the best choice would be to replace both of them at the same time.
 

bbqncigars

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Generally speaking, a bad bearing is not only noisy, but warm. I usually go by touch. If I feel bad vibes or warmth, the bearing is replaced. A mechanic's stethoscope is handy in those situations where you can't tell where the noise is coming from.

Wayne
 

loglugger

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Randy, stick the plastic end of a screwdriver inside your ear as much as you can, then put the metal end against the out side where the bearing is with the lathe running and you might even get a slight different in sound with good bearings, even with bearing close together you should be able to find out witch it is. You will get a ruff or groul sound with a bad bearing.
Bob
 

TAld

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Would a stethoscope be sensitive enough the allow one to figure out which of the two bearings was making the noise?

Randy, Yes and No, depends on how closely spaced the two bearing are to each other; however, there is a couple of ways to eliminate the bad one. If the bearing are within a couple of inches of each other and there is room to either side you can move you 'scope away from the suspected bad bearing and (away from the other) to listen to the level, if it (the noise)lessens try it on the other bearing if the level remains the same it is the other bearing. Hope I made that clear enough to understand.

If I have to remove a shaft to replace a bad bearing I always replace the other also. Less expensive than tearing it down next week or so to replace the other. Plus, it's always good practice to see if something cause the bearing to fail; i.e., belts to tight on pulleys, alignments, etc.
 
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