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Delrin bushings vs. ball bearings
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Pedal Steel Archive
Delrin bushings vs. ball bearings
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Pedal Steel |
| Author | Topic: Delrin bushings vs. ball bearings |
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Paul Brainard Member Posts: 241 |
posted 29 April 2000 07:46 PM
Does anyone have anything to say about the relative merits of these for cross shafts, etc? |
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DAVID PARKER Member Posts: 124 |
posted 29 April 2000 10:08 PM
Paul I have ball bearings in my guitar.I think they are great and smooth but I think the price is too high in the machining process and the price of the bearings for a production guitar for the builders.MSA used Torrington roller bearings for years and they work great also and not subject to changes to temperature so much as the nylon or delrin bushings. ------------------ [This message was edited by DAVID PARKER on 29 April 2000 at 10:10 PM.] |
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Dan Dowd Member Posts: 533 |
posted 30 April 2000 07:13 AM
Anyone know a supplier for nylon or delron bearings. I have searched the net but cant find anyone who makes these. |
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Donny Hinson Member Posts: 9192 |
posted 30 April 2000 10:11 AM
I personally think that there is so little loading and rotational movement in a crossshaft that ball bearings are totally unwarranted. They would also add additional weight and expense to an already expensive and heavy instrument. |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick Member Posts: 1234 |
posted 30 April 2000 04:12 PM
Dan: You might want to check with Bill Rudolph (maker of Williams Guitars) He is, if not the first, one of the first builders to use Delrin Bearings. I don't know where he obtains them, but they are great. No wear (like brass bushings), smoother than ball bearings. Delrin, basically, is a teflonized plastic. The first time I saw it, I thought, that looks like cheap plastic. Boy, was I ever wrong. It never needs lubrication, and does not wear out. (Ball bearings will wear, eventually, 'course you'll probably be 125 years old when they need replacing. Me, I LOVE DELRIN! Pedals stay smooth throughout the life of the guitar. |
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Ken Lang Member Posts: 2467 |
posted 30 April 2000 05:22 PM
Dan: Plastic bushings are made in a variety of forms, shapes, sizes and materials. There are even bearings with a thin metal outer ring and a composite material inside as the bearing liner. I use various bearing materials as an element of desiging production machinery. Most of the small bearings are inexpensive, a dollar or two. Look in the phone book under any bearing supply house and you should be in fat city. Two suppliers I use are Motion Industries and McMaster Carr. They are nationwide, but I'm sure in your area there are other choices as well. Ken |
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Mark Herrick Member Posts: 1154 |
posted 30 April 2000 05:47 PM
Just out of curiosity, is there any harm in lubricating Delrin bushings? If they have been lubricated, should they be cleaned in some way? If so, what type of solvent should be used? |
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C Dixon Member Posts: 5912 |
posted 30 April 2000 06:39 PM
Delrin bushings and a myriad of products like it are availabe from "Small Parts Inc" in Miami, Fla. Call them for a free catalogue at: 1-800-220-4242 take care and may Jesus bless you with your efforts always, carl |
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Dan Dowd Member Posts: 533 |
posted 30 April 2000 08:47 PM
Thanks for the info guys. I am building my 2nd 12 string keyless steel. My 1st 12 string was finished up last year. Has 7 pedals and 7 knees and was on a single frame, and 24" scale. The new one will have 8 and 8 on a double frame for easier placement of the knee levers and 24 1/4 scale. I used curly maple for the tops and rosewood for the front,back and neck insert. While sawing and sanding found out Im alergic to rosewood. My face got red and burned like a bad sunburn, my nose started to blead and arms also got red along with a smokers cough. It takes about a week for the symptoms to go away but the cough remains. I also found that if you sand the aluminum parts with 320 wet/dry sand paper to remove most of the tool marks and scratches you can buff them in a short time. Im going to have my son finish sand the cabinet as he doesn't have a problem with the rosewood. If I ever do this again I will use only curly maple. However I need to spend more time playing and less time building, but I like to do both and after 40 years or so of playing weekends with my home made steels its too late to change. My other steels were all double 10's, but I wouldnt go back to them after a year on the 12 string universal. |
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