On 6/7/2013 4:13 PM, Danny D wrote:
....

I'm just not an experienced person on bearings yet; so,
I don't know which sourcing algorithm is the one you guys
use.
....

Experience, mostly, combined w/ purpose.

If it's a piece that isn't of any particular importance as far as either
safety or income I'll take a "whatever" choice that meets minimum
requirements of function. Like a pool pump--what's the worst if it
doesn't last--a little time w/o it and replacing it again? I'll take
the chance occasionally if it is a large price differential.

OTOH, on the air seeder there are about 120 of a given style but I buy
the JD-green replacement w/o even thinking about it because when I need
to be planting I can't afford downtime.

If your application were a critical component such as, perhaps, a sump
pump that is necessary for routine rainwater in a sump I'd not have
suggested the VXB as I really don't know much about 'em other than I've
used a few as replacement pilot bearings on a couple laminate trimmer
router bits. But, that was a deal where could buy 10 of theirs at not
much more than half-again over the NSK (and the local distributor didn't
have it in stock, anyway) so rather than pay $8-10 shipping for a single
$5 item I spent a couple more $$ and got the 10 on a flyer. If it craps
after 30 minutes, well I can go through 9 more before I'm down and since
that's never anything that is going to be a critical operation any more,
it's a chance I'll take.

Those are the general ideas behind how I pick/choose.

BTW, in my earlier response that I don't care about NSK, SFK, ..., etc.,
I meant I don't care amongst the well-known names. I'd not put VXB on
that list nor some of the others I've never heard of.

Who knows, some of those others may actually be manufacturing for the
big boys, but ya' just don't know if they are or not or even if they are
that these aren't seconds or somesuch at the bargain rates. Or, they
may just be fly-by-night knockoffs...no way to really tell that I know of.

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