On Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 8:34:55 AM UTC-5, Leon Fisk wrote:
On Tue, 6 Dec 2016 05:07:30 -0800 (PST)
Christopher Tidy wrote:

Hi folks,

I need an example for an article. Can anyone think of a modern product which uses plain bearings in a demanding application? I'm not talking about the extremes (like dental drills and steam turbines), but more common applications such as supporting lathe spindles and engine crankshafts. It used to be common to have plain bearings in these machines, and some were incredibly durable, but I haven't seen any in a new product for a long time. Are there any examples, or have they been entirely displaced by standardised ball and roller bearings?


The front wheel bearings on my Poulan Pro light garden
tractor/mower (Husqvarna, Craftsman, Electrolux) are just sleeve/flange:

https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-532...dp/B00XR0YJ3E/

A really unusual bearing application was the use of wood for the
bearings in an hydroelectric power house turbine in Michigan's Upper
Peninsula. It was installed around the mid 1930's and as far as I know
is still in use. It was some odd type of wood. It ran wet, in the water
going through if I recall correctly...

'Sounds like lignum vitae. They were used for a lot of bearings in the past, including steam engines and water wheels.

Here's a company that still supplies them:

http://www.lignum-vitae-bearings.com...wood-bearings/

--
Ed Huntress


--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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