I have rather a nice screwdriver bit kit with a 'handle' that holds the bits
in place via a ball-bearing under a spring clip. (Magnetic holders are much
better!)

Working on my son's tumble drier recently, and trying to get at an awkwardly
placed screw, the spring clip was pushed back, the ball bearing fell out -
and cannot be found anywhere. (It's probably inside the machine somewhere!!)

As a result, the screwdriver bits will no longer remain in the handle - they
just drop out when the handle is turned down.

I've searched through my various oddment boxes in my workshed and cannot
find even one single ball bearing - let alone one of the right size to fit
the bit holder.

Anyone got any ideas?

--
Kev

In message , Ret.
writes
I have rather a nice screwdriver bit kit with a 'handle' that holds the
bits in place via a ball-bearing under a spring clip. (Magnetic holders
are much better!)

Working on my son's tumble drier recently, and trying to get at an
awkwardly placed screw, the spring clip was pushed back, the ball
bearing fell out - and cannot be found anywhere. (It's probably inside
the machine somewhere!!)

As a result, the screwdriver bits will no longer remain in the handle -
they just drop out when the handle is turned down.

I've searched through my various oddment boxes in my workshed and
cannot find even one single ball bearing - let alone one of the right
size to fit the bit holder.

Anyone got any ideas?

Try a bearing stockist. Loose balls should be available.

Alternatively what size do you need. Someone in here must have something
suitable.

Pedant mode... can we refer to the complete bearing assembly as a *ball
bearing*? You are needing a *steel ball*:-)

regards


--
Tim Lamb

Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Ret.
writes
I have rather a nice screwdriver bit kit with a 'handle' that holds
the bits in place via a ball-bearing under a spring clip. (Magnetic
holders are much better!)

Working on my son's tumble drier recently, and trying to get at an
awkwardly placed screw, the spring clip was pushed back, the ball
bearing fell out - and cannot be found anywhere. (It's probably
inside the machine somewhere!!)

As a result, the screwdriver bits will no longer remain in the
handle - they just drop out when the handle is turned down.

I've searched through my various oddment boxes in my workshed and
cannot find even one single ball bearing - let alone one of the right
size to fit the bit holder.

Anyone got any ideas?

Try a bearing stockist. Loose balls should be available.

Alternatively what size do you need. Someone in here must have
something suitable.

Difficult to judge as the only sample is missing!


Pedant mode... can we refer to the complete bearing assembly as a
*ball bearing*? You are needing a *steel ball*:-)

Yes - you are, of course, 100% correct there!

--
Kev

Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Ret.
writes
I have rather a nice screwdriver bit kit with a 'handle' that holds
the bits in place via a ball-bearing under a spring clip. (Magnetic
holders are much better!)

Working on my son's tumble drier recently, and trying to get at an
awkwardly placed screw, the spring clip was pushed back, the ball
bearing fell out - and cannot be found anywhere. (It's probably
inside the machine somewhere!!)

As a result, the screwdriver bits will no longer remain in the
handle - they just drop out when the handle is turned down.

I've searched through my various oddment boxes in my workshed and
cannot find even one single ball bearing - let alone one of the right
size to fit the bit holder.

Anyone got any ideas?

Try a bearing stockist. Loose balls should be available.

Alternatively what size do you need. Someone in here must have
something suitable.

Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my micrometer, I
would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is slightly larger than the
hole - but not so large that it wont protrude partly through the hole to
create the pressure against the bits that holds them in place.

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!

--
Kev

Ret. wrote:


So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!


So would the Guinness book of records.

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=23

may be helpful.

On 27/06/2011 19:55, Ret. wrote:

Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my micrometer,
I would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is slightly larger
than the hole - but not so large that it wont protrude partly through
the hole to create the pressure against the bits that holds them in place.

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!


3/16" is standard size used in bicycle wheel bearings.
Bike shops sell them in bags of 20 or so.

That would be around 4.75mm
Is that too big?


--
Ron

In message , Ret.
writes
Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Ret.
writes
I have rather a nice screwdriver bit kit with a 'handle' that holds
the bits in place via a ball-bearing under a spring clip. (Magnetic
holders are much better!)

Working on my son's tumble drier recently, and trying to get at an
awkwardly placed screw, the spring clip was pushed back, the ball
bearing fell out - and cannot be found anywhere. (It's probably
inside the machine somewhere!!)

As a result, the screwdriver bits will no longer remain in the
handle - they just drop out when the handle is turned down.

I've searched through my various oddment boxes in my workshed and
cannot find even one single ball bearing - let alone one of the right
size to fit the bit holder.

Anyone got any ideas?

Try a bearing stockist. Loose balls should be available.

Alternatively what size do you need. Someone in here must have
something suitable.

Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my
micrometer, I would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is
slightly larger than the hole - but not so large that it wont protrude
partly through the hole to create the pressure against the bits that
holds them in place.

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!

I can do you a few slightly rusty at 4mm and a couple at 4.7mm.

PM your address and I'll stick them in an envelope.

regards


--
Tim Lamb

In message , Tim Lamb
writes
In message , Ret.
writes
Tim Lamb wrote:
Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my
micrometer, I would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is
slightly larger than the hole - but not so large that it wont protrude
partly through the hole to create the pressure against the bits that
holds them in place.

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!

I can do you a few slightly rusty at 4mm and a couple at 4.7mm.

PM your address and I'll stick them in an envelope.

Can you try that again, Kev.

My inbox is showing a message but it does not appear in the file. I have
tried re-building the mail file which assures me that all messages have
been recovered but it is still not there!

regards
--
Tim Lamb

Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Tim Lamb
writes
In message , Ret.
writes
Tim Lamb wrote:
Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my
micrometer, I would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is
slightly larger than the hole - but not so large that it wont
protrude partly through the hole to create the pressure against the
bits that holds them in place.

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!

I can do you a few slightly rusty at 4mm and a couple at 4.7mm.

PM your address and I'll stick them in an envelope.

Can you try that again, Kev.

My inbox is showing a message but it does not appear in the file. I
have tried re-building the mail file which assures me that all
messages have been recovered but it is still not there!

Only just picked up this post Tim - so the message you are referring to is
not from me!

I have now sent you a pm. Thanks for the offer.

--
Kev

Ron Lowe wrote:
On 27/06/2011 19:55, Ret. wrote:

Having just measured the hole that the ball sits in, with my
micrometer, I would judge that the ball size will be 4mm. This is
slightly larger than the hole - but not so large that it wont
protrude partly through the hole to create the pressure against the bits
that holds them in
place. So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from
them!


3/16" is standard size used in bicycle wheel bearings.
Bike shops sell them in bags of 20 or so.

That would be around 4.75mm
Is that too big?

Difficult to say. Without the original to measure precisely with my
micrometer, it's largely guesswork. Tim has a few of around the right size
and he is going to send them to me - so I'll see how they go!

--
Kev

"82045" wrote in message
...
On Jun 27, 7:55 pm, "Ret." wrote:

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!




Google 'Bearingboys' or 'Simply Bearings', they both carry them

AWEM

Andrew Mawson wrote:
"82045" wrote in message
...
On Jun 27, 7:55 pm, "Ret." wrote:

So, if anyone has 4mm balls - I would be pleased to hear from them!




Google 'Bearingboys' or 'Simply Bearings', they both carry them

Thanks for that. Tim has already promised to post me a couple of different
sizes taken from an old bearing, so I'll see if they do the job first.

--
Kev

In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
edant mode... can we refer to the complete bearing assembly as a *ball
bearing*? You are needing a *steel ball*:-)

IIRC, the complete thing is a ball race. Made from ball bearings.

--
*A closed mouth gathers no feet.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
edant mode... can we refer to the complete bearing assembly as a *ball
bearing*? You are needing a *steel ball*:-)

IIRC, the complete thing is a ball race. Made from ball bearings.

Ball race is fine. Otherwise, check Wikipedia.

regards


--
Tim Lamb