[TowerTalk] Thrust bearings

[K8RI on TT]

On 10/10/2011 12:21 AM, Jim Lux wrote:
> On 10/9/11 7:55 PM, Charlie Gallo wrote:
>> Hey Gang,
>> Reading the Nth thread on lubing thrust bearings, and just had a thought - would it be a good idea to design a thrust bearing that works based upon an 'ultra high molecularly weight filled self lubricating plastic" (aka something like a filled teflon - or rulon or even vespel) - nothing to ever rust/lubricate, and they can take decades of low to medium speed rotation/sliding - heck, in theory, if your mast was truly round, you could just have 3 or 4 pressure blocks, and it just rides on that

We used to use graphite impregnated Delrin for low speed bearings.  How 
much of a load they'd take I don't know, but they worked well and lasted 
long in our applications.

73

Roger (K8RI)
>>
>> BTW, for that matter, if you could assure it stays WET (not dry, WET), I'd bet a lignum Vitae bearing would be about perfect for a tower thrust bearing
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Many people have used HDPE (aka a cutting board).  If you're looking for
> a bearing that takes radial loads (perpendicular to the shaft), then you
> saw the cutting board in half.  Put the two halves together, use a hole
> saw to cut a hole that clears the mast in the center.  Then bolt the two
> halves on either side of the mast.
>
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