Caster wheels for idler wheels?

P

PaMtnBkr

Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
393
I have found a number of urethaneover Aluinum wheels Caster wheels that have precision bearings or in some cases, roller bearings in Grainger catalog. Will these work for idler wheels on a 2x72 grinder? They are pretty inexpensive compared to some idler wheels I have found at knife makers supply places?
 
I think Zaph1 used an 8" one for his 2x72 conversion of a 4x36. He might still be runing it. Just be sure to balance it carefully.


-Xander
 
I'm running a 5" that I put bearings in (for a contact wheel)- one of the best running wheels I have.
I've got all of $6 in the wheel and another $4 for the bearings not a bad deal @ $10. While all my
other contact wheels are rubber 3/8" dia. to 14" the urethane covered one does get a lot of use.
Ken.
 
kc custom said:
I'm running a 5" that I put bearings in (for a contact wheel)- one of the best running wheels I have.
I've got all of $6 in the wheel and another $4 for the bearings not a bad deal @ $10. While all my
other contact wheels are rubber 3/8" dia. to 14" the urethane covered one does get a lot of use.
Ken.
Click to expand...

Hi Ken,
Just wondering where you purchased your inexpensive wheels for your grinder??

I've got to lower the price of building my grinder. I just priced out the 3 wheels I need at Sunray for $244 which includes shipping. I simply can't afford that...ya know? I'm planing on using my variable speed lathe motor so I want have to buy a motor. So all I have to do is come up with a way to mount the wheels, make a platen and whatever you call the place that supports the steel while grinding the shape. Slap it all together and wala....my first grinder. I do have a good idea as to making the frame that will support the wheels and accessories.

I hope I can pull it off as inexpensively as possible. I have a lot of spare time and want to put it to good use.

Thanks for your help in accomplishing this for me!

Paul
 
PaMtnBkr said:
I have found a number of urethaneover Aluinum wheels Caster wheels that have precision bearings or in some cases, roller bearings in Grainger catalog. Will these work for idler wheels on a 2x72 grinder? They are pretty inexpensive compared to some idler wheels I have found at knife makers supply places?
Click to expand...

Have you got a link?

let's see them


If they are solid, I might consider it.

the cast ones are irregular and will be out of balance.
 
I got my urethane covered caster wheels at surplus center, but you have to keep in mind I
put sealed race ball bearings in both sides of the housing and then balanced it.
Ken.
 
I'm curious...................

How'd you bore the holes for the bearings?

And then.............

How did you go about balancing these?
 
The holes for the bearings were already a press fit for the outer bearing race. Angle grinder
skimmed across the face with the wheel spinning until I got it to run true. I've got wheels
from 14" down and it runs as good as any of them.
Ken.
 
Here's a quick pic of the so called "roller bearings" that were in them and the bearing
laying on the hub is what I put in them. Ken.
102_0830.jpg
 
I've pretty much done the same as KC with a few wheels. I have a tracking wheel on my old Square Wheel that is a retrofitted caster. The grinder runs way better after adding that wheel.

Many of these wheels seem to have a bore that fits ball bearings well with no modification. I have three that do. I forget what OD bearing fits them, 1-1/8" or something.

With metal hub casters, they will often be out of round slightly, a little non-concentric, and unbalanced. Out-of-round and non-concentric can be taken care of by mounting them on bearings and running them out front on the grinder with a narrow belt, and truing them up with a rasp. At the same time, if the wheel will be an idler, I put a little crown on it.

Balance issues that remain after truing will be in the hub metal. Often these wheels have a grease zerk in the hub, it helps to take that off and use a lathe (in my case a mill) to remove the extra metal that the zerk screws into.

After doing these things, casters often work very nicely.
 
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