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life expectancy with thrust load on radial bearing

My question is about life expectancy on following linear slide setup:

Two parallel 5/16 rods and a slide that uses a pair of small plain ball bearings(5mmx12mmx5mm) on the same axel with the spacer between them instead of a each single grooved roller. The ball bearings will roll on the both side of the rod since the spacer will be shorter than rod diameter.

It's a preloaded design with preload no more than 10-15lb. Speed is 1 foot/sec. It's manually driven device and "high mileage" is not expected.

I understand that radial BB are not made this kind of thrust load but since it's a relatively light load I think that it should work fine.

What do you think? Is it acceptable compromise?

Reply to
Alex
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Reply to
Steve Lusardi

Try it and see. An alternate idea would be to use thrust bearings to take the side load. There is a web site with a guy making and selling what he calls a Home Brew Linear Bearing. Check it out:

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is larger than what you describe but maybe...

Reply to
Ron Thompson

Alex, Consider that the bearing you are using has a speed rating of probably

50,000 RPM, and a load rating of about 100 lbs, and assuming it doesn't rust away. The answer is that you'll never wear it out.

Gary H. Lucas

Reply to
Gary H. Lucas

Y ears ago, and maybe still, Sears radial arm saws used small diameter rods along each side of the overarm - and used bearings in which the outer race was concave on the od - then the bearing was adjusted to proper force against the rod and rolled along front to back along the rod just fine. It also supported the weight of the motor, blade, guard and the forces of cutting. Worked well, so maybe one of those types of ball bearings would work in your instance. Ken.

Reply to
Kenneth W. Sterling

While this is true for plaster molds, he is just dipping them to give them a thin layer for loose sand casting (Lost Foam). Also, his mix has sand in it. (drywall texture).

Reply to
Ron Thompson

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