Replace sintered bushing bearing?

The bearings should be available thru most bearing suppliers. Buffing probably wouldn't require the utmost in precision fit at that speed. I wouldn't hesitate to use it as is to see if any problems arise.. overheating bearings or chatter.

If you really lean into the buffing wheels, you might decide that a larger shaft size in a more heavy duty unit would be more appropriate

WB ............

If the bushings are standard diameter, you can get them at any bearing supply house. They are cheap. If you replace the shaft, it must be hardened and polished at the bearing journals if you want decent life. It had oil-cups because that's what you use with sintered bushings, not grease. You can certainly use it like it is. Just run it until it rattles and then take it back to the flea market.

Randy

I had an old Millers Falls arbor I used for a long time. As I remember it it made noise when I ran it at speed although the bushings (oilite bronze bearings) were fine. It was excess end play that was doing it. I made up some shims and disassembled (fiddly) and put it back together with the shims and it worked great.

I would never switch out the bushing-type bearings for sealed roller bearings. Bad idea.

GWE

Thanks Grant, mine has a bit of end play too, I can fix it with a brass shim, I think.....for the record, though, why wouldn't you change them out for sealed bearing if you could? I also got one (a Wissato), with sealed bearings, that should work ok after cleaning......I like the Millers Falls one a lot........It's heavy, nice clearance, with a machined steel pulley. hardened nuts, too. Can you buy an equivalent nowadays?

Sleeve bearings run quieter than roller bearings, that's why. I like machines to run as much as possible silently and with zero vibration. BTW I would not change the bearings unless you have some reason to believe you need to. I have done this tool game since the early '80s and I used to routinely strip all machines to the bare castings, replace all bearings and fasteners, and repaint 100%. Now I never strip tightly bonded paint -- rather, I use it as primer -- and I don't replace bearings that don't need them, and I don't spend a ton of money on pretty stainless fasteners just for looks. It's a lot of fun but heck what you're messing with here is basically the equivalent of a bench grinder. I bet before you're done you'll restore a few lathes, mills, surface grinders, tool & cutter grinders, workbenches, build welding carts, gas forges & ovens -- there's really no end, you see, so why linger on a simple arbor? Get a motor, rig it up (I had mine set up so the weight of the motor tensioned the V-belt) and start using it.

GWE