Rollie's Dad's method

had to chuckle at myself----when I researched my records I found I had conveniently combined the value of the two bearings into one price, so it's not nearly as bad as I was thinking. Still, it's a lot of money for two bearings. They're a Gamet bearing-----precision high speed bearings with hollow rollers. Each is rated @ 6,900 RPM.

Harold

Yep! I've danced to that tune before, too. Unfortunately, the bearings for the Graziano are highly unusual, and foreign made. It appears they have done an excellent job of controlling the market.

When I made an inquiry, I received this reply:

"Mr. Vordos,

If you can provide the Gamet numbers from your bearings we can quote, we are the US representative for them".

According to the manual, the bearings are as follows:

110055 Cone X 110100 Cup (1 set) 130069 Cone X 130120H Cup (1 set)

In a different correspondence I received the following:

"The price of the bearings is as follows:

110055/110100 Bearing $468.33 130069X/130120H Bearing $1000.56

Delivery would be approximately 2 weeks from receipt of an order.

Thank you for your inquiry,

Jolene (Jo) Olds

Customer Service Manager"

I had clearly remembered the price incorrectly, but then that doesn't surprise me considering this was over a year ago, and my memory appears to be the second shortest thing I have these days.

I'll see if I can find the source you and Gunner recommended. I appreciate your input.

Harold

Jealous, eh?

Deep down, you wish you could run your lathe from your bed, just as I can.

I can't begin to imagine how nice it will be when I can run the machines without worrying about living with the chips.

Harold

I think Rollie's Dad's method is rather ingenious. The primary purpose is to remove the twist from the bed. It won't ensure the lathe is level from end-to-end or side-to-side. The purpose of leveling the lathe isn't to have it level, it's to remove the twist in the bed so that the the orientation of the headstock/tailstock/carriage are the same as the tailstock/carriage travel up and down the ways. The machining operation could care less if one side/end of the lathe is higher than the other.

I've done it both ways and Rollie's Dad's method produces perfectly adequate results. It will also detect whether the headstock is pointing up/down relative to the bed. Much more difficult to fix, though. And not guaranteed from the factory. Best of luck.

artfulbodger wrote: I note that there are no actual parts

The parts are sold by LeBlond

Kevin Gallimore

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in news:42884b31 snipped-for-privacy@newspeer2.tds.net:

You can buy the bearings for the Graziano at most any bearing house. Try Berry Bearing. Hmm looks like they got bought out by Motion Industries. We use them all the time.

I'm not convinced you can, not from my experience, anyway. I checked the link you provided but couldn't find anything listed as being made by Gamet, nor any listing for Graziano.

I have no doubt you can buy bearings for Graziano lathes for most applications, but headstock bearings are not exactly a common item. Have you purchased any of those from your sources? Everything I've learned always leads back to the original source of the bearings, which are rather unusual because of their hollow roller design and high speed capabilities.

Harold

Yeah, that's the impression I had. I used the method to straighten out the lathe and it worked well; but now I've gone and leveled everything anyway. Or, as close as I can get to level, with my (inadequate, temporary) bench. I wasn't going to bother, but then decided to scrape in the new cross slide. This of course leads to scraping in the compound rest and the saddle, and oh boy, I'm off and running. Fortunately, I can't scrape the bed, can't even really check if it needs it, until the lathe is on a better mounting. But it's level enough to scrape and fit the other parts well, so here I go.

Blue hands, sore shoulders, God help me.

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in news:42895700 snipped-for-privacy@newspeer2.tds.net:

I don't know if Berry carries Gamet for sure, but yes we have bought headstock bearings (class 9 matched angular contact) from them. But you can get the bearings you need from any Gamet distributor. Harrison lathes and others also use the same Gamet taper roller bearings. In our parts dept. we have cross reference books from various bearing manufacturers. If there is an equivelant bearing any bearing distributor will be able to tell you, providing you get someone on the phone who wants to help. Gamet kind of specializes in engine lathe headstock bearings though, so an equivelant bearing from another manufacturer may not be available. But that doesn't mean that you have to buy the Gamets' from Graziano. Unlike our service guys and our customers you have time on your side. The lathe is not down and you aren't losing money. I would shop around for the best deal. Parts is parts.

Thanks, Dan. Yep, I'm not in a hurry. In fact, if I can't get a better deal, they won't get changed out at all. The machine runs fine, without noise, it's just not as precise as it once was. I'll keep snooping in the hopes I come up with a good deal.

Harold

Tel: (800) 225-4334 (617) 254-1420

Ask for JC.

Tell him you are associated with Rapid Turn.

Give him the numbers, and ask the price.

You may be very surprised.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years, the world has a long way to go to regain its credibility and reputation with the US." unknown

I install spindle bearings as part of my living. Hardinge, etc. Spindle bearings, while pricey are readily available for most machines. It may take a day or two to have something unusual ordered in, but none Ive found so far were unique. Hardinge spindle bearings for example are made by SKF, NSK, etc etc and are common.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years, the world has a long way to go to regain its credibility and reputation with the US." unknown

On Mon, 16 May 2005 21:45:26 -0700, the inscrutable "Harold and Susan Vordos" spake:

Yeah, with that wild and hairy two -tenths- of slop, your mower blade washer won't get to Mars in one piece, Harold.

LJ--who can barely see 0.0002" on his dial caliper. ;)

------ We're born hungry, wet, 'n naked, and it gets worse from there. -

Website Application Programming -

:^)

Jim

Thanks, Gunner. With that, I'll inquire as soon as possible. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Harold

Apparently these are. Unique, that is. . Gamet is the only manufacturer, at least from everything I've discovered. I talked to JC, who will inquire of them as quickly as possible. He said he has purchased similar bearings previously. From our conversation, I expect I won't hear anything positive regards the cost. That's what happens when there's no competition. Gamet is sure as hell going to hate life when the Chinese start duplicating their bearings!

Harold