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Spindle lubricant and speed questions

I'm building a tubing and pipe notcher that uses a roughing end mill. It's mostly a "can I do it" kind of project and I'm designing it as I go. I've built a spindle for it using tapered roller bearings and races, much like front wheel bearings on a car and now I'm trying to decide how best to lubricate them. Should I pack them with grease like on a car? Or perhaps white lithium grease? Or should I just use a lighter oil? I've built it in such a way that they will have seals at each end and I could use the center of the unit as a reservoir to hold motor oil or something similar but I don't know which would be better. Any suggestions?

If it works as hoped it'll end up in a friends shop and his workers will not be gentle with it and I doubt they'd ever think about checking oil levels, etc. so I need it to be as maintenance free and idiot proof as possible.

Also, assuming I'll usually be using a 1.5" mill but planned it so that different sizes up to 2" can be used for different sized tubing what would you recommend for a fixed spindle speed? Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall
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I "invented" (independently of countless others, I'm sure) that technique about 30 years ago for notching SS tube for sailboat bow rails. I always intended to build a dedicated machine like you're planning to avoid tying up a Bridgeport, but never got to it.

Run slow with a cutter with as many teeth as you can find. We used a 6 flute for 1 x .083 tube. I'd plan on no more than 100RPM for a 2" diameter in steel. Or experiment on a BP to see what speed works best for you.

Wheel bearing grease will be more than adequate at the speed you'll be using.

Reply to
Ned Simmons

I'd pack them the same as a car wheel bearing using a high quality wheel bearing grease. You could put in a zerk fitting, give it a few shots of the grease gun occasionaly. Expect to tear down, clean, and regrease every thousand operating hours.

Hav> I'm building a tubing and pipe notcher that uses a roughing end mill. It's

Reply to
RoyJ

technique about 30 years ago for notching SS tube for sailboat bow rails. I always intended to build a dedicated machine like you're planning to avoid tying up a Bridgeport, but never got to it. >Run slow with a cutter with as many teeth as you can find. We used a 6 flute for 1 x .083 tube.>on a BP to see what speed works best for you.>different sizes up to 2" can be used for different sized tubing what would

Reply to
Keith Marshall

bearing grease. You could put in a zerk fitting, give it a few shots of the grease gun occasionaly. Expect to tear down, clean, and regrease every thousand operating hours.>Having tried this, be sure you use a spiral roughing mill with fine teeth. A standard 2 or 4 flute mill is not the way to go, chatters unbelievably. Speed should be a few hundred rpm, variable speed would be nice.

Reply to
Keith Marshall

Reply to
RoyJ

Sounds pretty handy!

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

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