On 10/9/11 7:55 PM, Charlie Gallo wrote:
> Hey Gang,
> Reading the Nth thread on lubing thrust bearings, and just had a thought -
> would it be a good idea to design a thrust bearing that works based upon an
> 'ultra high molecularly weight filled self lubricating plastic" (aka
> something like a filled teflon - or rulon or even vespel) - nothing to ever
> rust/lubricate, and they can take decades of low to medium speed
> rotation/sliding - heck, in theory, if your mast was truly round, you could
> just have 3 or 4 pressure blocks, and it just rides on that
>
> BTW, for that matter, if you could assure it stays WET (not dry, WET), I'd
> bet a lignum Vitae bearing would be about perfect for a tower thrust bearing
>
>
>
>
Many people have used HDPE (aka a cutting board). If you're looking for
a bearing that takes radial loads (perpendicular to the shaft), then you
saw the cutting board in half. Put the two halves together, use a hole
saw to cut a hole that clears the mast in the center. Then bolt the two
halves on either side of the mast.
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