Any use for this 8" x2" wheel

[PT Doc]

Came across this wheel that is supposedly precision machined steel and heat treated. Obviously would need to be bored out for bearings unless those are bearings. Seems like a fair price.

How is rubber put on contact wheels? Could this have rubber applied to it?

http://www.harborfreight.com/english...die-68410.html

[quint]

Those are bearing in it, not sure how fast they are rated for so that could be an issue. I am pretty sure these are meant for slow speed type stuff. It weighs alot also. Not sure if that would be a factor or not.

[thompsonblades]

That wheel is designed for low speed, high compression applications. Do you guys even know what an "English Wheel" is? Its used to shape sheet metal into complex curves. You run a piece thin sheet steel between two wheels squeezed together and those wheel distort the metal. The shaper has to move it all by hand. See below link?
http://www.harborfreight.com/english...and-68385.html

So to answer your questions, it has bearings and you don't even want to try putting rubber on that wheel. The bearrings would fail pretty quickly if you're thinking about using it to make a grinder.

[jonekatt]

I would be willing to bet there are no "ball" bearings in that wheel at all, most likely just a bronze sleeve bearing,definitely low speed

[zaph1]

I would take that bet. They probably aren't high quality bearings, but they are definitely ball bearings in the picture judging by the shield. Sleeve bearings aren't normally used for high pressure applications, are they? The nice thing about bearings is that you can always replace them with higher quality bearings, something with a mid ABEC rating should work.

The real question, presuming that you can replace the bearings with nicer bearings, is "what would you do with a hardened steel 8" roller with rounded edges?" It would likely tear up belt edges.

[jonekatt]

ok you have a bet LOL, I just sent an email off to HF asking for the bearing info

also I don't think an English wheel is a high pressure tool, at least not the way you might be thinking, it creates a lot of pressure in a very small contact area, divide that back out to the surface area of the bearing and I would guess we are only talking about a few hundred pounds per square inch

[zaph1]

"Top die has fully shielded radial bearings"

Should have thought that one through. Makes sense, my 8" casters came with the same. I would bet my 1 3/16" flange lip bearings would fit.

[jonekatt]

stick a feather in your cap you win ;0)

shortly after your post I found the exploded parts digram for the English wheel that thompsonblades posted and it clearly shows two radial bearings

[quint]

As far as contact wheels go I am trying out this guy once I get my NWG finished. http://www.hamiltoncaster.com/Hamilt...W-820-DB70-1/2

Hopefully it will do the trick. Weird the price is off, I paid $58 thru them. Now it links to $70 for the price. Interesting.

[jonekatt]

hopefully the balance is ok, the first steel caster wheel I tried to use on my grinder shook like a son-of-gun, I know now that contact wheels are cnc machined and balanced ;0)

[quint]

As long as it isnt too bad you can balance them alright. Still it will be a learning experience, if it doesnt work then I will know next time.

[zaph1]

High power magnets work great as balancers on steel. I balanced an 8" urethane/steel caster using them and it works pretty well. Add more or fewer magnets, further or closer to the axle. When the magnets stop rotating to the bottom, you're about there.