Lubing sealed bearings on a bandsaw?

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 2nd February 2018, 04:55 PM

I have a 15yo SBW-3501, a Carpatec rebadge.

After the usual mandatory tweaks when I first bought it way back when, I've barely touched it since - maintenance wise, that is - except for blade replacements.

Considering the abuse I've put it through over the years, such as cutting up old railway sleepers, sides of beef

and countless rounds of turning blanks, it is still cutting surprisingly true. I know that, should the fancy take me, I can fire it up and mill 4mm veneers at max. height on most timbers.

But, being on the the top of a mountain and my 'shed' being... very well ventilated

...moisture is a constant problem for all of my tools. Keeping my hand-tools and exposed machinery parts rust free is a constant, ongoing battle.

The bandsaw is about the only machine I have which isn't a problem. My thicknesser bearings have siezed completely, discovered by turning it on and witnessing the drive chain lash it's way through the side cover and across the workshop floor.

I haven't worried about trying to lube the bandsaw bearings in the past as they're sealed, but the thicknesser bearings were supposed to be too!

Does anyone have any suggestions for regular maintenance to ensure the bandsaw doesn't meet with a similar fate?

**Chris Parks** · 2nd February 2018, 06:31 PM

The sealed bearings should be good with no maintenance but what I have seen done is to drill a very small hole in one of the seals and using a hypodermic needle or similar inject oil into the bearing through the hole. For the small price of the bearings and the work they do I wouldn't bother and if they start to give they would get replaced. If you did oil them the risk of oil escaping and getting on the wood is always going to be there. Don't try and remove the seals as they never go back together properly, been there etc.

**Old Hilly** · 3rd February 2018, 06:38 AM

There are gadgets made for forcing grease into bearings, a pair of cone-shaped (one male, one female shaped) alloy blocks that hold the bearing between them and you pump grease (with a grease gun) into the space where the bearing sits. The only problem is that you need to take the bearing out of it's housing. After you go to all that trouble of removing the bearing to grease it and considering the price of quality bearings like Timken or SKF you may as well just replace the bearing. New bearings are probably cheaper than the greasing gadget. What you will need is some sort of bearing puller to get the bearing out and some sort of press to get the bearing back in, especially if the bandwheels are alloy rather than cast iron. You could try leaving the bandwheel out in the hot sun to expand a bit and putting the bearing in the freezer overnight to contract a tiny fraction before you try to reassemble them. This will give you a little more clearance for the bearing but you need to be quick.

**Lappa** · 3rd February 2018, 10:03 AM

Those cone greasing units are only for bearings without seals.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 3rd February 2018, 11:00 AM

Thanks fellas, the greasing units have given me an idea, although I don't know if it's practical or not.

As it's primarily airborne moisture I'll have a look to see if it's practical to apply a thin smear of grease to the exposed face of the bearing, then pressing a suitably sized washer cut from thin sheet steel into it to prevent dust motes sticking to the grease.

If there's room, of course!

If practical, I'll also look at Chris's idea of making an oil hole.

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