[TheForge] Re: Timken Case Hardening

[David E. Smucker]

Lon, you maybe correct but I have never seen large bearings from 
stainless -- now all of the bearings I was buying where 10 inch OD and 
larger  -- about $ 2,000,000 worth per year.  I retired in 2000 so their 
maybe more stainless bearings out there than I know about but I am not sure 
why you would go with stainless except for high temperature applications and 
marine applications (salt water).  Also rod end bearings for hydraulic 
cylinder might call for stainless.  Where are you finding scrap stainless 
bearings -- it might be interesting to get my hands on some.

Carpenter makes a series of 440C type stainless for bearing applications. 
They have 4 different grades, two which are high carbon and two designed for 
case hardening.  Here is a URL if you want to look at some of the Carpenter 
specs.

http://www.cartech.com/products/wr_products_bearing_steel.html

Dave Smucker


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lon Humphrey" <ironcrossforge at roadrunner.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: Timken Case Hardening


> nea...most of the bigger ones made today are some form of stainless thats 
> why they wont rust...only if it rusts is it 52100
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
> To: <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com>; "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: Timken Case Hardening
>
>
>> Almost all ball bearings are 52100.  Many ball and roller bearings by 
>> SKF, Torrington, FAG are also 52100.  SKF and FAG may make some of their 
>> very large bearings using case hardening.  I would think the same is true 
>> for the Japanese bearing manufactures but I have no first hand knowledge. 
>> Timken as it turns out makes most of the steel for a wide range of 
>> manufacturers.  For Timken's own bearings they to the best of my 
>> knowledge have all been case hardened.
>>
>> That doesn't mean that the Timken bearings are not good for making tools, 
>> they are.  If forged down the outer layer is still high carbon steel 
>> unless you grind it off because the case is so deep.  The inside is like 
>> a 4120, very tough and strong.
>>
>> But keep in mind and this is a BIG BUT -- like all things made from 
>> "scrap" they may fail because of defects from the parts service life. 
>> For some, this is OK, but others may not want to risk it.
>>
>> Dave Smucker
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Ron Childers" <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com>
>> To: "'Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:48 AM
>> Subject: RE: [TheForge] Re: Timken Case Hardening
>>
>>
>>> Some years ago I made a big knife out of an old axel bearing from a 
>>> semi. I
>>> was told it was 52100 and I tempered in oil. It chopped through a 2x4 
>>> and
>>> would still shave, so it must have been pretty good steel. Also made 
>>> some
>>> smaller blades out of car axel bearings and big ball bearings; same 
>>> story.
>>>
>>> It must have been dumb luck that the bearings weren't Timpkin. Which
>>> manufacturers use 52100 for their bearings? Machinery's Handbook must 
>>> have
>>> contacted Monmoth, Fag, or some other company for their information on
>>> bearing steels.
>>>
>>> Ron C
>>>
>>>
>>>
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