Ball Bearing Information

[Sycamore67]

While reading the thread on bearing lubrication, I was wondering about the ball bearing numbers and letters.  I found that each number and letter have specific meaning.  I am attaching brief info on decoding the ball bearing numbers.  Some may already know this but may be useful to others.

Edited April 7 by Sycamore67
spelling

[CharleyL]

Well done. Many here should be able to make good use of these tables.

If the bearing manufacturers hadn't standardized bearings like this it would have been impossible to manufacture replacements for machinery unless a special new bearing that fit the need could be made to order. Standardization made it easier to stock spares and to design machinery, like our scroll saws that could use the ready made "off the shelf" spares. Standardization of screws, nuts, and bolts was a good thing too, for the same reason. In the early 1800's and before, blacksmiths hand made fasteners and other hardware for wagons, lifts, etc. and every one of these mechanical contraptions had their components made by the local blacksmith with no standardization at all, meaning that the only person that could make you the exact replacement that you needed was likely that one local blacksmith. What a fix we would be in today if standardization hadn't changed this.

Charley 

 

 

Edited April 9 by CharleyL

[kmmcrafts]

16 hours ago, CharleyL said:

Well done. Many here should be able to make good use of these tables.

If the bearing manufacturers hadn't standardized bearings like this it would have been impossible to manufacture replacements for machinery unless a special new bearing that fit the need could be made to order. Standardization made it easier to stock spares and to design machinery, like our scroll saws that could use the ready made "off the shelf" spares. Standardization of screws, nuts, and bolts was a good thing too, for the same reason. In the early 1800's and before, blacksmiths hand made fasteners and other hardware for wagons, lifts, etc. and every one of these mechanical contraptions had their components made by the local blacksmith with no standardization at all, meaning that the only person that could make you the exact replacement that you needed was likely that one local blacksmith. What a fix we would be in today if standardization hadn't changed this.

Charley 

 

 

 

On 4/7/2024 at 7:31 AM, Sycamore67 said:

While reading the thread on bearing lubrication, I was wondering about the ball bearing numbers and letters.  I found that each number and letter have specific meaning.  I am attaching brief info on decoding the ball bearing numbers.  Some may already know this but may be useful to others.

Wonder how many folk back then squawk about it not being handmade like we get today about the laser and cnc stuff.. I'll bet the blacksmith didn't like the standardisation crap and having to make stuff to tolerances..   

[Rolf]

Good information thanks!