The Forestry Forum
General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Rigg on November 26, 2020, 05:50:29 AM
I've got 2 questions based on another post in a thread below since there has been some circle saw threads lately.
How often and how much do you grease mandrel bearings?
What type of grease do you prefer?
Thanks
The trick is to use just enough grease on the bearing next to the saw because a little too much will heat the bearing and the saw. A point and click thermometer is a real help here. There are synthetic greases today that are thin and run cooler because of that. They don't churn as much heat as say the old no. 2 but have the same rating. What you don't want is thick or high temperature grease. Cat dealers have a selection of syn. grease worth looking at. There is also Timkin/Fafner pillow block grease. I use Lubraplate cold weather grease, 6 pumps every 6 months. With that thermometer you can take the bearing temperature before you grease and after [after running for a while]. You can also see where the heat is going and how the saw is responding if at all to the warm bearing. I used to over grease and after running a while I couldn't run at all.
clarify if your running babbit or roller . babbit likes oil better than grease . roller DO NOT over grease or they will heat and the rollers will plow instead of turn making flat spots on the rollers
I've got roller bearings. I've used No 2 grease before. I've definitely over greased at times. I haven't been happy after I've put grease in the mandrel bearings yet.
Seems to me like less is better. It takes a little while before the saw acts right and you can feel a temp difference in the bearing next to the saw.
Lately, I've been running a couple hours every day. I haven't put greased anything in awhile and the saw has been running pretty good.
Moodnacreek,
You run every day and 6 pumps every 6 months?
Rigg, Yes, 6 shots every 6 months. Others say 1 shot each month. I suggested thin synthetic grease. This is expensive so if you go that way you will want a separate gun and only use it on the mandrel bearings or only on the saw bearing.