Bushing material question

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seal killer
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Bushing material question

Post by seal killer »

All--

(Hi!)

I need to make a couple of bushings for a 0.5"d W1 Tool steel axle. My on-hand bushing material choices are 12L44, 4140 and 1018. I may have some kind of stainless steel on hand, also. If I do, it would be fairly easy to machine . . . I would not have bought anything else. (I prefer not to use the stainless due to my lack of experience with it.)

Which should I use?

Thanks!

--Bill
You are what you write.
KellyJones
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by KellyJones »

Well, if it's really an axle, then consider bronze. Steel on bronze is a great wear couple. The bronze is relatively self lubricating and soft enough that any hard wear particles from the W1 will embed itself into the bronze, preventing damage to the shaft.

If all you have is the steel you noted, then use the 1018. All three are going to really be too soft to make a good bushing for a high wear application, but will do if you simply want to "locate" a shaft. I see no advantage to using the more expensive steels. Save them for a project that really needs their properties.
Kelly Jones, PE
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Bill Shields
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by Bill Shields »

axle for what? / rpm / load / lubrication available? / is axle hardened?

stainless is bottom of the list for any bushing....

given your choices, at first glance -> I would recommend 'none of the above'...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
SteveM
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by SteveM »

For a steel axle, bronze and cast iron would be good choices, and if I remember the chart in "So You Want To Build a Steam Locomotive", pretty much nothing else is really good.

If it won't take a lot of impact, oilite (sintered bronze) might be usable - you can probably buy it already to size. If you need to machine it, you need to use a very sharp tool so as not to close the "pores" of the material.

Delrin AF (teflon impregnated delrin) is also a good choice, but there may be load and speed constraints.

Steve
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seal killer
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by seal killer »

Kelly and Bill--

Kelly, I think I've got some bronze I could use.

Bill, the axle is for the wheels of a small cement mixer. RPM is like 0.nothing. The only thing the McMaster Carr label says is "W1 Tool Steel." (I've had the stock for years.) The end of the piece is painted red. There will be no provision for lubrication. (There wasn't on the original setup, either.)

--Bill
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Bill Shields
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by Bill Shields »

oilite

you can purchase pre-machined bushings....
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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seal killer
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by seal killer »

Bill--

Re: Premachined bushings.

Yep. I know. I've got some in a few different sizes. Wrong sizes of course.

I want to do something in the shop. How about 932 bronze for the bushings? I could buy a 12" x 1" stick and turn it to fit.

I have a 13" hunk of oversize 932 bronze stock, but it is 2" in diameter. I just looked up the price at Online Metals. I would hate to buy that piece today!

--Bill
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Harold_V
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by Harold_V »

For a working fitting (any type of motion, be it fast or slow), steel on steel is pretty much a poor choice. Doesn't really matter which alloys are combined, with the problem of scoring exacerbated by lack of lubrication.
As Bill stated, stainless is generally a poor choice due to its propensity for scoring.
In the described example, I'd suggest that a gray iron (or ductile iron) bushing would be a reasonable choice due to the contained graphite. I'd also investigate the use of Oilite, which has already been mentioned. Leaded phosphor bronze might be a good choice, too.

H
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liveaboard
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by liveaboard »

Nylon?
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Bill Shields
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by Bill Shields »

Bronze of any type will be ok....hang on to wallet
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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seal killer
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by seal killer »

Bill and liveaboard and Kelly and Harold and Steve--

1" x 12" Phosphor bronze on its way from Online Metals: $83.05 + tax.

Thanks for the help!

--Bill
ps Bill; yes, (gulp).
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tornitore45
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Re: Bushing material question

Post by tornitore45 »

Zero RPM This is a cement mixer How many feet are you dragging the thing on an average year?
If the use is the typical homeowner busy work that axle is getting less than 1000 turns each year
Even a piece of hard wood with an oil hole filled up would outlast you.
At my age I am beginning to assess my project on my expected lifetime, no more that "should outlive the greatgrandchildren mentality".
Mauro Gaetano
in Austin TX
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