Old 24 planer

Lee @ Elk Mound

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Lee @ Elk Mound

Chances are good you have a great machine. Half of my stationary woodworking machines are babbitt bearings, most of the rest were converted to ball-bearing. Heavy cast iron makes for nice machinery. FineWoodworking had a good article some years ago about pouring babbitts.

I'll try to find it for you. I haven't yet needed to repour any babbitts, only reduce shims to tighten them up.

Can't imagine your machine casting doesn't have the mfg. name. Not that it matters much.

You mention belts and pulleys. Was this a jackshaft driven machine? I recently arranged for a friend to buy one here. My 24" planer is early 50's and weighs 4500 lbs, ball-bearings.

The great part about pouring babbitts is if you screw it up, no problem. Just do it again. You won't hurt anything. I guess you know that fire might have affected the knives.

I'll get back to you. Can scan the article if you'd like.

Thanks for the Fine Woodworking tip. I'll see if I can locate something there. Looks like re-pouring the babbit is the only way to go as pillow block bearings just won't fit the configuration. The machine probably was designed for jack shaft operation just judging from the pully set-up.

Lee @ Elk Mound

Your other choice, if you really want modern bearings, is to re-machine the frame. Not anything I'd do.

Yesterday I agreed to bring home a 16x60 metal lathe with babbitts (a lot older than I am), along with a belt drive babbitt drill press, and metal shaper, unknown bearings. Don't really know what I'm getting into, but I'll find out.

This one may be for sale if I can't get myself to tackle the babbit bearing rebuilding.

Lee @ Elk Mound

Alternatively, very little isn't for sale. My friend Carl would probably part with his for the right price. 3000 lbs sounds about right. I hauled it for him. IIRC, it had the capacity for gang ripping or shaping.