He Makes Nylon Bearings

He Makes Nylon Bearings FARM SHOP Repairs 27-1-36 Leon Allison, Doylestown, Ohio: "I've replaced numerous worn bearings with nylon bearings that I make myself. I buy solid round stock nylon stock from Universal Plastics in Akron, Ohio. The nylon can be purchased in various sizes - I usually buy it in 2 or 2 1/2-in. dia. chunks. I use my small lathe to cut it to the size I need. I always make sure I leave ample clearance, because if the nylon bearings are too tight they will get hot and swell and then seize up. "I've made nylon bearings for my hay rake and manure spreader and for a 4-ft. dia. decorative water wheel in our yard. When I made a nylon bearing for my New Holland small square baler, I split it in half to get it around the shaft and then clamped it in place so that it won't slide out. It eliminated the need to take the entire shaft apart. Being able to make my own bearings saves a lot of money."

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