disc harrow bearings

[tboomz]

what species of wood is used for bearing inserts. And is the wood [lathe] cut parallel to the grain or crossgrain?

 

[Jstpssng]

what species of wood is used for bearing inserts. And is the wood [lathe] cut parallel to the grain or crossgrain?

Hard Maple, AKA Sugar Maple. They used to be made here in Maine but I'm not sure if they still are.

 

[tboomz]

thx,
I'm down here in the south - NC, was hoping for perhaps a local wood [to me]. . dogwoods are all dead, read that wood was used for textile bobbins.
. The local red maple would be too soft. I'm looking for something I can cut off my land instead of buying. I'd heard of persimmon used, but don't have any that i'd want to cut. Not sure of white oak or hickory. Someone(s) on another site mentioned tamarack or Elm, but am not familiar with tamarack; it doesn't grow here. any suggestions welcome.

 

[Doughknob]

What?! Disc bearings made of wood? What kind of disc?

 

[Fladogman]

I think I remember old guys saying they used hickory down her in the south. I'm pretty sure it was a very dense wood. If you can post a picture of the disc set, I haven't seen one like that in years.

 

[Gee Ray]

What about locust, does it grow in your area?

This place will have what ever kind of wood you will need if you decide to buy some.

Contact Us - Keim Lumber​

https://www.keimlumber.com › contact-us



Main Store: 330-893-2251 (phone) 330-893-3325 (fax). Millwork Specialty Sales: 866-872-0500 (toll free). Contractor Sales: 866-877-1107 (toll free)

 

[bird dogger]

Old baseball bats are another good source that's worked well for me.

 

[3gunr]

My cultipacker had wood bearings when i bought it but they were broke up . I replaced with real greasable ones, I think agrisupply sells wood ones . Not sure if they will fit a disk

 

[oosik]

Around here - black locust - is our hardest wood. Not a native wood but often planted at homestead sites. Cut and dried - hard as iron.

 

[DJ54]

Woodex Bearing Company still makes them. Replacement Wood Bearings for Disc Harrows, Cultipackers & Other Farm Equipment | Woodex

Odd Shaped Custom Bearings - Woodex-MECO

Custom wood bearings for antique agricultural machinery.

woodexbearing.com

 

[Fladogman]

Woodex Bearing Company still makes them. Replacement Wood Bearings for Disc Harrows, Cultipackers & Other Farm Equipment | Woodex

Odd Shaped Custom Bearings - Woodex-MECO

Custom wood bearings for antique agricultural machinery.

woodexbearing.com

Wow, I wondered if they were still being produced.

 

[Doughknob]

AhHA! You guys are talking about ooooooooooOOOld discs. I disced a LOT in the 70/80s and the discs had steel ball bearings.

 

[old and tired]

Black locust followed by hickory... where in NC are you located, I can supply either. What size do you need?

 

[Jstpssng]

What?! Disc bearings made of wood? What kind of disc?

My Dearborn had them. Several of the housings were cracked and broken though so I’m slowly replacing them with metalunits from Agri-Supply. I’m just harrowing my garden, not restoring a show piece.
Somebody already mentioned hickory, which was my first thought when I read the OPs second post.

 

[Tinhack]

Use Lignum Vitae if you can find it. It's hard, stable and self lubricating. Otherwise, I'd make babbitt bearings for it.

 

[Doughknob]

A good hard wood is osage orange (hedge). Don’t know if it grows there. We use it for 50-year fence posts here.

 

[DJ54]

My Massey-Ferguson model 22 3 pt. disk has wooden bearings. When I bought it years ago, I thought maybe it would need new bearings, and was surprised when someone told me it had wooden bearings. Looked them up on the ACGO parts site, and found they were N/A from them. Went ahead and did an internet search, and found that this company still made them.

After separating the bearing boxes on the disk, found the wooden bearings were still in good shape. Amazing what a little grease will do...