Dempster No 12 Cross head babbits

[windybob]

Details of melting and cleaning babbitt you might already know.

Once everything is spaced, steady, and sealed then you can warm up the things you are pouring the babbitt into. The warmer you make things, the less the putty sticks, and can, and probably will, fall off. Once that stuff is heated, you hardly can touch it without being too hot. Now you need to wait for everything to cool down. I do not get the items very hot. I do heat them up some, but not really hot. The tape burns, the putty falls off, and it just creates a mess. Warm the stuff up, and your lead should already be good to pour at the same time.

[windybob]

Now, considering you are ready to pour, remember, it's all or nothing. You can't stop in the middle, and start again. All at once. Not fast, but a nice continuous pour. You can do one side at a time if you wish.

WAIT A MINUTE... I forgot to tell you about the spacing between the rods and crosshead. SORRY. I use brown paper. Wrapping paper. Brown paper bags are ok, but they a thicker. This is where you need to see what you prefer, and what you have on hand. Brown paper comes in lots of different thicknesses, only you can determine what works best for you. For crossheads, I use 3 wraps of my paper. For pitman arms I use none. For mainshafts, I might use 2 or 3, depending. Before you slide the crosshead on the guides, wrap your spacing paper on the rods, do NOT tape the paper to the rod itself. Remember, you need to get this stuff apart. When you wraps on, tape the paper to itself, using scotch invisible tape. The idea is to use a thin tape, not masking or duct tape.

[windybob]

Sorry, I'm a little sidetracked. Helping to settle a friends estate at the same time. Multitasking!

Continuing... wrap the paper on the rod loose enough so that it slides. Tape the outside of the paper all the way up the paper seam, so it does not gap. Don't tape it to the rod, either on the inside, or the outside. Then you can put the crosshead on the rods, install the rod tie at the top, and start the putty. When you heat the items, you might set the paper on fire, the putty might fall off, and other things too. Ahhh what fun. Puor babbitt in the top, stop before it comes over the top. If it's a tad lower than the top, that's ok. If it's higher than the top, the oil may not flow into it very good. If you get it over the top, grind it down, or grind a slot in it for the oil.

[windybob]

Now, at this point, even without the other side poured, it will mosly be hard to slide off the rod. You can either try to slide it up off the rod, and take the paper off, and out of the babbitt, or pour the other side. If you pour the other side, it will twice as hard to get the crosshead up and off the rods. I made a "pusher" of sorts, that fits down in the pumprod opening, and when you screw it up, it pushes the crosshead off. Once you get it to come off, and remove the brown paper, it should slide up and down freely. Of course there should be some play in it. If it's too tight, it will bind up, and shed babbitt on the rod. Better a little loose, than any too tight.

I think that's the high points. Keep me posted. If you have any questions, holler back. I will be tied up this afternoon, but will get back to you.

[Centex Windmills]

Thanks this write up is a huge help.

[mtblah]

Brandon , if your any where near New Braunfels some day , stop by and i'll show you how to pour babbitt . Windy says i'm a pro since i poured the bearing in my Aermotor .
Mike B

[Centex Windmills]

I had been waffling back and forth on machining bronze or brass sleeves vs pouring babbits after reading this excelent write up and talking with some folks today. I melted the old babbits out and they were hiding ovalized holes so machining bronze or brass is out will pouring babbits still work or should I track down a new cross head.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

A good machinist can still make them even though they're oblong. Cheaper to pour your own if you're capable