Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

What Type or grade Babbitt do you all normally use when re pouring bearings. I see there’s all different grades pertaining to tin based or lead based.

I re-use babbitt from other heads. If I have to buy it, I shoot for a medium. I never had this stuff analyzed, so I'm not sure . I figure if it's from windmills in the first place, it's good. I use tire weight lead for show mills.

I think last time I bought, I bought #4 from Rotometals (I think they call it hardware grade). I also reuse the melted out bearings (I think everyone does). I've also had a couple times that I happened across branded pieces of some unknown mixture, from a company that is long gone ... I just mix them in.

There is an oil field supply house not far from me. I went in there one time, and blew the dust off a slab and paid 15 bucks for it. sectioned off in 1 pound slabs, it had 6. I was in there the other day, and the new stuff is I think 15 bucks a pound. Funny how the price goes up when someone is interested.

Been doing pitmans, and heads lately. Had to make a new jig for 8 ft 702 arms, my other was not so great. New one is much better. Did an A602 today.

I need a jig for A602 bull gears. I think I have 5 cases sitting on a pallet that I should fix up and sell.

Thanks for all the feed back. I’ve been doing a little searching on the old google also. Turns out the tin based Babbitt is for high speeds with larger loads and the lead based is for lower speeds and less weight. Guess I’ll go with the lead. It’s also cheaper then the tin based

I have poured the pedastal, peeled it out, and sold that pour to others. No names.
Hollar if you actually want to try that. lol

As far as I know, babbitt is lead based. The tin content is what makes it harder. Some has copper in it I think. Of course, it all has antimony also. I ran across some hard stuff the other day, took a lot of heat to get it liquid. I poured it out on the concrete floor, it had kind of a bronze color come out. I mixed it in with other a little at a time to use it up.

There’s some grade 1 and grade 2 stuff that’s got 80-90% tin in it and very low percentages of lead In it

Here's a wikipedia article on Babbitt alloys.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(alloy)

Most windmill babbitt is lead based. Of course, lead is toxic stuff. Be careful. Years ago I had chronic fatigue and food allergies that may have been caused by lead exposure. Now I do babbitt work outside, or next to open doors/windows with an exhaust fan. I wear a respirator. I wear gloves when I handle the babbitt and the damming material.