Phenolic versus Aluminum Pillow Blocks

[Chucker]

Any thoughts on the pros and cons?

 

[soneraii]

I wouldn't use anything but the white nylon products. Resilient, doesn't soak up fluids, cuts and drills easily, never needs lubed...can sometimes be purchased locally.

I have purchased above as thick white cutting boards.

Kevin

 

[wbpace]

Two good discussions on this topic can be found at http://www.sonerai.net/smf/index.php?topic=3638 and http://www.sonerai.net/smf/index.php?topic=4185. There's a couple of useful links there to suppliers.

Phenolic, although attractive to me as a traditional material, was way too expensive. I ended up buying a 1"x12"x12" slab of Delrin (Acetal) from eplastics.com, which happens to be located about 10 minutes from where I work. It cost me $47 plus tax. Pricey, and more material than I need, but I had other projects in mind for what I don't use on the Sonerai. You machine it with regular wood working tools.

ePlastics has all kinds of plastic, including HDPE and UHMW. Or you can try to find a cheap cutting board at a Dollar type store or Walmart.

O'Bill

 

[Chucker]

Thanks, Bill

I am not looking for alternatives. I have two sets of blocks, aluminum and phenolic. I am just looking for the trade offs between the two.

 

[soneraifred]

If the pillow blocks are fit properly, and lubricated, it shouldn't make any difference which material you use. I've seen aluminum, phenolic, nylon, UHMW, maple, and oak. They all work. I have aluminum blocks in my airplane. I cross-drilled the top half of each block so that I put a drop of oil in at the annual inspection. The use of nylon or UHMW eliminates the need for lube. I'm using UHMW for the bearing blocks on my UltraPup project.

 

[Chucker]

Thanks, Fred

 

[Chucker]

Since the phenolic weigh 1/2 as much as the aluminum, I will go that route.

If anybody is in the market for a full set of aluminum pillow blocks, let me know. $10, and I will cover the shipping.

 

[Chucker]

I need some advice. The pillow blocks are reamed to .750". They are perfect. However, the control tube binds when the blocks are in place. I cleaned the tube and measured it at .754". There is my problem. I thought about putting some lapping compound on the tube, clamping the pillow blocks in place and lapping in some clearance. However, I'm afraid the compound is too course and I will end up with too much clearance. Perhaps some rubbing compound would work. Anyone have an idea or some experience with this?

Thanks,
Chucker

 

[pilotsailing]

I would try using a scrap piece of 3/4 tubing chucked into a drill somehow and spin it with laping compound in the blocks. stop when the clearance is right.

 

[Round Engines]

I cut my nylon blocks in half horizontally, put a washer on either side and bolted it all together. I experimented with different size washers until it felt just right.

 

[Chucker]

The lapping compound is working. It's a bit of a mess to clean up and it is a bit coarse. I am using a Scotchbrite pad to polish out the scratching left by the compound.

Fred,

Did you tap the cross-drilled holes for set screws or pipe plugs? Or, are you using rubber plugs? Or, are they simply left open?

 

[Schmleff]

My one piece aluminum blocks are super smooth and very low slop, but required an incredible amount of profanity to get working without binding 😜

 

[wbpace]

That's the most common lubricant of all! I use it fairly liberally. ;D

 

[phzabriskie]

I cut my nylon blocks in half horizontally, put a washer on either side and bolted it all together. I experimented with different size washers until it felt just right.

I did the same the phenolic material needs zero lubrication of verbal or petroleum kind. It was one of the first things I took on when I got my project. I also used it as wire guides for the horizontal stab adjust.