What Grease for Dremel bearings?

[Astro14]

I've got an older (20+ years) Dremel that was/is making noise at higher RPM. It's the rear (larger) bearing, and once I cleaned it up, it turns very smoothly. There was a small amount of dried up grease inside the bearing. They're very small caged roller bearings.

Now that it's cleaned up, what kind of of grease, and how much, should I use in those little bearings?

 

[abycat]

I would think a thick oil like 80 90 would work better for the high rpm. or at least a 00 grease.

 

[Quest]

is it bearing or bushing?

If bushing, you need oil, not grease.

 

[turtlevette]

I'm thinking the same thing. That thing spins so fast (what 18K?) that grease would just sling off.

 

[Astro14]

Small caged roller bearings.

30K RPM, according to the manual.

 

[Skid]

polyurea grease.

 

[Trav]

I would use Mobil 1 red synthetic and pack it just like any other roller bearing.
Push the grease through the rollers from one side of the cage to the other and wipe off the excess.

Edit: SKF recommend a GL2 synthetic for high speed bearings.

 

[gomes512]

Hey Astro,

SKF makes a grease called LGLT or something along the lines. Can't remember if there was a another letter or number after that. The BITOg'er in me, on my last dental visit, couldn't help but resist asking the dentist what he lubes his drills with. Not surprisingly the drills have maintenance contracts, but he said at his old office the guys used the LGLT stuff, supposedly in a blue tube.

 

[bluestream]

Here you go:

http://www.klueber.com/en/product-detail/id/312/

ISOFLEX TOPAS NB 52

 

[gomes512]

Did some searching and found it:
http://www.skf.com/group/products/lubric...ease/index.html

Sorry, no idea where you could easily get this stuff at for a decent price.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I would use Mobil 1 red synthetic and pack it just like any other roller bearing.
Push the grease through the rollers from one side of the cage to the other and wipe off the excess.

Edit: SKF recommend a GL2 synthetic for high speed bearings.


That's what I just did...packed the bearings with Mobil 1 using a Q-tip...and while the Dremel runs very smoothly....it seems to run at about half the speed....I suspect there's too much drag in the bearings now...

So, I think I will remove some of the M1 to reduce the drag and see if that speeds it up.

Thanks for the other links, guys, but those specialty greases look pretty pricey...I could buy a new Dremel for $50...so buying the high speed grease doesn't make sense...

 

[Trav]

You need just enough in the cage for a thin film for the rollers any more is just drag and make a mess.
Make sure no fibers from the Q Tip get in there, i just use my finger to push some though then wipe it off. It may take a little time for the rollers push the excess out of the way but it will.

 

[spackard]

Could give Dremel a call.
I have an old one where the driveshaft coupler disintegrated due to age. A replacement was reasonably priced.

1-800-437-3635
1-262-554-1390
(8am-6pm CT Mon-Fri)

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Trav
You need just enough in the cage for a thin film for the rollers any more is just drag and make a mess.
Make sure no fibers from the Q Tip get in there, i just use my finger to push some though then wipe it off. It may take a little time for the rollers push the excess out of the way but it will.


It's running great. Just used it.

That's exactly what I did. I flushed them out, dried them out with compressed air, and regreased them lightly. I think I had packed them like I would a regular bearing and it was too much.

No fibers. They're good quality wood Q-tips I keep for gun cleaning. They're right next to the tub of M1 that I keep for the Garand....

Thanks!

 

[EdwardC]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Trav
You need just enough in the cage for a thin film for the rollers any more is just drag and make a mess.
Make sure no fibers from the Q Tip get in there, i just use my finger to push some though then wipe it off. It may take a little time for the rollers push the excess out of the way but it will.


It's running great. Just used it.

That's exactly what I did. I flushed them out, dried them out with compressed air, and regreased them lightly. I think I had packed them like I would a regular bearing and it was too much.

No fibers. They're good quality wood Q-tips I keep for gun cleaning. They're right next to the tub of M1 that I keep for the Garand....

Thanks!


M1 for the Garand, seems appropriate!

 

[Y_K]

Originally Posted By: Trav
..It may take a little time for the rollers push the excess out of the way but it will.


this is the key

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
No fibers. They're good quality wood Q-tip

Do you know the brand? The ones my wife bought shed fibers like crazy.
Great you got it running right again.

 

[Astro14]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/232505/...=ProductFinding

These. I use them for cleaning in general and greasing the M1. They break pretty easily, but the reach is nice and they don't shed....

 

[Trav]

Thanks, i will order some today. The length is just the thing for putting silicone grease down the door frame to lube the seals.

 

[tom slick]

I love fixing "non-serviceable" stuff like dry bearings.

Just for reference, Chevron SRI grease is recommended for high speed bearings. As strange as it sounds over greasing a bearing can cause failure. In industrial maintenance engineering bearing and motor greasing practices are quite a science with special equipment for replenishing correct amount of grease.