Bearing Steel GCR105

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Could someone kindly point me to a specification for this material ?

 

I need to replace a broken dowel-pin which was working as a bearing.

These, on ebay, should serve the purpose IF the material is hard and the surface ground accurately to size and surface finish.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362278384506

… but those are rather big assumptions !

Note: The broken item was clearly hard enough to be brittle.

Suggestions for alternatives to the Excell brand would be welcome.

MichaelG.

 

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Couple of equivalents and the spec for  GCr105

But could just as easily be General Chinese Recycled

 

[MichaelRParticipant @michaelr]

This site may be helpful  https://springfasteners.co.uk/product-category/engineering-pins/solid-dowel-pins-din-6325/

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Coming at it from a different direction, I know you can buy individual balls for bearings that use balls as their rolling elements.

Can you find a sutable individual roller for a bearing that uses rollers as its rolling elements?

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Loose-Balls-and-Rollers-Loose-Steel-Rollers/c23_5043/index.html

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks, Jason ….

It looks like I,  and/or the Seller must have overlooked some typographic subtlety.

I doubt if these are the pins I am looking for !

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for the further suggestions, gentlemen … much appreciated.

MichaelG.

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Michael – have a look at Berger Tools, they supply all sorts of “bits & pieces” for jig making etc. and in the case of these pins, full details of materials, finish tolerances etc at less cost than EBay.

https://www.berger-tools.co.uk/Dowel_Pins__Extractable_Dowel_Pins/Iso8734a_Dowel_Pin_Through_Hardened_Din_6325/

No connections to Berger except as a happy customer over several orders.

Keith

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

You may find – from a decent bearing shop – that there are needle-rollers – available loose, for peanuts, lots of sizes – which would serve your purpose.

 

Cheers, Tim

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Have you considered a guage pin. They are available individually, ground accurately to a high surface finish and hardened. Individually available for £5-10 depending on size.

Or would a HSS drill blank in the appropriate size do?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I suspect that Tim’s individual bearing roller might be the ideal answer … if only I can find a friendly local dealer … but the Berger stock-list looks very impressive.

Thanks everyone: I’m sure something suitable will be found

The device in question is a ‘Ringing Table’ for microscope slides, and conceptually the bearing arrangement is very simple … I have others that are more substantial, but there is an engineering elegance to this little one [purchased second-hand, assuming that it needed ‘setting-up’ rather than having been dropped] that makes it interesting.

MichaelG.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

This seller is reliable;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303391264979

..priced in 50’s I think..

[Diogenes]

On Diogenes Said:

This seller is reliable;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303391264979

..priced in 50’s I think..

Thanks … the free postage makes life a little easier !

I think I may have skipped-over that listing, because the each=50 wasn’t made blindingly obvious.

I suspect that with the DIN-spec tapered end I may need to go up on the length and trim if necessary … but  that’s a little exercise for tomorrow.

MichaelG.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Loose-Balls-and-Rollers-Loose-Steel-Rollers/c23_5043/index.html?selection=Loose+Rollers

Packs of 10,about £4 plus VAT

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The spec looks very suitable, thanks Duncan

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/files/52100_roll.pdf

but I did wince a bit when I looked at the pricing for 3mm dia x 23.8mm long

MichaelG.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

I have ‘knife steel chart’ android app – lots of steel. That one isn’t in it.

As Jason says, GCr15, or Gcr9. More familiar might be 50100. I was brought up to assume ball bearings were 52100.  So close, less chrome. Good enough. Depends on their tolerances.

I guess it would get full martensite (hard) plus chrome adds wear resistance.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Try Boneham and Turner they supply dowels in any size plain tapped and are these are all hardened and ground. They use a steel which is case hardened to at least 0.030″ deep withe a tough core. This makes sure that there is minimum wear and not brittle if they were through hardened as the steel core hardens to a tough hardness.

https://boneham.co.uk/dowel-pins/imperial-3-inch-tapped-dowel-pin-to-bs1804-limits-dpt?returnurl=%2fdowel-pins%2f%3fcount%3d20

 

David

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Simply bearings price is for a pack of 10, so 45p each. Doesn’t seem expensive to me, and I’m a Yorkshireman

[David George 1]

On David George 1 Said:

Try Boneham and Turner they supply dowels in any size plain tapped

And in 2024, the imperial specification ones still have BA and BSF internal threads. BS 1804-1, made in 1966, still going strong.

Does anyone know a UK source (or even the US Standard number) for imperial dowel pins with UN threads?

[duncan webster 1]

On duncan webster 1 Said:

Simply bearings price is for a pack of 10, so 45p each. Doesn’t seem expensive to me, and I’m a Yorkshireman

Not for the size in question … have a look

Over £16 + VAT + Postage

Seems a significant expenditure when I only want one.

Thanks anyway.

MichaelG.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Michael, they must have a different price for people living in Wales. On my interweb it says 3mm *23.8mm rounded end £4.49 for a pack of 10. Plus vat +post of course, which will bump the price up. I can give you a piece of 3mm silver steel, but you’d have to harden and temper it.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

< Oh dear >

I thought you liked “doing sums” , Duncan

.

Hopefully this annotated screenshot will clarify:

.

.

 

MichaelG.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

That’s showing flat end, my price was round end. Do you need flat end? If you do then next length up round end is £7.79 for 10, carefully grind the ends off

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I am ordering a pack of 50 dowel pins from ebay, as suggested by Diogenes

Thanks to everyone else for their kind suggestions, but that seems the most expedient choice.

If it all goes horribly wrong, I may be back.

MichaelG.

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