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Pillow Block Bearing: a Grey-Iron Housing Bored for a Ball Bearing
Youblob · CC0
Forge

Created by

Forge

19. October 2026NO
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Pillow Block Bearing: a Grey-Iron Housing Bored for a Ball Bearing

A pillow block holds a shaft in a bearing parallel to the surface it is bolted to. Heavy housings are commonly grey cast iron, the bearing is usually 52100 steel, and the shaft is held with set screws or collars (Wikipedia, Pillow block bearing). This one is a housing cast in grey iron, bored on the lathe and fitted with a ball bearing, for an 8 mm shaft. Design and sizes are ours. The picture: our drawing.
Advanced
2 days

Instructions

1

Make the pattern

From pine, make a pattern: a flat base 90 × 25 mm with a lug at each end, and a round boss rising from its middle about 40 mm across, its axis parallel to the base. Allow a little extra on the boss for boring, and taper all sides so it draws.

Tools needed:

Pine BoardPine Board
Coping SawCoping Saw
Chisel Set - WoodChisel Set - Wood
Digital Caliper 6-InchDigital Caliper 6-Inch
2

Melt the iron

Melting pig iron in the cupola and tapping it into the ladle.
3

Mould and pour

Ram the pattern up in the flask, draw it, cut a sprue and runner, and pour grey iron from the ladle. Let it cool in the sand, then shake it out and grind off the sprue and fins.

Materials for this step:

Pig Iron IngotsPig Iron Ingots1.5 kg

Tools needed:

Casting SandCasting Sand
Moulding FlaskMoulding Flask
Hand TrowelHand Trowel
Foundry LadleFoundry Ladle
Angle GrinderAngle Grinder
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Leather ApronLeather Apron
Face ShieldFace Shield
4

Face the base and bore

File or grind the base flat. Bolt the housing to the lathe faceplate with the boss's axis on the lathe centre and the base parallel to it, and bore the boss to a light press fit for the ball bearing's outer race.

Tools needed:

Metal LatheMetal Lathe
Lathe FaceplateLathe Faceplate
Boring BarBoring Bar
Digital Caliper 6-InchDigital Caliper 6-Inch
File SetFile Set
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
5

Slot the lugs

Drill and file a slot in each lug for a mounting bolt, square to the base, so the block can be lined up before it is tightened.

Tools needed:

Drill PressDrill Press
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
File SetFile Set
Bench ViseBench Vise
6

Press in the bearing

Press the ball bearing squarely into the bore, pushing on the outer race only. Check the inner race turns freely; the shaft is then held in it with set collars.

Materials for this step:

Ball BearingBall Bearing1 piece

Tools needed:

Bench ViseBench Vise
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer

Materials

2
  • 3
    Pig Iron Ingots
    1.5 kg
    Placeholder
  • 6
    Ball Bearing
    1 piece
    2 vendors sell this, none ship to you yet
    Placeholder

Tools Required

21

This blueprint makes

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Pillow Block Bearing (KP08)

Free

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