I’m trying something new, to insert a picture and comment on them in order so we’ll all know if it 
works.
The first picture is the bearings as I found them and it appears someone tried to ” shim ” by dripping blobs of Babbitt.
The next picture shows me melting the old Babbitt out with a propane torch, lead Babbitt has a low melting point.
The next picture is 5lbs of Stonewall Babbitt, $50. +$25 shipping. The size of half a girls softball. Nowhere I found told me how much I would need, they only recommended not mixing new and old since you wouldn’t know the composition of the old.
The next picture is melting the new Babbitt on a simple camping burner and a tiny Lodge pot with pour spouts. 
The next picture is my shaft centered in the clean housing. I used plywood to raise it up and RakinPottery clay I had on hand to help center and hold in the molten Babbitt during the pour.
-- Jeff,
4 comments so far
jeffl
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289 posts in 4768 days
#1 posted 08-07-2011 04:57 AM
I put the whole thing in the gas grill to preheat after I smoked the shaft with a oil lamp so it wouldn’t stick. The grill caused it to sweat and I had to dry it with air and the torch. Water causes the Baberbitt to spatter.
-- Jeff,
mafe
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13872 posts in 4547 days
#2 posted 08-08-2011 02:43 PM
Wauu, what a tour.
I never heard about Babbitt, so I am a little lost…
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
Bertha
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13635 posts in 4151 days
#3 posted 08-08-2011 02:48 PM
That Babbit blob’s almost too pretty to melt. It’s like 1/2 camping and 1/2 tool restore. I can’t wait to see this badboy up and running.
-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog
HokieMojo
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2104 posts in 5186 days
#4 posted 08-08-2011 09:29 PM
I’ve heard all about babbit bearings but never seen them poured. VERY COOL!!!
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