Tormek EzyLock Upgrade Question

[chrisrosenb]

I have owned a Tormek sharpener for many years. The shaft was starting to rust, so I decided to get the EzyLock upgrade.
I started to install it today & discovered that there is a small shoulder turned on the shaft at the bearing location on the stone end of the shaft.
The shaft is smaller than the bearing in this area & very sloppy in the bearing. Both new bearings are the same size.
Is the EzyLock shaft designed to be this sloppy in the bearing?

Chris   

[Jeff Farris]

Chris,

You are using the new bearings that were included with the shaft, correct? They should all be of the proper size and tolerance. If you use a new shaft in old bearings, the fit will not be to tolerance.

[chrisrosenb]

Thank you for the reply Jeff.

I am using the new bearings. The ID of both new bearings is .637 inch.
The hone end of the shaft measures .628 inch, the shoulder on the stone end of the shaft measures .623 inch.

Chris

[Jeff Farris]

Chris,

Those measurements are within manufacturing tolerance.

The nylon bearings expand and contract, particularly in a humid environment. All the force on the shaft is straight down, and the speed is very slow. The speed makes a tight tolerance fit unnecessary and the presence of water and grinding slough makes it ill-advised.

The machined section of the shaft in the bearing area assures concentricity between the bearing area and the stone mount.