Bearingman

Smokey The Bear!

I know of a company, Abbott Ball in Connecticut. Also, there is Hoover Ball, Division of Tsubaki, located in Indiana. You may also try Thomson Ball in Unionville, CT.

Smallest bearing; an NHBB SR09. It has (or had - not sure if it's still manufactured) an outside diameter of approximately .125", as I recall. The bearing consisted of an outside ring and inside ring and balls. The most catastrophic failure I can recall is main shaft bearing failure in jet engines. Much of this has been drastically eliminated with the introduction of sensors; sensing micro-pieces of metal shavings in the lubrication system. These would show degradation of the metal utilized in the bearings.

Yes, just about all moving products use some type of bearing, whether it be ball type bearings, roller bearings, needle bearing, etc. Most products you purchase probably were conveyed on a conveyor utilizing stamped bearings in the rollers. Your automobile has all types of bearings; and so it goes...

Yes, I know, but you are being ripped off if you pay so much for an ABEC 5 bearing from one of the specialty houses. You can accomplish the same performance if you go to a local bearing distributor and purchase an ABEC 1 bearing and press them in yourself. I am aware of some of the specialty companies and what they charge is horrible.