Online Catalogue last updated 18th of March 2024
Bearings were once cast from Babbitt metal, an alloy of tin, antimony and lead. It was very similar to type metal used in Linotype machines or solder. It was also called soft metal or white metal.
These articles from early issues of Machinery Magazine reveal discussions among WWI era machinists about their techniques, secrets, and discoveries. Topics include: Making Babbitted Bearing Halves, numerous Babbitting mandrels, centring jigs, special jigs for special jobs, Babbitting and Planing Cross Head Gibs, a variety of Babbitt Bearing Moulds, Use of Soft Metals in Machinery Construction, Anchoring White Metal, Lining Bearings with Babbitt Metal, Babbitted Machinery Construction, Alignment Babbitting, Babbitting Cross Heads, Lining Cast-Iron Bearings with Babbitt Metal, Standard Babbitt Specifications, Babbitting Fixture for Small Bearings, Oil Channels in Babbitt Bearings, and more.
These articles are full of drawings, how-to, arguments among machinists, experiments, discoveries, and experience. Babbitting is something to learn about and use. After all most early 1900's engines - marines, airplane, steam, automobile - used Babbitt in their bearings for good reason.
Code No. 009441