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Topic: New ball bearing steel. |
Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 8:32 am |
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Just starting to assemble the newest one. This will be 4 pedals and 5 knee levers. Will have half stops on the 1st. and 2nd. strings. Martin.
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Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7 |
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Ken Campbell
From:
Ferndale, Montana
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 8:37 am
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| Wow. Love at first sight. Splendid craftsmanship. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 8:45 am
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Beautiful!
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You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 9:26 am
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| I've often wondered why all pedal steels aren't fitted with ball bearings. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 10:07 am
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| I've often wondered why all pedal steels aren't fitted with ball bearings. |
Probably cost.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 10:25 am
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Martin, if you get it finished in time, my birthday is June 17... 
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Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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John Palumbo
From:
Lansdale, PA.
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 12:16 pm
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That is a piece of work!
Any opinions or could you have fastened the neck thru the bottom of the deck & up into the neck versus thru the neck into the deck, or it probably would not of mattered either way, just curious. |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 12:59 pm
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 Masterful work as always Martin. BTW I know u saw Dave Wheelhouse's post and he uses sealed ball and roller bearings at virtually every rotational point, did it have any bearing (no pun intended) on your decision to use ball/roller bearings in this one? just curious....Stormy  |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 1:59 pm
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| As I recall, this is not the first one that Mike has used ball bearings. |
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Robert Leaman
From:
Murphy, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 3:15 pm
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| Ball bearings do nothing to eliminate friction/stiction at low speeds. Most certainly, they never even achieve a complete rotation in this particular application. When the ball/race builds enough speed to create a hydraulic/hydrostatic oil dam, then and only then is a ball/race combination able to reduce the frictional load. Otherwise, the ball bearing is no better than any other steel on steel bearing. |
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Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 4:44 pm New Guitar
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Thanks for all the nice comments Guys. Richard S. you are right, the bearings added about $180.00 to the cost of materials. Scott D., I will sure keep your Birthday in mind but please be aware that I am getting older and sometimes things slip my mind. Bent, Thanks for the compliment my good friend, I saw the Blue Beauty you just finished, I wish I could get some wood finishing lessons from you. John P., Yes the neck can be screwed in from the bottom, I do it from the top because it's easier and there is not any shafts and other stuff in the way should it ever have to come off. Storm R. I was not aware of any other guitars using ball bearings. I had been thinking about it for some time. I did see Dave's ball bearing guitar just the other day. It sure is a beauty. This is not my first ball bearing guitar as Jack S. mentioned. I have tried all kinds of bushings for the shafts, MDS filled nylon and many others. I still prefer ball bearings , there is no drag at all and everything seems to operate much smoother in my opinion. Others may disagree and that's fine with me. Martin.
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Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7 |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 5:23 pm
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I wonder what kind of cross shaft bearing or bushing Mr. Leaman is using on his builds.
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Jack Strayhorn
From:
Winston-Salem, NC
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 6:57 pm
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| Built Weldon an Emmons once with bearings for the crossbars. Couldn't tell any difference in the pedal feel. |
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Ron Pruter
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2014 8:48 pm
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Martin, Do I see ball bearings in the changer fingers also?
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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112. |
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Dave Wheelhouse
From:
Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 5:00 am
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Hi guys, I've been using bearing technology in my Sheffield steel's since 2000 and in my humble opinion it does make a BIG difference in pedal/knee lever action/feel. As we know and has been stated, bearings are designed for high speed revolutions, but the theory behind using bearings is, loaded or unloaded the coefficient of friction will be the same. Martin, like Stormy has said, I seem to recall that you asked me about bearings on one of the forums a good while ago? We all can strive to lift the profile and evolution of this beautiful instrument. See post on the Sheffield Black Pearl, which was back around 2009/2010. Since then I've made a few improvements to the bearing specification. Also, Mullen steel guitars have been using bearings on their guitars for about 4/5 years?
BTW Martin, your guitar looks ACE!
Kind regards,
Dave.
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SHEFFIELD D10 9+8, Bradshaw Webb 614-E, Pro-Fex 2, Hilton electronic volume pedal & Sheffield tone bars. |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 5:36 am
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| Martin and Dave, I totally agree as I decided to use needle rollers on my ever changing project (turd is it's name)after seeing Dave's work on the builders forum.I only have them on the cross shafts atm and I wouldn't use anything else.As mentioned they are much smoother and tighter? feeling than anything else that I've tried. Gettin kinda inspired ,It must be time to drag the turd out and get back to work lol....Stormy |
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Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 6:47 am New Ball Bearing
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This
 black one is the first ball bearing guitar I built. Ron P. I did use ball bearings in the changer fingers. Dave W. thanks for the compliment, coming from you means a great deal to me. Martin.
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7
Last edited by Martin Weenick on 27 Jun 2014 2:58 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 7:03 am
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| Rick Barnhart wrote: |
| I wonder what kind of cross shaft bearing or bushing Mr. Leaman is using on his builds. |
who is mr. leaman and why do you think we know about him? |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 8:02 am
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| chris ivey wrote: |
who is mr. leaman and why do you think we know about him? |
Why have you chosen to comment on a thread that you have chosen to not read?
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Martin--beautiful work.
The time that I miss having bearings is when I try to do a slow, slow pedal movement and it ends up feeling slightly jerky, like it's grabbing and releasing and grabbing and releasing. I guess I'm describing simple friction. I could easily imagine ball bearings reducing or eliminating this factor (usually, I can find the sticky spot and lube it but it inevitably returns.) |
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Jim Park
From:
Carson City, Nv
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 8:24 am Re: ball bearings
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| I believe the Bethel guitar had ball bearings also, as well as Frank Carter's Infinity.......I also believe that regardless of the amount of rotation that occurs, ball bearings have less friction than steel to steel or steel to oillite bushing. Pedal effort is directly related to the gauge of the string and the mechanical advantage present in the pulling system. Friction between the load bearing parts determines the smoothness IMHO |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 10:01 am
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| jon.. i read every post and saw no reference to a 'leaman'. i really was curious...so don't act all huffy and imply i didn't read it. thank you. |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 10:26 am
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| Chris, Mr. Leaman, is the "physicist" ?? that posted why there couldn't possibly be any difference between ball/needle roller and solid sleeve type bearings. So don't worry it ain't important...lol....Stormy P.S. I like to think Rick Barnharts comment was tinged with a bit of sarcasm hehehe |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 10:40 am
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| thnx storm....oh..now i see...he was one of the people posting. i don't always focus on who's posting, just what they post. |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2014 12:51 pm
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 I got the same prob Chris hence the numerous edits Martin I fergot to mention the excellence of those muy kikass guitars u posted, but by now most everyone on the forum has come to know that any/all you're work is as good as it gets (but we love to see 'em).I feel priviledged
to be able to call builders like you, Bent,Fred J,Chuck Back and Dave W. friends, thx for that...Stormy |
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