is it possible to make your own ball bearings?

Question

can i make my own ball bearings for hubs, bottom bracket, etc. from a ceramic mug or the like? if its possible, what tools do i need? can i get it done at a machine shop? i would only do this if its cheaper than buying them pre-made, which in case you didnt know, can cost several hundred dollars for a full set.

i forgot to mention that i wanted ceramic bearings. thats why my quoted price is so high. i broke a mug the other day and wondered weather it was possible to grind it down to use in my bike.

Answer 1

Yes you can make your own ball bearings... but there's a reason they're mass produced.

The machinery involved is expensive, but once set up they're incredibly easy to mass produce...

So, to be frank - you're probably better off spending the couple of hundred for a set. Odds on, the cost of getting them made for you will be in the thousands rather than in the hundreds...

Just my .01

-dh

Answer 2

you must be buying the most expensive sealed bearings there are to spend hundreds of dollars ,solution open bearing bottom bracket hubs headset these are simply not sealed bearings you can service them and replace the bearings with out replacing the bearing cups for less than ten dollars a set alot of major bicycle shops won't sell these because they want to trap you into buying sealed bearing that once wore out must be completely replaced. try to find a smaller local bike shop or get your measurements and shop ebay
hope this helps ya out

Answer 3

It would be very dificult and you would need a lot of very expensive equipment. Heat treating, grinding, lapping. Try ebay thats a good place to maybe save quit a bit on things like this.
If your only wanting the balls you can get them in quantities from MSC. I believe they sell steel balls that aren't quit good enought for percision bearings. I got 50 for just a few dollars once.

Answer 4

oh man I hope you're kidding.

for the time and effort you spend trying to get a complete functional set of ceramic bearings (which aren't the same stuff as a coffee mug anyway) you could get a second job at McD's and afford 3 real sets.

Answer 5

ball bearings are made from hardened steel, which is a process requiring ovens, and cool down systems, and precision is important, so I think it would cost you more to try to manufacture them yourself. I always go to a bearing company, Look in the yellow pages. they can cross reference ANY bearing and replace them cheap. For instance the ones on my boat were about $30 and they cross referenced them for about $4. Good luck.

Answer 6

not really...you need a way to make it perfectly round...the smallest ovalization will wear out your bearing cups, your races and will make your wheels, crank or headset spin much slower. bad idea...bearings are too cheap already as it is to manufacture your own.

Answer 7

yes it is