Rear Slide Roller bearings

[David Schweizer]

The rear slide on our boat is four feet long, which at the moment slides on rosewood blocks running on flat brass rails. However it is rather heavy and is difficult to ppen from inside the boat on damp mornings, so I am considering modifying it to run on rollers.

 

I have seen some slides which run on small roller bearings which are tubular in shape, about 1cm dimanter, and 3cm long, encased in a carrier which can be screwed to the underside if the slide. I have searched for somne on the Internet but without success, does anyone know where I might obtain some, or at least know the correct name for them?

 

Here is a sketch of the type of thing i am looking for:-

 

[Chris Pink]

how about this;

 

http://www.mykitchenstore.co.uk/productdetail.asp?catID=010&subCatID=107&prodID=1720&prodGroup=507

 

other than that what you are looking for is a 'roller castor'

 

or these people;

 

http://www.omnitrack.co.uk

Edited November 3, 2011 by Chris Pink

[system 4-50]

You might find something at http://www.bearingboys.co.uk , a boys' toys website.

[smileypete]

Maybe try replacing the rosewood with blocks of 'UHMWPE'

 

Or try some carnauba wax on the rails.

 

cheers,

Pete.

[Chalky]

I got hold of some Teflon blocks that I fitted on the underside of the hatch. These slide on the steel runners and are silent and very free running.

[David Schweizer]

I got hold of some Teflon blocks that I fitted on the underside of the hatch. These slide on the steel runners and are silent and very free running.

Someone did once suggest that to me, and gave me a block of white plasticy stuff, which I assume was teflon. Unfortunately it was too thick, and have never got round to reducing it, perhaps I should try it. If it doesnt work, I can always put the Rosewood blocks back on.

 

However, I am fairly cetain that the main problem is the weight of the slide, which would be eased signficantly if it ran on rollers.

[Bill]

Someone did once suggest that to me, and gave me a block of white plasticy stuff, which I assume was teflon. Unfortunately it was too thick, and have never got round to reducing it, perhaps I should try it. If it doesnt work, I can always put the Rosewood blocks back on.

 

However, I am fairly cetain that the main problem is the weight of the slide, which would be eased signficantly if it ran on rollers.

 

If you do use rollers it might be worth putting some sort of catch to lock it in the open position. I could see a heavy free running slide turning into a nice guillotine if you take a bump in reverse.

[bizzard]

Excuse the Avatar David.Why not take the hatch off,turn it over,and say every few inches drill indents for just over half the diameter of say half inch ball bearings in the Rosewood runners.Tap and pop the greased ball bearings into the holes and refit hatch. The ball bearings i doubt will revolve but there being such a very small frictional area should slide easily enough and not too easily.And nice and cheap. Bizzard.

[David Schweizer]

Excuse the Avatar David.Why not take the hatch off,turn it over,and say every few inches drill indents for just over half the diameter of say half inch ball bearings in the Rosewood runners.Tap and pop the greased ball bearings into the holes and refit hatch. The ball bearings i doubt will revolve but there being such a very small frictional area should slide easily enough and not too easily.And nice and cheap. Bizzard.

Chris Pink gave me a link to ball rollers, but my concern is that given the weight of the slide they would soon wear grooves in the brass running rails.

[bizzard]

Chris Pink gave me a link to ball rollers, but my concern is that given the weight of the slide they would soon wear grooves in the brass running rails.

That would take a very long time,as the balls contact area would increase with wear.