Yes. Very interesting that the shell bearings can survive pounding better than balls or rollers because the oil film acts as a hydraulic cushion.

 

A little googling comes up with lead-indium being a harder alloy than lead-tin. Used for a (better) surface on the rod bearings in a car engine.

IIRC lead-tin shells rely heavily on significant copper inclusions for load bearing capacity.

 

In Australia we call them "white metal" bearings.

Don't you also call Drill Rod, O1, and Tool Steels, white metal?

Thought I read that years ago?

 

White metal usually another name for a soft aluminum like alloy, probably with Zinc, and is totally different from the first three.
Max.

 

Don't you also call Drill Rod, O1, and Tool Steels, white metal?

Thought I read that years ago?

Drill rod/O1 is called "silver steel", I'm pretty sure, in the UK.

 

White metal usually another name for a soft aluminum like alloy, probably with Zinc, and is totally different from the first three.
Max.

Around here there are casting places that do "white metal casting" almost always a zinc or "pot metal" process. Aluminum casting is mostly not called "white metal" in the trade.

 

Don't you also call Drill Rod, O1, and Tool Steels, white metal?

Thought I read that years ago?

Tool steel is sometimes referred to as silver steel, but it may be colloquial.

 

I must live a sheltered life. The only time I heard of, "white metal" was while reading a chemistry book about the properties of the elements.

Personally, I learned about tool steel, mild steel, aluminum, cast iron, 4130 chrome-moly steel, silver, nickel, titanium, etc. Perhaps that was because I refused to settle for, "It's white".

 

Drill rod/O1 is called "silver steel", I'm pretty sure, in the UK.

Isn't drill rod HSS (high speed steel)?

The term "silver steel" is normally used for a special steel that resists corrosion and is easy to machine, used by modellers to make toy steam engines and stuff.

 

When I came to N.A. from the UK, I was told that S.S. was the same as drill rod.
Similar hardness value and properties.
Max.

 

Wikipedia says "silver steel" is much the same as drill rod, but I'm just quoting because I have never heard of silver steel until today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_steel

 

Drill rod is a name for a high carbon steel. Usually in two different classes, O1 or W1. O1 is oil hardening, W1 is water hardening. The oil and water is the quenching medium in the heat treat process.

And to further confuse things, it doesn't always need to be a round rod. It can be square or rectangular in shape.

And they don't, or haven't for a long, long time, make drills from it. HSS(high speed steel) is what most drills are made from, a totally different type of tool steel.

And SS(stainless steel or inox in EU) is another totally different steel. And though most people will tell you SS won't rust, there are some types that can and do rust. The rustable types are usually used in high heat situations.