OT:Saw dust and drywall dust in the bearings

I finally got some time to take apary my belt sander and drummel tool. Both have bearing issues. Saw dust and drywall dust in the bearings. Was able to get the bearings off the armature and plan to go to town tomorrow to buy new ones. Go figure, the bearing that went out was next to the fan on the armature.

The sander is a good 20 years old, however the drummel tool didn't last one drywall job.

I know there is nothing worst than drywall dust on a sealed bearing. Does anyone have a method to keep the dust from distroying a new sealed bearing? Was thinking of putting grease on the outside of the bearing.

To clean up my last drywall mess I used powerful fans and blew the dust out the door. Opened the windows, put one fan at the door and used the other to blow the mess to the fan at the door. It looked like it was snowing. Didn't damage my shop vac that way. I wore a mask to keep the dust out of my lungs.

If I can't purchase new bearings, thinking of taking a small drill bit and drilling a hole in both sides of the seal and try to clean the bearing with WD40 and then pack it with white lub. What can it hurt, it is already damaged? Does anyone have a better idea?

Thanks,
George

Getting new bearings WON'T be a problem at a good bearing store or on the 'net and shouldn't be REAL costly.

Pop 'em in and enjoy 'em. Save the numbers for next time!

Before you drill any holes in the seal, try to just pry that seal off. If the seal is a metal shield, you probably can't get it off without wrecking it, but if it is rubber or plastic, you should be able to pry it off, clean out the crud, repack the bearing and then pop the seal back into place. The seals are usually setting in a groove that is part of the outer ring, but sometimes there is a groove on the inner ring as well. The white grease you speak of will probably be just fine.

I was dealing with a lot bigger bearing, but rejuvinated many on our old Gleaner combine. They made, and still do I think, a grease zerk fitting that had a hypodermic type needle made on it. Just for pumping new grease in ball bearings. I generally cleaned up the hole I drilled and put a dab of JB weld on it.

Gene

Have to agree with my bud Bob here. Whenever possible I take a bad bearing to my local bearing store and they can cross up the number or if they can't get the number they can measure up and get the bearing off the shelf for a fraction of OEM. PLUS (see the caps Bob?) the new type bearing will probably be better and will likely be sealed even if the OEM was not.

Dust will get into variable speed switches.Worse I have a good friend whose lungs have been ruined by dry wall dust.

I had exactly the same issue with my beltsander. When you replace the bearings, realize that you can buy "shielded"--and two type sealed bearings.
A sealed bearing where the seal doesn't contact the inner race, and a sealed bearing where the seal contacts the inner race.
Your guess is as good as mine as to why a bearing would have a seal with no contact???
I Replaced with contacting seal, maybe it will last another 15 years.

36 coupe, I wear a mask to keep all types of dust out of my lungs. Oak sawdust is the worst. It will make me ill for about 10 days. It's amazing to see how much the filters on my mask collects.