I'm looking for suggestions on where to find the bearings (with race) to build a spine (spline) finder. Anyone ever build one that works? Thanks!!!

I purchased some wheelbarrow wheel ball bearings also known as caster wheel ball bearings from a local bearing supply. They were easy to use because they have a flange as part of the outer race. The I.D. was 3/4" and the O.D. was 1 3/8". I simply drilled a hole to match the O.D. in some wood blocks, put epoxy on the bearing outer race and pushed it into the hole. The rim of the flange stopped it from going in too far and also took care of alignment. I think they cost about $4.00 each. You might find these at your local home center.

I saw some in Lowe's by accident. They were on the fastener isle where they keep bushings, specialty washers and other hard to find misc. items. I think the biggest i.d. bearing was maybe an 3/4".

Steve

Mike you can go to any auto parts store & get what ever size you want.. I bought ones that fit in a 2" pvc pipe.

The new thing is a vertical spine finder. A conical head is put in a bearing and the rod goes on it. I am using my live center from mu Clemens lathe and it seems to work fine. Any bearing with a conical object in it would work too.

I don't build many rods and am certainly no expert, but I 'm building one right now and found this site while looking for latest info. I saw the vertical spline finder described (new to me) and realized that I had something in my garage that might work, and it did.

It is for checking the balance of your lawnmower blade when you are sharpening it yourself. It consists of a base with a post/pin sticking out of it and a conical piece that balances on the post. Available at hardware stores.

I'm sure it doesn't work as smooth as one with a bearing, but it did work.

We have had plans for both type finders in the magazine. Easy to make and you don't have to spend a fortune.

I don't want to discourage anyone from making a nice spine finder - it's worth the time and effort to have one at your ready disposal. But in a pinch, you can sit the blank butt on a marble and have an instant vertical spine finder. The live-center deal will be more steady, but if you need to get by in a hurry, the marble will serve the same purpose.

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Don Morton also suggested a piece of ceramic tile. The 90 degree piece used as an end piece for tile counters. Or, a 1 1/2 inch piece of PVC pipe screwed to a base. Simply place the butt of the rod 4 -6" over the tile or pipe and bend. I tried his at the show, works very well and at almost no cost.