idler bandwheel bearing saga

[coastlogger]

Last summer noticed the idler wheel  on my FGM bandmill was getting noisy so went shopping for a bearing. FGM mill mfgr long since out of business.. I have the (I think) 19 inch bandwheel pulleys and run B57 belts so I know there are a few of you out there that are probably running a similar setup.Anyhow I read the # off the bearing,measured it,got ahold of local parts place. # was 6206.Seems the 6206 was a good # but bearing is now different and is 5/8  inches thick instead of 15/16. Wasnt happy abt this but got the new 6206 and put it together,had to do a bit of shimming to get it in centred in hub,seemed to work fine.Didnt do much cutting for awhile, got back into it lately. Seemed like a lot of flutter in band, but its been *DanG cold out and I thought maybe stuff sticking to belts.Seemed to get better if I dosed blade with lube   maybe. Pow goes a fairly new band,lots of cracking in gullets. Put on new belts  seemed to be a bit better. Then the gd band comes off just as Im about to enter a cut! What the heck?Meanwhile I should add mill is cutting great,flutter of course only noticeable when revved up and not in cut which is only a few seconds for me.It still hasnt dawned on me the beaing might be the problem at this time. Removed the covers,ran band back and forth by hand. What the heck again! when I turn it forward it tracks way different than when I turn it backward. Like 1/4 inch different. Must be an alignment or parallelivity issue Im thinking. Great all those *DanG straightedges and clamps etc needed to check this. Im partway thru gathering this crap up when the lightbulb starts to glow. The idler bearing.Checked it its a bit sloppy not bad but.... Get on phone to big bearing supplier and got it sorted quite quickly. Seems the bearing I need is a 3206 which has two rows of balls,but sometimes they use the seals from 6206 bearings on these 3206 brgs, these seals of course are marked 6206. No other id on the bearing.So Id been reading out the wrong number to the first parts guy..So Id sub'd in a single row bearing which has way less directional stability hence the wobble and resulting flutter.Found my old 2 row bearing,greased it up good stuffed it in and Im back to smooth cutting. New bearing coming Mon.Frank C if youre reading this I cut up a log today nearly identical to yours. 540 bd ft 2x6's.Balsam.
clgr

[mad murdock]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out. Finding replacement bearings for older equipment is always a challenge.  Luckily we are plugged in to a few good bearing shops and usually find exactly what we need.

[bandmiller2]

Coaster,its a hassel getting those big logs set up but real nice when that boardfootage starts rolling off.How do you turn the biguns on your mill.?Thats a good tip on the bearings hopefully will save one of us here some problems. Frank C.

[ladylake]

 I think the double row ball bearing end with a 2rs at the end of the number.  Does you idle wheel have only 1 bearing in it, my TK one has 2 with a little space between them.    Steve

[coastlogger]

Frank I roll using excavator and a 1/4 chain. I can usually run the exc. controls from the ground so not to much up and down onto machine. Someday Ill build a turner  maybe.
Ladylake interesting about the two brgs  I did consider that and in hindsite(excellent vis that way) I could have done that. You dont have the bearing nrs do you?Thanks for the info.
clgr