Babbit

[CAPT46B]

Having a discussion on ladders and Babbit came up. I say it's the surface where the ladder sections come together and the babbit is like a bearing surface where the sections slide together. My crew says I'm full of s#!!. Somebody help me out here!

[ullrichk]

Best I can remember, babbit is a bearing alloy. I've never heard it used in reference to a ladder, though.

I'm curious to know the answer now too.

[CaptBob]

The old motor crank shaft bearings on engines were a poured babbit material. When we restored our 1923 Seagrave we had a hard time finding someone who still had that skill. I too never heard the term relating to ladders.

Captain Bob

www.eatstress.com

[StayBack500FT]

Babbit...Charlie Babbit...Charlie Babbit made a joke..haha..Wapner...definitel y Wapner...KMart sucks..

[Firefighter430]

Looked in the Essentials of FF and no luck on that term. May be a term that no longer is used. Maybe if you check with a ladder company like Werner they can help.

[CaptOldTimer]

A babbit bearing is rotary bearing (no rolling elements) with a special alloy that is poured into place in the bearing housing.


It may be used on a ladder where the pully is attached. I would have to do some more looking up to be sure.

I have some old ladder catalogs up in the attic.

[Firefighter430]

BABBITT METAL

BABBITT METAL, is any of several soft metal alloys used to line bearings and bushings in order to reduce friction. The metals usually contain large amounts of tin, with smaller amounts of antimony, copper, and lead.
The principal alloy consists of:

89 percent tin
7 percent antimony
4 percent copper


Sounds almost like a fusable link material. Could this have been used as some type of early safety warning that the ladder was about to fail if lets say this material melted and a tag fell off. Now the ladders have stickers that turn color when the ladder has been exposed to high heat that could cause it to fail. This would probably something used on metal ladders. I wouldn't see a need on wood or fiberglass. I have never used a wooden or fiberglass ladder in the fire service so I wouldn't know if they even needed such a safety device. If the ladder melts or catches fire don't use it again. LOL:D Aluminum is a little different.

[FlyingKiwi]

Nope wooden ladders don't need it.

When the ladder turns the same colour as the house you are trying to put out, it is time for a new one. :p

[allineedisu]

A babbit is inside a engine of a vehicle. It is part of the bearings of some sort. Not on a ladder.

[LACAPT]

FF430 is right babbitt is a bearing that is comprised of several different alloys. I used to work at an engine rebuilding shop in the early 70's that had a 70 year old gentleman that all he did was mix and pour babbitt bearings. They were used extensively in the late part of the 1800's and early 1900's in most all engines. To my knowledge it pretty much is a lost art and to find someone to pour babbitt bearings is a rarity. I have not heard of any portion of a ladder being refered to this, although it's not to say that it may be a term used in certain areas of the country.