Has anyone ever tried pattern welding a wheel bearing? I have successfully formed a wheel bearing from my 4x4 pickup into a 3/8"x1"x3" billet. I have only folded it thrice. I've not polished or etched it but I was wondering if the casing inner race and rollers are of differing steels such that a pattern will develop?

Anyone have experience with this or any advice about how to etch this particular billet?

Thanks, Bill

I used to use large industrial bearings as one of the layers in a billet Probably was 52100 steel
I added leaf spring steel, band saw blades from a small wood mill and some high carbon banding strap.

As for etch use diluted feric chloride from radio shack or diluted meratic acid
Place the billet in the solution when it starts to turn black use a scruber pad to take the black off then put back in the solution till you get a deep enough etch.

thanks for the 411. It was a bit tricky to get all the rollers stuck to the race using the anvil horn. The first one I tried pinch welding the bits together in the fire but lost a slew of the rollers. Using the horn worked a lot better.

I'll look for the acid tomorrow.

The works toilet bowl cleaner is hydrochloric ,and it's only a buck at the dollar general .