I am looking to make my own mast bearings since the precut teflon chips are stupid expensive. A 12"x12" sheet of 1/16" teflon costs about $20 (+$10 shipping). I believe the mast bearings are about 1.25" diameter, so that should yield about 90 bearings for $30 instead of 3 for $8 (+shipping). I also noticed that Hobie used to make a Delrin mast bearing cup. Delrin is much cheaper than teflon ($5/12"x12" sheet), but is a little more rigid, not quite as slippery, and absorbs a small amount of water.

I just purchased a 30 year old Hobie 16, so I am not yet concerned about racing performance and am on a tight budget. I am just looking for a low cost bearing solution.

Has anyone tried making their own bearings out of Delrin sheets? Any feedback on their performance/longevity compared to teflon?

Also, can someone confirm that they are 1.25" diameter? I do not have any to measure.

Thanks!