On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:29:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:35:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


"Larry Jaques" wrote in message

Find a friend with a machine shop (or just a lathe), and:

Turn a 1" diameter piece of steel rod down to 1/2" on one side for
about 3/4 of an inch.

Drill the center to 5/8" on the other end.

Drill and tap 3/8" in from the end of the 5/8" side for a set screw
to
hold the 5/8" shaft.

Ream it to size and you're done in under half an hour.

That's the r.c.m. answer that I would have used.

The zinc plated rod sold in hardware stores doesn't always machine too
well. I get a better finish with unplated 1018 CRS shafting from a
local industrial bearing supply company. Last week a 1" x 36" piece
cost me $18, 3/4" was $10.

The guy with the machine shop would surely have some scrap on hand
which would machine easily and work well. Hell, half my router is
made from such scrap. I only bought the 24' chunk of 3x4" steel tube
and the hardware. The local home improvement store got me for $33, a
box of 50 5mm x 20mm x 0.8 pitch allen head cap screws. I got a box
of 100 similar 5x16x0.8 screws from the local fastener supply for
$5.35. SASCO Rules!
Grab a long joiner nut for 1/2" threaded rod and bore out one end for
5/8" shaft, drill one flat for set screw, and cut the head off a 1/2"
bolt to thread in the other end.

You can do it all with a drill press and a hack-saw (and a tap for the
set screw) in under half an hour. Use a bit of thread locker and/or
shaft/bearing mount if you are paranoid.