I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?

On Apr 7, 5:40 pm, "AE Todd" wrote:
I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?

There certainly are long rivets, although not so common in the local
five- and dime type hardware. Not certain of the geometry you're
trying to describe, but if a through rivet will work, so should a bolt
w/ nylon self-locking nut or a double locknut. Or, a through bushing
slightly longer than the thickness to tight the bolt down against.
Myriad of possibilities...

"AE Todd" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?


First off some questions.

How often is the post going to need to revolve?

Is the post to be horizontal or vertical?

I ask this because the cheapest way would be to fabricate a rivet or an axel
if the need to rotate is only for positioning or a low frequency use.

For a higher frequency you probably want some sort of bearing that can be
replaced when needed.

Horizontal or vertical would dictate the kind of bearing needed.

If this is a low use thing the easiest way to get you there would be to
select a 1/2 inch bolt that has an area clear of threads for 1 3/4" under
the head. Cut off the excess length and drill a hole sideways through the
shaft to secure a cotter pin with a washer or two between the pin and the
material. A hair pin type spring could also be used instead of the cotter
pin if you needed to disassemble it often.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.

AE Todd wrote:

I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?

Presuming you don't want to use a bolt and nut or a cotter pin for
security reasons and you want to keep it "all aluminum", then....

You could buy a length of appropriate diameter aluminum rod at HD, saw
off a piece the correct length and make your own rivet heads at both
ends just by tapping with a ball peen hammer.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*10^14 fathoms per fortnight.

"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
. ..
AE Todd wrote:

I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?

Presuming you don't want to use a bolt and nut or a cotter pin for
security reasons and you want to keep it "all aluminum", then....

You could buy a length of appropriate diameter aluminum rod at HD, saw off
a piece the correct length and make your own rivet heads at both ends just
by tapping with a ball peen hammer.

Jeff


As an old Tool & Diemaker I must say you have already gotten some good
advice. Someone mentioned bigger rivets being available. I am in a very
small city and we have a local tool supplier for professional tools. They
may carry something like that. A local machine / fabrication shop might
give you a couple. Our nearest fastener supplier is an hour away and they
might want you to buy a box of a thousand. For the ones that suggested you
make one, I would suggest starting with a piece of cold-rolled (soft) steel
as opposed to a bolt which most probably will be case hardened. You
probably don't want to start with something that is hardened to make a
rivet - but on the other hand, a hardened piece will withstand the wear of
the spinning much better.

On Apr 7, 7:10 pm, "Srgnt Billko" wrote:
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message

. ..





AE Todd wrote:

I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two
thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch
thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A
rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness
of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?

Presuming you don't want to use a bolt and nut or a cotter pin for
security reasons and you want to keep it "all aluminum", then....

You could buy a length of appropriate diameter aluminum rod at HD, saw off
a piece the correct length and make your own rivet heads at both ends just
by tapping with a ball peen hammer.

Jeff

As an old Tool & Diemaker I must say you have already gotten some good
advice. Someone mentioned bigger rivets being available. I am in a very
small city and we have a local tool supplier for professional tools. They
may carry something like that. A local machine / fabrication shop might
give you a couple. Our nearest fastener supplier is an hour away and they
might want you to buy a box of a thousand. ...

That would have been me...

I guess I could have added that the local farm supply or equipment
dealer is the place I was thinking of although I only mentioned not so
likely at the Ace Hardware-type places, unfortunately. More than
likely they'll have drawers full and be willing to sell or probably
even donate one or two. The smaller the locale the better!

IIRC, on the older JD combines the pittman arm connection rivet was
1-5/8" ...

Ok, I should have done this before, but here is a picture of what I
want to duplicate. Go to http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/4...dc9310.jpg?v=0
to view it. You'll see the end of 1" bar set into a small piece of 1"
channel, with some sort of rivet device providing an axel to allow the
bar to rotate 90 degrees. Any new ideas on how to duplicate this
device?

Thanks!

On 9 Apr 2007 06:59:30 -0700, "AE Todd" wrote:

Ok, I should have done this before, but here is a picture of what I
want to duplicate. Go to http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/4...dc9310.jpg?v=0
to view it. You'll see the end of 1" bar set into a small piece of 1"
channel, with some sort of rivet device providing an axel to allow the
bar to rotate 90 degrees. Any new ideas on how to duplicate this
device?

Thanks!

Same thing. Screw, bolt or pop rivet that 'C' section onto the bar if
you don't have the means to weld it on.

On 9 Apr 2007 06:59:30 -0700, "AE Todd" wrote:

Ok, I should have done this before, but here is a picture of what I
want to duplicate. Go to http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/4...dc9310.jpg?v=0
to view it. You'll see the end of 1" bar set into a small piece of 1"
channel, with some sort of rivet device providing an axel to allow the
bar to rotate 90 degrees. Any new ideas on how to duplicate this
device?

I would still think that any machine screw, maybe with a hex head, and
a nut with a nylon insert, that won't fall off. Maybe first put on a
regular nut and then jamb the second nut down on top of it. Use a
thin wrench to hold the first nut in place while tightening.

If that fails some day, decide then if you need something better.

Thanks!