How to: attach a piano wire to a ball bearing

[frugalangler]

Here's a challenge I'm faced with: How can I attach a 1/16" piano wire to a 3/16" to 1/4" ball bearing?

or.........

create a ball on the end of a piece of stiff wire? (I was thinking can a tungsten be 'balled' to that large of a size?)

I'm open to alternatives, so..

The base requirements are:

3/16" to 1/4" size ball of steel or aluminum attached to a short (1/2" to 3/4") 1/16" diameter metal shaft, like piano wire but could be any material that is stiff, like even tungsten.

I know this is NOT tractor related, but some of the best creative welding minds hang out here, as well as some very creative fabricators, so thanks in advance.

 

[/pine]

Have you looked at "ball headed pins" ?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Drill a hole in the BB and glue in what you want...

SR

 

[frugalangler]

Have you looked at "ball headed pins" ?

I have but I've not found any that have that large of a diameter ball, but it's a good idea if I could find them.

Drill a hole in the BB and glue in what you want...

SR

It's an option, but my fear is that the forces being exerted on the ball which are essentially a 'pull' that would likely pull the ball off the pin, I've not had much success w/ glue on metal/metal small surface area joints.

 

[/pine]

If you can't find anything really inexpensive...a jeweler should be able to silver solder something up for you at a reasonable price...
Good Luck...

 

[Tractor Seabee]

If the hardness of a ball bearing is important then silver solder is the best bet. You will have a hard time drilling a ball bearing , if you can even hold it firmly. Use the highest silver content you can get. Unfortunately it is spendy and has a minimum size package. Jeweler may be the best price option unless you have or need for the silver anyway.

Ron

 

[bcp]

Buy a ball already drilled.

drilled steel ball - Google Search

Or drill a non-hardened ball:

Drill a 3/16 hole, near the edge, through two pieces of steel, maybe 1/4 in thick. Use these to clamp the ball in a drill press vise. File or grind a small flat on the top of the ball. Drill. Fasten rod with solder, glue, threads, tack weld, etc.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

Sounds like a throttle cable assy.

 

[deanocraft]

Can you just stick a welding rod to it?

 

[frugalangler]

Can you just stick a welding rod to it?

Interesting Idea - I have searched for a reasonable vendor of a drilled or threaded ball and no economical small qty supply appears, but I stumbled on a video of a ball being spot welded in a fixture, almost exactly what I'm looking for, so:

I'm going to make a 'clamp' out of a pair of pieces of metal w/ a hole to capture the ball that I can attach a lead from my battery tab spot welder and make a pin vice collet that I can attach the other lead, held by an insulated piece I can place in my drill press (not spinning, just to get fixed horizontal moveable vertical fixture) and then bring the wire down to touch the bearing, and then trigger the welder - and see what happens. Based on the video I saw

I think I have a lead to a solution. Or, my other thought is using the TIG torch to hold a 1/16" like you'd use tungsten, but connect it to the output of my spot welder with the bearing clamped to the other lead, and trigger the spot welder.

I've got some experimenting to do, but I think it's doable for the small quantity that I need (less than 20).

what do you all think about these crazy ideas?