Expanding arbor

[EclecticNeophyte]

Nothing fancy here... Just cold rolled mild steel round bar, drilled, threaded for 1/4 - 20, then cut with slitting saw. Holds like a dream. I was wondering how to make a tapered plug, then 'discovered' some Swagelok fittings in my junk box... The stainless ferule worked great near the head of a common 1/4 - 20 x 1 1/2" hex head bolt. The round bar is turned to fit the I.D. of the part I wanted to hold. In this case, about 9/16".








The arbor was first drilled (#6), then tapped, then opened up with a F drill to facilitate the bolt shank and thin the wall a bit. It was then cut using a slitting saw in the mill, and finished using my 4 x 6 HF horizontal bandsaw...then de-burred.

-EN

[DIYer]

Thanks EclecticNeophyte! We've added your Expanding Arbor to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: EclecticNeophyte's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Expanding Arbor by EclecticNeophyte

tags: arbor

[bruce.desertrat]

That Swagelok tip is a great find!!

[mklotz]

Another "out of the parts drawer" way to do this is to tap the arbor with a (tapered) pipe tap and then use a tapered pipe plug to expand it.

[EclecticNeophyte]

Another "out of the parts drawer" way to do this is to tap the arbor with a (tapered) pipe tap and then use a tapered pipe plug to expand it.

The pipe tap/plug trick would probably allow for greater range of expansion as well.

The 1/4" Swagelok ferule has far shorter and more aggressive taper than I desired, but a very quick solution that worked. I may eventually try to turn something with a much more gradual taper, that would expand (and support) a greater length of the arbor... Lots of ways to do this better than I did.

-EN

[EclecticNeophyte]

That Swagelok tip is a great find!!

A lucky find on my part (no pun intended).

[Ralphxyz]

What is that in your last picture held in the lathe chuck?

Ralph

[EclecticNeophyte]

What is that in your last picture held in the lathe chuck?

Ralph

It's the reason I needed...ok, WANTED the arbor... When it's finished, and if all goes according to plan, it will be a part of an item like this...