How can I mate a shaft to a surface?

July 1, 2014 2:13 PM

Is there a specific type of part that attaches a pole/shaft to a flat surface so said pole meets said surface at a right angle?

I'm building a potter's wheel. …as cheaply as possible.

The wheel-head (a wooden disc) is to be attached to a rotating shaft (diameter undecided) but I'm not too sure how to go about it. The only solution I have so far is to add a second pulley at the top of the shaft and then drive bolts through it to attach it to the wheel. But, I'd rather not the extra expense of having to buy and destroy a second pulley.

Is there specific type of part that is used to attach a shaft to a surface in this manner? (Something like a flange bearing but without the bearing?)

posted by popcassady to Technology (8 answers total)

Something like a flange bearing but without the bearing?

Sorry to be facetious, but do you mean a flange (e.g.)?
posted by pipeski at 2:18 PM on July 1, 2014 [2 favorites]

or you use something like a shaft key, depending on how you're attaching.
posted by k5.user at 2:28 PM on July 1, 2014

Response by poster: Pipeski: Yeah exactly!

Sorry, didn't explain myself properly:

I need a part that I can fix to the shaft without any additional welding/tapping. I am using pulleys and bearings that attach to the shaft with a small screw. I want a flange that would attach to a shaft in the same way -- I just can't find anything appropriate and wondered if there was a standard name for such a piece.
posted by popcassady at 2:32 PM on July 1, 2014

Best answer: Those are called "set screws" and so you are looking for a "set screw pipe flange." I don't know the size of your pipe so I can't direct you to the correct one, but Google shows quite a few options.
posted by muddgirl at 2:37 PM on July 1, 2014

The type of flange designed to make pipe railings works on this principle.
posted by drlith at 2:41 PM on July 1, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I do a certain amount of this kind of fiddling and I've usually ended up doing exactly as you suggest - either sacrificing a pulley, or even a roller chain sprocket.

The advantage is that these kinds of things are made for shafts, not for pipe, so they are centered and perpendicular to the shaft, and really aren't so expensive. Kind of kludgey but it works.
posted by BillMcMurdo at 4:04 PM on July 1, 2014

Best answer: A flanged collar is top-shelf/$$$ solution... it fits shafts that also fit common bearings. The clamp-on style works great and grips the shaft without marring.

I thing the kick wheel my dad made had a ~1" pipe axle with a threaded flange. Your local hardware store will have those, they may call them floor flanges. I'm mystified on what he used for a bearing.
posted by tinker at 4:26 PM on July 1, 2014

Surplus Center should have all the stuff you need. I would use a 1 1/4 shaft and fittings.
posted by boilermonster at 6:20 AM on July 2, 2014