Securing inside a tube

O-ring or some type of springs (kinda leave spring).

Nick

Has David Steele run out of ideas?

Slip the item inside the tube to the proper location, then use a small punch to dimple the tubing from the outside at both ends of the inserted item. Ken.

Has to be able to be hand fitted inside the tube, no deforming the tube itself inside nor out

If you can't bond it or bolt it, friction is your only other option.

I'd suggest and expanding split circular piece just smaller than your ID. Just cut the tube in one spot. Attach a small turnbuckle (rigth and left hand screw with nut in middle) to expand against ID

Karl

snipped-for-privacy@alulight.co.uk Are you really the teaboy trying to make an impression?

Ha Ha! Nope!

I assume that by "no bolts" you mean "no bolts that go through the tube".

Large rubber bung with a hole in it, a pair of large thick washers almost the diameter of the tube and a bolt that is long enough that you can do the following:

Slot the theaded end of the bolt (hacksaw) for a screwdriver.

Bolt through the washer-bung-washer sandwich, head of the bolt on the inaccessible side.

Wingnut on the accessible side.

Keep the bolt from turning with a screwdriver, screw down the wingnut. The rubber will expand and grab the sides of the tube.

You can use the same bolt to hold your device.

You neglected to state whether it has to be (readily?) removable, high or low precision, or if this is a one-off application or a production lot !

That said, a piece of wire, slightly longer than the inside diameter of the tube, held at its midpoint and forced into the desired location and oriented across the ID of the tubing. The inserted wire will be slightly bent and the bend will be free to pivot about the diametral line through its end points.

Or, with more holding force and potential for precision, a thin sheet metal washer similarly inserted. Washer may need to have radial slits spaced around its outer edge to reduce the insertion force and may be nearly impossible to remove without significant damage. On the principle of commercially available threaded inserts for common small sizes of tubing (e.g.,

Or, a piece of wire, slightly shorter than the internal circumference of the tube, formed into a split ring whose outer diameter slightly exceeds the inner diameter of the tubing, compressed and forced into the tubing to hold by friction or into an internal groove for greater precision and retention force. Also commercially available.

David Merrill

A simpler way to expand the split sleeve is to tap a hole parallel to the axis of the tube where you plan to slit it with a taper tap, tapping only part way through the sleeve. Then slit the sleeve through the tapered hole. When you drive a set screw into the hole, it will expand the sleeve and lock it inside the tube.

What about the tapered wedge that holds the front handle bar stem on a bicycle? Simple, holds well, easy to adjust.

______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) snipped-for-privacy@7cox.net

Is this some sort of game?

Make a thick (.375-.5") washer about .002" smaller in diameter than the inside of the tube. Drill and tap the end for a 1" tapered pipe plug. Cut the washer almost the full length of the washer with a band saw through the center of the tapped hole. If you would like, you can rotate 90 deg and make another cut so that the face of the washer looks like a sliced pie. You have just made an ID collet that is tightened by inserting a pipe plug.

It's really so simple I'm surprised you had to ask.

Hold the tube in your right hand. Pick up the device with your left, and quickly insert it. The heat from your hand will expand the tube, and when you remove your hand the tube will shrink on the device. To remove it, just expand the tube with the heat from your hand.

What could be easier?

John Martin

For off-the-shelf versions, see pages like