Springs with a washer welded on each end?

What would be really cool would be a put a slipping clutch on that thing, like the slipping clutch that's on a cordless drill.

I need a gas-powered cordless drill...

Nevermind...

I'm thinking a torque limiting shaft coupling is what I want to use.

I might ask about that later.

Yeah, turn custom washers with tophat-like cylindrical extensions that the spring fits over tightly. They are more secure if you thread the extension to match the spring. Got a lathe yet?

How much of an investment is required for doing that?

And speaking of confusion... I don't understand why, out of all the metal workers in this group, none offer a metalworking service.

Generally, such things are designed so the spring is captive on a rod, the rod being secured to the surface by whatever means is necessary and the part that bounces on the spring has a clearance hole for the rod. Think recoil spring assembly on that latest semi-auto pistols.

Stan

I'd guess that it's primarily because it's _rec_.crafts.metalworking. Bob

Even so, here's a simple technique that's very good at retention under tension. I can't say how it would resist a torque load. 'Course it would depend upon the torque.

Also, I have _brazed_ to the ends of a spring, to make a torque guage. I would recommend brazing rather than welding - the heat of welding is likely to do bad things to the spring. I.e., make the HAZ brittle.

Bob

Here's a start:

Personally I'd try to find a local source for the small lathe that can sell you the accessories you'll need as you progress. There are three near me. Or look for used machines. The most recent CL ads here:

I started with a second-hand Sears lathe about that size that was quite useful on aluminum and brass but not really up to cutting steel. Then I jumped to an industrial South Bend lathe, so I don't have hands-on experience with currently available hobby-sized machines. If anyone has the Harbor Freight one, please speak up. I bought some lathe accessories such as a Morse taper 3-jaw chuck from them that were acceptable for hobby work.

We went over that with Morris Dovey's high pressure nickel-hydrogen fusion reactor experiment. Hobbyists don't have liability insurance for when you f%^k up and kill yourself anywhere near parts that can be traced back to us. I worked for Segway and know the big risks that ride on small wheels.

jsw

Individuals make and sell things to other people all day every day, at least here on Earth.

Then you should rely on a commercial machine shop for your needs. jsw

My needs change from time to time. They don't always require a lathe. Even when my first method might indicate using a lathe, often times I end up being able to accomplish what I need to do, with something else.