New breed swivels

[operator3]

I'm gonna make the deadline for the first batch 2 weeks from now (Fri April 16). I'll make sure I get everything logged and ready. The following Monday I will get it ordered. The shop tells me about a week to turn em out.

[Speedbag]

I'm gonna make the deadline for the first batch 2 weeks from now (Fri April 16). I'll make sure I get everything logged and ready. The following Monday I will get it ordered. The shop tells me about a week to turn em out.

Mark me down for two. I like to punch 'em up a bit myself.

[operator3]

Sounds good! Were now at 6-7. Once we get a good ball, we will make a good loop design. We might as well try to find a new everlast plastic base to make a mold. Eventually, we can get our own swivel set going. Should be interesting

[operator3]

*bigugly bear: 1
*Biff: 2@ $16, or 3@ $15
*Griffin: 1
*spinsmashpop: 2
*speedbag: 2
*jimcaher: 2
*Tim: 2

that's 12 or 13... I've got a few more people that seem to be interested. BTW, I suggest for you guys to open a pay pal account if you don't already have one. It makes transactions much easier to track, and it makes sellers responsible for doing the right thing. I believe there is a 3% charge for pay pal fees tho. I would prefer to do business through pay pal, but I'm not gonna turn anyone down that has a check sent to me. Numbers are looking pretty good for the first run. I'm getting excited!

[Tim]

Numbers are looking pretty good for the first run. I'm getting excited!

Put me down for 2, please. And thanks for doing this. Your willingness to help the whole community is appreciated.

[operator3]

Put me down for 2, please. And thanks for doing this. Your willingness to help the whole community is appreciated.

No problem Tim! Fixing things/systems that I enjoy makes it a very rewarding process. Getting to help other with like minds is a great +.

[Eighty-Eight]

This might be the answer to my situation. Before I place an order, I need to ask a few questions. Keep in mind, I am not mechanically inclined, have neither the tools nor the know-how, and I don’t speak the lingo. Let me explain the best I can.
I currently use a Watkins ball hook swivel. Recently, I discovered that the eyehook and the bag hook have worn down to the point where one or both will break shortly. [See pictures in my post Watkins Swivel Problem.] The swivel base and housing are fine. All I really need is a ball (if necessary), a ball hook and a bag hook. If I understand correctly the posts I’ve read, are you designing a ball and a hook? The ball hook on one end screws into the ball, and on the other end instead of an eyehook, you’ll have a hook from which the bag will hang. I have the right picture in mind, then I understand what you mean by single-hinge movement.

Here are my questions:
1. Are you making the entire swivel apparatus (swivel base, housing, ball, eyehook, and bag hook)? Or are you making the ball and hook portions only?
2. Will the ball be threaded?
3. Can these pieces be purchased individually?
4. Will the ball you’re designing fit inside the Watkins housing?

[operator3]

1.) at this time, I'm not making every seperate part. I believe that eventually I will, but for now I'm concentrating on just the ball. It's easier to conceptualize one item at a time. Trial and error is kind of a slow process. In the end, I would love to be the producer of the "perfect swivel". Made by baggers, for baggers." Taking the time to do it right now makes the best swivel in the business a possibility.

2.) the ball will not be threaded. There will be a set screw. Eliminating the need for a threaded ball.

3.) for right now, all the pieces will be sold seperate. I've chosen to do it that way in order to fund the production, as well as the reason above. I'm not doing this to make money, so you guys are kinda like my guinea pigs. But the good part about that is, yo guys get the first batches of whatever I make. The feedback from you guys is where we make sure it really is the best thing out there. Once we have a complete, finished product from screw to bolt, then maybe I'll sell kits.

4.) I'm not sure if the ball would fit in the watkins housing. My design will be approx 5% larger in diameter, so I couldn't day for sure. But I'm not sure that a metal ball and a metal housing are the best combo. I think from all I've seen and read, plastic housing and metal ball are the way to go.

[operator3]

*bigugly bear: 1
*Biff: 2@ $16, or 3@ $15
*Griffin: 1
*spinsmashpop: 2
*speedbag: 2
*jimcaher: 2
*Tim: 2
*RenoRattler: 2

that's 14 or 15... I've got a few more people that seem to be interested. BTW, I suggest for you guys to open a pay pal account if you don't already have one. It makes transactions much easier to track, and it makes sellers responsible for doing the right thing. I believe there is a 3% charge for pay pal fees tho. I would prefer to do business through pay pal, but I'm not gonna turn anyone down that has a check sent to me. Numbers are looking pretty good for the first run. I'm getting excited!

[jimcaher]

Operator,
Be careful not to make the ball too big. My 20+ year old Everlast balls are slightly larger than the Watkins ball and they are too tight in the plastic housing to move smoothly. Why not just stick with the same size as the Watkins ball. With the plastic - steel interface, all the wear will be to the plastic base. I am curious as to how long the plastic will last before the ball falls out. This ultimately might be the weak link to this set up. Especially if Everlast discontinues the plastic base.

Jim

[Speedbag]

Operator,
Be careful not to make the ball too big. My 20+ year old Everlast balls are slightly larger than the Watkins ball and they are too tight in the plastic housing to move smoothly. Why not just stick with the same size as the Watkins ball. With the plastic - steel interface, all the wear will be to the plastic base. I am curious as to how long the plastic will last before the ball falls out. This ultimately might be the weak link to this set up. Especially if Everlast discontinues the plastic base.

Jim

Then we are all screwed.

[paranday]

Then we are all screwed.

Could the plastic base be machined from a solid hunk of plastic? The injection mold for that Everlast plastic base possibly cost more than a new car.

Also, I've been looking at plastic bearings online. For this type of design it seems that just the surface where the ball touches needs to be plastic. I'm not prototyping a ball hook, this is someone else's experiment, but maybe some kind of insert for a metal housing would give the benefits of plastic without the need for an entire housing of plastic. Just in case "we are all screwed".

[operator3]

Nothings set in stone yet. The larger diameter was meant to get more life out of the plastic base. Regardless of the size of ball, since the top is shaved flat it shouldn't be an issue. But we will get all that figured out.

[TJ_MaTee]

Paranday wrote" Also, I've been looking at plastic bearings online. For this type of design it seems that just the surface where the ball touches needs to be plastic. I'm not prototyping a ball hook, this is someone else's experiment, but maybe some kind of insert for a metal housing would give the benefits of plastic without the need for an entire housing of plastic. Just in case "we are all screwed".[/QUOTE]

Did you see the post by Tommy T (4/10/10)? He posted a design of his own that has a"custom plastic retaining washer" and a "custom plastic O-ring" I believe that the ball rides on. Something of this nature might be the ticket. Replacing an O-ring periodically would be the way to go versus replacing the housing. This may be worth looking into.
I think we're getting closer to being dialed in.

[paranday]

Did you see the post by Tommy T (4/10/10)? He posted a design of his own that has a"custom plastic retaining washer" and a "custom plastic O-ring" I believe that the ball rides on. Something of this nature might be the ticket. Replacing an O-ring periodically would be the way to go versus replacing the housing. This may be worth looking into.
I think we're getting closer to being dialed in.

Right under my nose, just read it. A better mousetrap is right around the corner I suspect.

The acetal plastic / stainless steel bearings online are self-lubricating, corrosion free, can be used underwater even, but other than that, it's the same idea. Proven concept. The metal gives strength, the plastic gives a slippery surface for the bearing.