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Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Where to Find ONE Ball Bearing?

 I have a stepladder that I bought for getting to the eyepiece on Big Bertha, but the rivets that hold it tight have loosened a bit.  This page shows how to tighten loose rivets using a clamp and a ball bearing, but I cannot find a single ball bearing in my garage or house.  I am clamping without the ball bearing, in the hopes it helps even without.

 Some rivets are behind structures that I cannot reach, but it is noticeably tighter, even without the ball bearing.

6 comments:

  1. A bicycle shop.

    Local hardware stores, depending upon who stocks them - have one that I frequent because the hardware I need the most frequently from their loose hardware section is cheaper than anywhere else, and another that I go to because their loose hardware section is much more comprehensive than anywhere else -- it is the second sort that you want to find:

    https://www.williamsacehardware.com/inet/storefront/store.php?mode=searchstore&search%5Bsearchfor%5D=ball+bearing

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  2. if you find the one I dropped lubing my bicycle hub let me know.

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  3. Just turn a hemisphere on yer lathe.

    It'll work as well as a ball for tightening rivets

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  4. Any small round object should work; I've got a small ball peen hammer that would be useable with a clamp.

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  5. The article says "a standard BB will do." Are you telling us you can't come up with one BB?

    Of course you can always cut up a bearing or a shotshell with big, hard shot and get one. And there's steel slingshot ammo.

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  6. No loose ball bearings around the house; ballpeen hammer is a good idea; I bought a 3/16" ball bearing at Ace for $0.18.

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