Swivel anvil manufacture process

I'm making some jacks and would like them to have the swiveling anvil face like that of a C-clamp but cant think of a way to create it.

I'd like to have a brass or aluminum anvil that can adjust to the face of the part and since the tapped hole isn't quite square(it was tapped by hand) having a swiveling anvil has actually become somewhat important.

If there's another design other than the ball joint I'm open to other ideas, but that's the initial goal

Thanks!

So, you mean you cannot make a copy of what is found on most C-clamps? I had a friend who had a similar issue. His solution was to buy C-clamps, cut the screw and modify it to suit his application. He made thousands of those parts, but still could not make them from scratch as cheap as he could buy C-clamp parts. He wanted so many that he was able to buy just the screw assembly from a C-clamp manufacturer.

You can buy swivel pads* and screws with swivel pads, but they may cost more than cheap C-clamps.

Swivel Pads | Swivel Pad Feet | Carr Lane
Steel Swivel Pad Screws | MSCDirect.com
Screw & Screw Clamps On TE-CO

Another solution for small quantities is to buy hardened steel spherical flat washers or spherical flange nuts with matching half washer.

Spherical Washers - MSCDirect.com

Or solder a hardened steel ball to the end of your screw and make the swivel pad yourself. Th pad does not need a hemispherical pocket. A drilled hole with a conical bottom will work fine with a ball in it.

Larry

Knowing the common name for something helps a great deal when searching the Internet. Anvil will not get you much.

How I would probably go about making a C-clamp type arrangement-

Cut a ball on the end of your threaded rod.

Use a custom formed boring tool to make a round seat for the ball on the back of the anvil slightly larger than the ball on the threaded rod.

Make sure you leave a "collar" on the back of then anvil/round seat that is a few thousands smaller than the ball on the threaded rod.

When all is done, heat up the anvil to 400° - 500° and slip the anvil over the ball on the threaded rod.

FWIW

-Ron

In a similar application I've used stud levelling feet. I got Carr Lane, but there many suppliers and they are available in many sizes.

Just figure out how to swage the thing over a ball. How hard can that be?

MetalCarnage said:

How I would probably go about making a C-clamp type arrangement-

Cut a ball on the end of your threaded rod.

Use a custom formed boring tool to make a round seat for the ball on the back of the anvil slightly larger than the ball on the threaded rod.

Make sure you leave a "collar" on the back of then anvil/round seat that is a few thousands smaller than the ball on the threaded rod.

When all is done, heat up the anvil to 400° - 500° and slip the anvil over the ball on the threaded rod.

FWIW

-Ron

Click to expand...

This is what I'm going to try. This way I'll be able to make the anvils/pads/whatever and screw exactly how I want rather than having to compromise for what I'm able to find as a commercial product.

If it doesn't work I'll be returning asking more questions and if it does work, unfortunately I'll probably forget about this thread and never post about it.

Anyways, thanks again!