Looking for threaded 1/2" steel balls

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #1

Hi,

Can anyone point me to a source for small (1/2" diameter, or 10-12mm at a pinch) threaded steel balls? McMaster doesn't go smaller than 3/4". I found a couple of places online, but they're asking $35-40 per 1/2" ball which is too expensive for the intended application. Seems like they should be out there, I'm hoping I'm just missing them.

Thanks,

Lee

 

cyanidekid

Titanium

Joined

Jun 4, 2016

Location

Brooklyn NYC

• Jun 9, 2019

• #2

Not enough information. Female thread or a stud? What material, “steel” covers a lot of ground. Chrome bearing steel, polished to 2 micron sphereicallity, or hot forged, with mill scale? If it doesn’t matter, search lamp and lighting fixture parts, maybe nickel plated brass.

 

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #3

Fair enough, sorry

This is for a design prototype/proof of concept, so the grade of steel isn't too important. Stainless, chrome steel, mild steel, anything is fine. The surface finish should be polished but again, almost anything would work. I'd like to thread a stud into the female threaded hole.

Thanks

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D

David_M

Hot Rolled

Joined

Sep 30, 2014

Location

Midway, GA, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #4

leeko said:

Hi,

Can anyone point me to a source for small (1/2" diameter, or 10-12mm at a pinch) threaded steel balls? McMaster doesn't go smaller than 3/4". I found a couple of places online, but they're asking $35-40 per 1/2" ball which is too expensive for the intended application. Seems like they should be out there, I'm hoping I'm just missing them.

Thanks,

Lee

Click to expand...

Bal-tec

Stainless Steel 1/2". Less than $19.51 for 4 or more.

 

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #5

Thanks for the link. That was one of the sites I looked at, but the price I see is $26.80 for 4 or more. Just seems expensive for what it is.

Lee

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Finegrain

Diamond

Joined

Sep 6, 2007

Location

Seattle, Washington

• Jun 9, 2019

• #6

If you don't need super-low axial runout, straightforward to simply drill and tap a 1/2" stainless ball. I did a few 100 of these some years ago. Definitely not rocket science and not $20 .

Regards.

Mike

 

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #7

Fair enough
I was thinking the stainless steel balls were also fairly high RC hardness. Is that not the case? I'd rather not have to go through annealing them first

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Finegrain

Diamond

Joined

Sep 6, 2007

Location

Seattle, Washington

• Jun 9, 2019

• #8

304 and 316 1/2" are easy enough to find. $1 for 304 or $2 for 316, from McMaster-Carr.

Regards.

Mike

 

A

awander

Stainless

Joined

Jun 11, 2012

Location

Eastern PA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #9

If you can use brass:

Lamp Parts - Lighting Parts - Chandelier Parts | 1/2in. Diameter Ball - 8/32 Threaded Brass Ball - Polished Nickel Finish | BB0-1/2X8/32NP | Grand Brass Lamp Parts, LLC.

 

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #10

Ah, great thanks
For some reason all I was seeing are 400 series which I assumed were harder

Thanks

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L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 9, 2019

• #11

awander said:

If you can use brass:

Lamp Parts - Lighting Parts - Chandelier Parts | 1/2in. Diameter Ball - 8/32 Threaded Brass Ball - Polished Nickel Finish | BB0-1/2X8/32NP | Grand Brass Lamp Parts, LLC.

Click to expand...

Thanks, but I'd prefer steel

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S

Strostkovy

Titanium

Joined

Oct 29, 2017

• Jun 9, 2019

• #12

Search for corona balls. They are used on high voltage electrical connections to cover any sharp points that may ionize the surrounding air.

They may only be available in aluminum though, and they are not made to tight tolerances.

 

Ries

Diamond

Joined

Mar 15, 2004

Location

Edison Washington USA

• Jun 10, 2019

• #13

you need to find an industry that uses them- you cant assume something exists just because you want it to.
I cant think of a single mass produced consumer item that uses tapped 1/2" balls- but if there is one, that would tell you where to start looking.
As mentioned, lighting manufacturers use mostly brass .
The Piercing industry might be a source. Balls for Body Jewelry | Abbott Ball Company
Also, if you dont find what you want on a website- it doesnt mean it doesnt exist- it just means the market is small enough, or specialized enough, that its not worth paying to put it on internet shopping sites.
You should call up some of the big ball bearing guys, and ask, on the phone- they probably know who sells em, or might run em as specials.

 

A

AARONT

Stainless

Joined

Feb 19, 2013

Location

Madison, WI

• Jun 10, 2019

• #14

How about these? Blind Threaded 302 Stainless Steel Balls - .500 Ball Diameter $8/pc

Threaded 302 Stainless Steel Balls

 

L

leeko

Stainless

Joined

Jun 30, 2012

Location

Chicago, USA

• Jun 10, 2019

• #15

Perfect, thanks!

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D

deltap

Cast Iron

Joined

Sep 3, 2004

Location

Wisconsin, USA

• Jun 10, 2019

• #16

You can heat bearing balls to red heat and cool slowly. Bury in coals of wood fire and come back the next day when cool. Easy to drill and tap when softened. Scrap bearing almost free except for your time.