EngineerNerd
Plastic
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2019
Hello,
I have a general question about where to place a bolt and what kind of bolt to use in a specific situation. I can't share all of the details of the project but will give links to some parts and a description of my issue.
I will be attaching a ball joint with a male 1/2"-20 bolt to a 1/2" thick piece of steel. Male ball joint link:
McMaster-Carr
There will be some aluminum extrusion attached directly underneath the steel piece and I would like to limit the number and size of holes drilled into the extrusion. The current plan is to tap the steel sheet and have a lock-nut on top. Then screw the the ball joint into the steel sheet and tighten the nut (which would be in between the head of the ball joint and the steel). This way the aluminum extrusion can remain unmodified. The bolt of the ball joint can just be cut to the correct length. I would like to be able to adjust the height of the ball joint using the nut or by including a spacer (once a height is chosen then the bolt can be cut to length).
Using this idea will prevent the ball joint from moving ClockWise (assuming everything is right-handed and you are looking top down)AKA tightening more. But is it true that it will not prevent CounterCW movement (loosening)? Is there a specific type of nut you would suggest? Also, is there any way you can think of attaching the ball joint without putting anything underneath the steel sheet? You could always just wield it to the top of the steel, but that kind of defeats the purpose of using bolts/nuts.
Thanks
I have a general question about where to place a bolt and what kind of bolt to use in a specific situation. I can't share all of the details of the project but will give links to some parts and a description of my issue.
I will be attaching a ball joint with a male 1/2"-20 bolt to a 1/2" thick piece of steel. Male ball joint link:
McMaster-Carr
There will be some aluminum extrusion attached directly underneath the steel piece and I would like to limit the number and size of holes drilled into the extrusion. The current plan is to tap the steel sheet and have a lock-nut on top. Then screw the the ball joint into the steel sheet and tighten the nut (which would be in between the head of the ball joint and the steel). This way the aluminum extrusion can remain unmodified. The bolt of the ball joint can just be cut to the correct length. I would like to be able to adjust the height of the ball joint using the nut or by including a spacer (once a height is chosen then the bolt can be cut to length).
Using this idea will prevent the ball joint from moving ClockWise (assuming everything is right-handed and you are looking top down)AKA tightening more. But is it true that it will not prevent CounterCW movement (loosening)? Is there a specific type of nut you would suggest? Also, is there any way you can think of attaching the ball joint without putting anything underneath the steel sheet? You could always just wield it to the top of the steel, but that kind of defeats the purpose of using bolts/nuts.
Thanks