The Home Machinist!

Hello again, all: Here is another version of the axle. In this one, the axle is solid 4130 Crmo. The center is .5" thick and two .5" wide flanges take us out to 20mm to ride inside the axle tube (bore) of the hub. Again there is a slot on the short end for a C-clip. In the drawing, the par...

Hi Russ: Good points all. I just got the hubs that these axles will be made for today. The stresses, without getting all "mathy" on you :-) are those of a 300 lb. rider on a 40 lb adult trike going as much as 30 or 40 mph. There are vertical loads and side loads and maybe others. Having al...

Hi Harold: You may well be right that the part is made other than I have thought. In light of your legitimate concerns, I am thinking of doing a "back to the drawing board" on it. I understand you to be saying, "Make the 1" diameter, shorter cylinder, do all the welding to it, th...

Wow, you guys! Can you all just move in next door to me and bring your shops! :-) Barring that, I had a simple thought too: What if I run a piece of .500 rod through the bore of the turned axle, say an aluminum rod so I can't weld it to the work, and let that help hold the shape? Assuming the alumin...

Hi Harold: Thanks for the suggestion. Here is a crude first draft idea of how the turned axle will be used. I hope this is able to be seen (I am trying to send it as an attachment). I can't see how this could be welded first. Even if a guy had a lathe with a large swingover, would one want to turn t...

Hello folks: I am new to the forum and am thinking about learning machining for home and hobby use. Meanwhile, I am in a project of building a 3-wheel adult trike. I need axles turned for the hubs of the 2 front wheels. I think the ideal material would be 1" round 4130 Chromoly tubing with .25&...