I'm looking for a fixing I can put on a pole to attach a windsock to.
The rope from the windsock used to just be screwed to the top of a pole but it kept just wrapping itself around the pole.
What I need is something like a cars wheel bearing that I can attach the rope to and that way it is free to spin around in the wind.
Anyone any ideas?
Cheers
Steven.
Large fishing swivel? Though that might not help the rope wrapping around the pole. Have a look to see what is on offer from kite shops, many sell poles and windsocks.
The message from "Steven Campbell" contains these words:
I think you've answered your question. Find a discarded bike (there are usually plenty about - the metal skip a our dump is full of 'em) and use one of the many bearings therefrom.
on 01/08/2006, Guy King supposed :
Use the entire wheel - fixing the spindle to the pole top and the windsock on the rim.
Th ekite people will sell you a very whippy, telescopic fibreglass pole to fly a small windsock from. The end section is about 3mm in diameter and the line is fixed to that. The theory is that when the windsock flies, the tip flexes to such a degree that it bends over away from the wind and the cord pulls free and untangles itself.
Under certain conditions that does actually happen, but for the rest of the time it just tangles, just like you always knew it would.
I made quite a nice swivel for a small windsock by using an inch or two of 3mm ID brass tubing ( from a model shop ) and plugging the end with solder. I then drilled it through, so that the solder acted as a white metal bearing for a swivel made from brazing wire. The other end was then polugged with solder and the drill passed through the first hole and then drilled through the second plug. Hopefully the two holes should be aligned.
The rotating part was made from brazing wire, with a small washer soldered on either side of thar sleeve. The sleeve could be mounted in various ways. I elected to silver solder a flange on before making the bearings.
The end of the swilvel part was bent over at right angles and a small loop formed at the end.
It does still tangle very occasionally, but far less than anything else I've used, but it does look neat.
The message from Harry Bloomfield contains these words:
Or a pedal - they have the advantage of shielding the bearing from the rain 'cos of the end cap.
A windsock isn't usually on a rope. The standard airfield windsock has a metal ring at the mouth. The top of this attaches to a simple swivel in the top of the pole and the bottom has a ring which slides loosely over the pole.
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A more complicated design is at
for very small socks have a look at
Thanks everybody for the help. It is proving harder than I thought.
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