I am looking for something like a rivet, but instead of joining two thin pieces of something, I want to join a square post that is an inch thick to a U-shaped chanel, so that the post will able to revolve. A rivet would do, but it won't span the 1.5" that makes up the thickness of this area. BTW, the thing is made of aluminum. Any ideas?
First off some questions.
How often is the post going to need to revolve?
Is the post to be horizontal or vertical?
I ask this because the cheapest way would be to fabricate a rivet or an axel if the need to rotate is only for positioning or a low frequency use.
For a higher frequency you probably want some sort of bearing that can be replaced when needed.
Horizontal or vertical would dictate the kind of bearing needed.
If this is a low use thing the easiest way to get you there would be to select a 1/2 inch bolt that has an area clear of threads for 1 3/4" under the head. Cut off the excess length and drill a hole sideways through the shaft to secure a cotter pin with a washer or two between the pin and the material. A hair pin type spring could also be used instead of the cotter pin if you needed to disassemble it often.
Cut off the unthreaded part of a bolt and drive a few axle caps on it. Both can be found at Lowes, Home Depot, or any good hardware store...
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