Replies

1. 
   oldusty | Sep 05, 2007 04:36pm | #1

   CK ,  Did you actually put your weight on the swivel and try and turn or just by hand ?

            It does take some force to swivel so as not to be too loose .

                       dusty

2. 
   saschafer | Sep 05, 2007 04:42pm | #2

   You don't really want a "freely turning" swivel for a chair. Otherwise, it will turn too freely once you put something with a large moment of inertia (e.g., a chair seat and back) on it. Picture a chair that you set spinning and it keeps spinning, and spinning, and spinning...

   It's certainly possible that there's something wrong with these swivels, but it could also be that you're just fighting the high-viscosity lubricant, and they'll be fine one assembled. You do want to be sure that you've got a swivel that's specifically intended for use in a chair, of course.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   Ckenney | Sep 05, 2007 05:17pm | #3

   Well, yes there should be some resistance, but when you need to clamp it in a vise and use all of your force to get it to turn, even a little bit; that won't work.These are marketed as swivels for bar stools, chairs, etc.Have you found any good ones?

1. 
   saschafer | Sep 05, 2007 05:30pm | #4

   I've only used the screw type (like a piano stool) in anything I ever built. A long, long time ago, I looked at one of the swivel kinds, but I don't remember where or exactly when. A Rockler store, maybe. I do remember that it was hard to turn by hand, but I was able to turn it.

   I've used other bearings from Lee Valley for lazy susans, but they're supposed to be "free swivellers," so that doesn't really help you.

   Can you tell what the problem is with the ones you have? Manufacturing defect, dried-up lubricant, etc.?

   -Steve

    

1. 
   Ckenney | Sep 05, 2007 06:12pm | #5

   I don't think it was the lube's fault. In the one I first bought, I spayed some lube "liberally" which didn't help. I think the center niut/rivet was just too darned tight.I was talking with a WW student here (I teach at Univ of Rio Grande) and he suggested the swivels available from Van Dyke's, which DO look different.I'm going to give them a try.

1. 
   forestgirl | Sep 05, 2007 06:20pm | #6

   I was going to suggest VanDyke's or a similar restoration supply company.  Please let us know how it goes!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   saschafer | Sep 05, 2007 06:45pm | #7

   "I think the center niut/rivet was just too darned tight."

   You know, I can understand people selling stuff that doesn't work very well, because it's cheaper or whatever. I don't like it, but I understand it.

   What boggles my mind is when people sell stuff that cannot possibly work at all, sometimes because of obvious design flaws, other times because of obvious manufacturing problems. This is stuff that will never fulfill its intended purpose. It's as if the stuff were being made by mindless drones, all the life having been sucked from their souls by years of assembly-line drudgery...oh, wait a minute....

   "...I teach at Univ of Rio Grande..."

   As in Rye-Oh-Grand, Ohio? I live in Athens.

   -Steve

    

3. 
   Ckenney | Sep 05, 2007 07:24pm | #8

   "As in Rye-Oh-Grand, Ohio? I live in Athens."Yep, just down the road. Home of the Best in Show and People's Choice award winner at this year's AFWS show in Las Vegas. Our first year sending someone, too. Watch out for next year.(I don't teach in the Fine Woodworking program, but those of us who know how big that show is, are proud!)

3. 
   Thew | Sep 06, 2007 08:35pm | #9

   As goofy as the web site sounds, this place has the goods:

   http://www.swivel-chair-parts.com/

   I built an "old-fashioned" office chair, and ordered the No. 10 mechanical base, and it is excellent. It is substantially built, and spins freely in the base. I can get completed pictures if you would like to see how it looks, as the website is a bit light on pictures.

   Thew