RE: Drilling Gazing Balls (fwd)

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Original poster: List moderator <mod1@xxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:59:44 -0600
From: Alan Majernick <rainylake@xxxxxxx>
To: 'Tesla list' <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Drilling Gazing Balls

Hi All:

Having put drilled and tapped threaded steel inserts in hundreds of
stainless steel balls, I can tell you don't waste you time trying to "get
by" by not doing it. The balls themselves are very strong, but way to thin
to accept a machine screw. It's a process you can not perform without
special tools. This is not a sales pitch, but I a have destroyed enough
balls myself to tell you if have not done this before, your chances of
success as first timer are small. In my eBay store, TeslaStuff, I have
stainless steel balls from 3 inches to 16 inches. All with 1/4-20 zinc
plated steel threaded inserts. If anyone has a question, I will try and
help. My email is alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Alan

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 5:15 PM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Drilling Gazing Balls - Re: Burn Out (fwd)

Original poster: List moderator <mod1@xxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:16:32 -0700
From: Terrell Fritz <terrellfone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Drilling Gazing Balls - Re: Burn Out (fwd)

Hi Rich,

>   FedEx delivered Saturday a couple of 12" SS balls. I do have a
>question about them., did you drill into the small hole in the ball and
>what is the wall thickness at that point , they feel very light to be
>trying to drill and tap a hole? Why 2 balls?
>One multi-colored one for the wife to put in the garden and one silver
>one for me !!!!!
>
>Rich , from the middle of Missouri

The stainless steel is rock hard.  There is info on drilling it here:

http://www.pupman.com/listarchives/2006/Oct/msg00590.html

There are also threads "Re: Gazing ball terminals" and "PIRANHA - New Top 
Load Configuration" here:

http://www.pupman.com/listarchives/2006/Oct/threads.html

The metal is about 1/32 inch so it is very thin.  But expect it to be a 
real pain to drill.  I drilled the existing hole large to mount the slide 
shafts in my case.  I am not sure it can be "threaded".  But there are 
those molly screw fasteners and such for drywall that might work if you 
needed a screw thread.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/inffastener/infanchor/infanchor.shtm

Cheers,

         Terry

Busy reading all the nice things people are saying about me :-)))))))))