Computer scroll wheel, bearings version

Step 2 Bearing and shaft

The bearing is one of many salvaged from a scrap photocopier (The aluminuim for the big wheel is from the same machine, it was a former foot.) I forgot to include any indication of scale in the photos, but the internal diameter of the bearing is about 5mm.

Make sure the bearing is fairly secure, as you push the rod through later it could be pushed out of it's holder. Also, now would be a good point to make sure the bearing is spinning freely and well lubricated.

The first two photos are of the box lid, again, this will all be hidden so I'm not bothered about how it looks.

If possible choose a bearing that neatly fits the shaft, or you'll end up wrapping tape around the shaft to widen it. It'll all be hidden, but may throw the whole thing off centre. Use thick tape to get an approximate fit, then thin tape to get it just right.

The shaft needs to be attatched to the wheel in the dead centre, I did all this on a lathe, but it could be done with careful mesurements, drilling and file work.

Cut the shaft to length, test fit it with the assembled box, and then file the tip of the shaft to a square point. This should slot neatly into the hole of the rotary encoder.