Homemade Motor Arbor for your Wind Generator or other needs

After Reading over numerous instructables about wind generators and failing to find a
motor arbor at any of my local hardware stores i decided to make my own.  I did find several online, however they were much more expensive than I expected, and the cheaper ones looked fairly flimsy.  While looking for the arbor, and getting mostly blank and confused looks from employees at Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, and several smaller auto repair and supply shops I noticed a Rod Coupling Nut of the correct diameter for my motor shaft (5/8") and the plan came together.  This is how I constructed my motor arbor for a 5/8" motor shaft.  These plans can be adapted for any sized motor.

Great Instructables for building a wind generator:
www.instructables.com/id/How_I_built_an_electricity_producing_wind_turbine/
www.instructables.com/id/Chispito-Wind-Generator/
www.instructables.com/id/wind_powered_ametek_30_wind_generator

Step 1 Aquire Materials

To build the Motor Arbor for the 5/8" shaft I visited Home Depot and purchased the following materials:

1 - 5/8" x 2ft threaded rod ($4.38)
2 - 1/4" x 3/4" hex bolts (for set screws) ($0.10 each)
1 - 5/8" Hex Nut ($0.33)
2 - 5.8" Cut Washers ($.31 each)
1 - 5/8" - 11 X 2-1/8" Rod Coupling Nut  ($1.24)
1 - package of JB Weld ($4.97)

Grand Parts Total = ($11.74)

note: the JB weld and threaded rod can be used for multiple Arbors and numerous other applications so the real cost per arbor is approximately $3.10 USD

note: I used JB Weld to secure the rod to the connector nut because i do not own a welder and wanted to try and keep cost down, the stuff will hold like the dickens

Comments

[kiers]

THANK YOU. I'm trying to couple a motor tube shaft to a an acrylic sheet, and unbelievable difficulty in the arbor department! you'd think theyd have arbors around, but NO.

[dottedzebra]

That is EXACTLY what I needed for making a sharpener for engraving. Thank you so much!

[Pylonman]

Thanks so much for this fix. I used your idea and fixed my off grid 175 watt DIY wind turbine off ebay. The helpful and friendly ebay seller originally wanted $15.00 for a custom milled arbor. Seeing that a new hub, blade and arbor (from the same ebay seller) was $44.00, I didn't see it was worth it. So, I decided to go with this method. The only setback was, I left my tap and die kit at home. I then lined the hole up in the shaft with the rod coupler. I drilled a hole through the 3/8" rod coupler and I used a stainless steel screw to secure the hub and shaft.
It works great and saved a few bucks.
Thanks for the great idea!

[sam D]

Hey this is great. I have come up with an open format for making the main shaft of a turbine, but hte idea of the thread connector at the end is a very handy one. I'm gonna give it a try. Cheers from australia.

[l8nite]

neatly done ! This will probably work for connecting a prop shaft to a small engine  as well, the only point that confused me though was why did you hold the nuts in the vicegrips while you cut the bolts?

[Candroma]

thanks,  the visegrips were just to save time and use fewer tools, it's probably safer to place the bolts and nuts in a vise when cutting and drilling

[rimar2000]

Good work!

[Phil B]

This is a clever use of available materials.  It would seem the internal diameter of the coupler is less than 5/8 inch while the shaft is 5/8 inch in diameter.  Did you have to smooth the threads away on the end of the coupler where it slides over the shaft?

[Candroma]

When i originally measured the shaft it was about 1 14/16 inches in circumference so the true diameter is  just shy of 5/8" so the coupler slid over the shaft without much fuss, just a little twisting to get it the last bit.  If the shaft were any larger the inside of the coupler would have to be smoothed out on the inside.  I have done this before with nuts using a equivalent size drill bits (but it kind of chews up my bits), or a small drimel grinding drum. I hope this helps

[Phil B]

It helps.  Thanks.  I am glad my question made sense to you.