Some help with my "cat wheel" project

[DanBog]

*I apologize in advance for the way I write because English is not my first language

 

I've got a UCF 205 bearing on the wall identical to the one you see on the outside wheel. 

Since this is a DIY project and I don't know anything about bearings (and apparently the shops in my area also don't) I realized late they are unusable because they allow a play/slack/clearance, like mixing in a pot, they're built so that the shaft is sustained on both sides and that keeps it horizontal. Not in my case, as the wheel is so crooked that it scrapes the back wall. 

 

I am at my wits' end after in the building process I cut a piece of my finger and had to get it sewed back on.

I had a talk with an online store that tried to sell me the same bearing claiming it's fixed. And today I went and talked to all 3 shops that sell bearings and one of them tried to sell me a bearing for x4 the price claiming mine has that play because it's made in China. The other stores said there are no fixed bearings of this type. 

 

An ugly solution is to get two more and place them back to back, but now my conexpands are too short to pass through two such bearing and I need longer ones and to drill in another place, only to make everything uglier and heavier. 

 

I am taking a break from this project for a few days to avoid a stroke, but I welcome any helpful ideas you might have to finish this.

[DanBog]

I was looking at this 'tutorial' but I don't understand how they did it https://imgur.com/gallery/4UqgBA5#EP1nn5Z

[markc]

Haven’t looked at the tutorial but if you need this type of bearing to stay solid/aligned then you use two back to back so the rod prevents “self aligning”

[markc]

[SteamyTea]

Could you change it to a 

roller bearing?

Lateral forces have to be taken into account, but that is true for all bearings.

 

Do you know if the cat will use it?

Edited September 25, 2023 by SteamyTea

[twice round the block]

I had a look at the tutorial and the one shown is made from heavier gauge material.

You need a substantial hub, spindle and bearing as used on a bicycle etc, but need a way of securing it to the wall so it stays solid. 

[Temp]

If they are UCF 205 the shaft diameter is 25mm diameter. That's plenty big enough. The one you linked to is pretty expensive for this application. I'd use two cheaper bearings one either side as per @markc drawing. 

 

To prevent the drum sliding along the shaft I'd use a pair of these collars fixed to the shaft using the grub screw. 

 

https://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Solid--Unsplit/CABU25Z--25mm-Shaft-Collar-SolidUnsplit-40282-p

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Temp

[DanBog]

Thank you all, I should have indeed used another type of bearing, will know better in the future.

 

I placed two of mine back to back and it's... decent, still drops a little but maybe because they're cheap Chinese bearings £5 each.

 

Another issue is that some of the wooden joints have started to squeak, and I’m not sure what to do about it. It’s hard for me to identify the exact location and reason for the squeaking. I probably need to take it all apart and apply some silicone to the joints, but I'm tolerating it for now.

 

Yes, the cats use the wheel for walking. They don’t run on it because once it gets going, it’s difficult to stop. I guess they don’t like the idea of having to anchor themselves for their lives.