Thread: Arbor/Hole difference

G'day Y'll
Chris
I would suggest steel rod for the arbors set in brass inserts.
Drill a hole in a wooden arbor, set the steel rod in it. Set a brass plug in the wooden frame, center punch the center for the correct spacing and drill what ever size hole you need.
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Regards
Joe

The amount of play you need depends on the material you are using for the arbor and bearing. You can use wooden arbors set into wood holes, with graphite (pencil lead) for lubricant. To accommodate wood movement, you'll need to provide plenty of clearance. I usually say the arbor should "rattle" within its bearing, especially during low levels of humidity. If you are using metal arbors within metal bearings, then much less play is needed. But, you will then have to deal with lubrication. For our clocks (Clock Kits | Wooden Clocks | Clock Plans | Wooden Gear Clock Kits), we use wooden dowel arbors set into a nylon washer-type bearing. We have found this to be a real nice compromise between keeping the clock as close to all-wood as possible, while minimizing friction issues at the arbor.