WoodUJointConstruction

Thisarticle(andthreevideos)contributedbyRonWalters

Ithoughtawooduniversaljointwouldbefun
touseonsomeprojects,butfirstIhadto
figureouthowtomakeone.

Idecidedon5/16"dowelforthecrosspins.I
wantedthejointtomovefreelyanddecidedI
couldacceptaloosefittoallowforexpected
dimensionalchangesinthewood.21/32"was
selectedasmatingholeforthe5/16"pins.

Wood U-Joint Prototype Part 1

Cuttingthecrossshaftblocksandyokeblocks
rawstocktolength.

Iusednearlyeverypowertoolinmyshopin
theconstruction.

Thehingeoryokeendswerefabricatedin
pairs,whichmadethepieceseasiertowork
with.
Afterdrilling,shaping,androundover,theends
werecutapartandsandedtolengthand
matchedinpairs.

Crossshaftblockswerecrossdrilled
Crossshaftpinswerechamferedandcutto
lengthusingjigsforthediscsanderandtable
saw.
Afterthepinsweregluedintotheblock,the
internalradiusesweresanded.
Yokesweregluedtogetherusingepoxy

Thentheyokeswerecrossdrilledandpinned
sincethegluejointswouldoperationallybein
shear.Thepinsare1/8"dowel.
 Wood U-Joint Construction Part 2

AftertheUJointswereassembled,the
hardestpartwaslocatingtheexactcenterof
theyokebackplates.Thiswassomewhat
complicatedduetotheloosefitoftheparts.

DoubleUJointdriveshaftsareusedforrelativelysmalloffsetapplications.ThesewoodUJointsaren'treallyintended
forhighspeedorhightorqueapplications.Atrelativelyslowspeedsandreasonableloadsthesewillperform
satisfactorilyforalongtime.

TheseUJointswillprobablyendupinafuturemarblemachineorotherwoodgeartypeapplication.
 Wood U-Joint Double - Part 3

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