What are these darn things called... and where can I find them?

**Paula Filseth (Guest)** · 03-24-2002, 05:34 PM

I am new to woodworking, and am trying to find a particular kind of (fastener?) (connector?) (joint?) (hinge?). As you can see, my first problem is that I don't know what it's called, so I don't know what to ask for. I am trying to make a jumping jack toy... this is a fairly flat doll-type figure with articulated joints in the arms and legs that swivel up to the side when a string in the back is pulled. It is the little swivel joints that I am having a hard time finding. I have purchased wood toys over the years that use these, so I know they must be manufactured somewhere, but I don't have a clue where to find them. The motion is a full 360-degree pivot/swivel in one dimension. Can anyone here "swivel" me in the right direction? Thank you in advance for any help you can provide! :-)

-Paula

**John Lucas** · 03-24-2002, 09:21 PM

Paula,
I have no idea, but I went to www.google.com and searched for "Doll joints" and there are plenty good sources it seems.

DB · 03-24-2002, 10:28 PM

I believe what you are looking for are called rivets. Could also use nuts and bolts. Check your local screw store or hardware store and someone there should be able to help you find the best thing to use. If that fails try walking up and down the rows at Home depot or similar store.

Happy hunting and work safely

**Mamabear (Betty) (Guest)** · 03-25-2002, 12:32 AM

Paula, here is something I think will help you and thanks to my hubby for finding this for you!!
Go to http://www.jimgamble.com/inside/ball/inside_ball.html
We hope this helps you. Happy Woodworking! Mamabear (Betty)

**Paula Filseth (Guest)** · 03-25-2002, 04:07 AM

John, thanks... this had not occurred to me! I'll give this a try. Happy Monday! :-) -Paula

**Paula Filseth (Guest)** · 03-25-2002, 04:08 AM

Many thanks... I wondered if I might be looking for "rivets," "grommets," or "eyelets." I'll get to Home Depot or someplace similar this week and see if I can scare up something appropriate for my project. Thanks again! -Paula

**Paula Filseth (Guest)** · 03-25-2002, 04:12 AM

Betty (and hubby, too!) -- Wow! That's one complicated-looking joint... similar, I think, to our own hip joints? This is an even fuller motion joint than I'm looking for for this project, but I can see definite applications for this down the road, so I've bookmarked it, and am glad to have the info! Thank you both. :-) -Paula

**handi** · 03-25-2002, 05:48 PM

Paula,

Go to your local hardware store and search the screw aisle for "screw posts" These look like two bolts connected. They come in different lengths so you can get the size you need. You could then use a length of plastic tube cut just a whisker wider than the joint thickness. That way, the bolt can be snugged down but the joints will still move freely.

Hope this helps,

Ralph

**David Yoho** · 03-26-2002, 09:48 AM

Paula, no matter how this all works out, there's one thing you can be sure of - you'll learn a lot about hardware you didn't know before!

I remember when I was at the stage you're at now. I wanted to reproduce an inexpensive butler tray table we had but needed the same oval hinges. I didn't have access to Internet forums or supplier's catalogs back then. Poking around local hardware stores, I learned a lot about butler's table hinges; especially their high price tag, but nothing about the hinges I still needed.

I finally located and had my first contact with The Woodworker's Store (now Rockler) customer service folks almost by accident. Heck, I didn't even know if these folks would sell to someone like me. After explaining the exact hinge I was looking for, with the caution I wasn't looking for a butler's table hinge, the helpful rep said it sounded like what I needed was sewing table hinges. Since the dimentions were exact, I ordered what I needed. When the order arrived, not only were the hinges the exact ones I had been searching long and hard for, but there was a catalog too. This single catalog was my first real source of woodworking supplies and opened up a whole new world to me then. I learned that a lot of special hardware existed I hadn't even seen or heard of before. What an education that whole process was at the time.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Good luck in your search and enjoy the journey :-)

David Yoho
http://home.attbi.com/~davidyoh/woodwork.htm