# Brass rotating connector

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [July 13, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717 "2025-07-13T17:08:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Beam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Beam](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Beam)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/1 "2025-07-13T17:08:44Z")

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I am not sure if this is the correct place to ask for help for this topic, however I am sure this community knows much more the I do about manufacturing and design.

I am interested in designing a component that functions like this—

 ![IMG_2765](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/4/5/45a8570ba26f73be63bf58f7f9add78ed827b5d9.jpeg)

It has a very smooth rotation(360 degrees). It is small like 20 mm long and 5 mm diameter. I have no idea how its made. Does it have ball bearings? I would guess not. Does anybody know how it was made? Die casted or something else? How do they get the two parts to come together? I know very little as you can tell.

If this is the wrong place to post a question like this let me know and thanks for your help. I am at the very beginning of this creative process.

Thank you!  
\_Ben

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**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/2 "2025-07-13T18:21:14Z")

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Seen something like that done on a keychain.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/3/1/31afc900754278b58585dc61b2143a1f42484aa1.jpeg)

Oh also I don’t know what the other end, the hollow part looks like. But I can guess there is enough tolerance to snap in place and lock, will go in by force but can’t come out or will brake.

Or it could be more hollow in inside and there is some kind of locking device that is bit more flexible.

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**Author:** ![Beam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Beam](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Beam)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/3 "2025-07-13T20:42:34Z")

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Interesting, thanks! Maybe I can look for a keychain design to get more ideas. If anybody else wants to weigh in please do.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/4 "2025-07-13T22:17:46Z")

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It looks machined from round stock.  
I would guess that the smaller end is male and when pressed into the larger female portion the blind male portion deforms in some way so it cannot come back out. Too small for ball bearings.

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**Author:** ![Beam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Beam](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Beam)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/5 "2025-07-14T00:52:34Z")

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Okay, I understand and did not know anything about that so I can do more research now with both your responses in mind. Thank you!

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/brass-rotating-connector/38717/6 "2025-07-14T01:56:24Z")

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Some things to keep in mind about it:

Material to be made from

Duty cycle - how many times a minute, hour, day etc you expect it to swivel.

Duty - how much weight it can handle