[nadsab]

I have an application for a jig I am designing and need to figure out the best way to do this...

I need to find the best way to have a spring loaded rod, which is inserted into a bored hole in the side of a second rod and perpendicular to it, have a spring action. Both rods are about 6” long.

In other words, I am forming a T with these two rods, one rod is inserted into the side of another rod. The vertical rod, I want to be able to twist 90 degrees in either direction (along it's axis) and have it snap back to center. The verticle is 1/4” dia and the horizontal rod is 1/2” dia.

I was looking for torsion springs and thought one good way to do this would be to find a spring with one tang facing or pointing into the inside diameter of the spring, and slide the spring onto the rod and insert that tang into a small bored hole in the vertical rod, and have the tang on the torsion spring on the other end come out in an offset and bent down 90 degrees and inserted into a small hole into the horizontal rod.

Only problem is I can not find any off the shelf torsion springs like this, everyone wants custom order, large quantities. I called Mc master, Graingers etc no catalog house I could find any torsion springs with bent tangs like this. I would have to bend them myself or order custom.

I am just wondering if there is a better way to do this, a way to have the vertical rod spring loaded and snap back to zero. Anyone have any ideas along these lines?

Also is this not a good way to use torsion springs? Can they be twisted in both directions?

Or any sources of these kinds of springs? Maybe I need to find another method or way to spring load the rods? Different parts or mechanisim?

Thanks.

[Delw]

dont know if they have them but have you tried caar lane (sp)

these guys have about everything you need for making fixtures