How to Make a Sculpture (or Anything Else) Spin in the Wind - Kevin Caron

From www.kevincaron.com - Artist Kevin Caron answers viewers' questions about how to make a sculpture - or anything else - spin in the wind. We first find him playing with Genome Project, one of his sculptures. Then he takes us inside his studio and shows a stand like the one Genome Project sits on. It's actually a used harrow disk from a farm implement. Caron fillled in the hole on the top of the disk by welding some metal stock in the opening, then drilled a hole in it to match the size of the sculpture's shaft. Because this particular disk was pretty worn down, Caron didn't have enough room beneath it to put the mount and two bearings that allows the sculpture to spin. So he added a "lift kit" of a 1/2" piece of square tubing that he shaped in his Chinese pipe bender (also called a stock bender) then welded it into place on the bottom rim of the disk. Inside the disk, he takes a piece of C-channel - which offers enough support to hold up the sculpture - and welds it inside the disk, aligned with the hole. Then he shows the bearings he is using. They are small flanges with bearings in the middle. They have a grease fitting that allows you to grease it every six months or year to keep the sculpture spinning. He chose this particular type of bearing because the hole matches the size of the 3/4" shaft of the sculpture that will sit on top of it. He used two bearings because they are made to mount sideways, with the weight on the vertical axis. When you mount them horizontally, or flat, and put the load above the bearing, there is some freeplay, or wobble, that can be pronounced in a tall sculpture. Depending upon the height of the sculpture, an 1/8" of an inch wobble at the bearing can translate to a variance of 6 - 8" at the top of a sculpture, allowing it to sway. He mounts one bearing on top of the C-channel and the other on the bottom, so they cancel each other's "slop," or "run out." The sculpture can still spin freely but without the freeplay, or wobble. Caron got the bearings at a local supplier of industrial bearings called Motion Industries. You can also find the bearings at Grainger and online. Caron paid about $35 each for these 3/4", 2-bolt flange bearings, which are rated to a very high weight rating for his needs. See more how-to videos at www.kevincaron.com

[@fabioalmeida2905]

Congratulations Kevin.... thanks for sharing it ..... best rgds

[@AfricanSouthernCross]

Excellent tutorial, thank you !

[@henrystephen5354]

Kevin your videos are wonderful! And your workshop looks just awesome!! Thank you so much for this incredible content.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Thanks for watching! More to come,,

[@GregsGarage]

Great video Kevin!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

And I am sure there is a better bearing for this purpose. However this is what I had on hand and have used in the past. Thank you for posting.

[@truman4956]

Thanks for posting. Amazing artist!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@phill903]

Very interesting !!Can't wait for more on this topic. :-)

[@ToddAndrewCole]

Hi Kevin! Thanks for the video. I found it very helpful. I make whirligigs, and I always double-up my bearings whenever possible, so I know what a great tip that is when you are making something that rotates. Wishing you all the best. Take care.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Glad it helped!

[@CharlesStruble]

Cool idea with the 1/2" lift kit! Those bearings... I'm thinking that might be a better way to go if I make another weather vane... Thanks guys!

[@pcdubya]

I love somebody willing to share, and at 1:39 just bend it, fit it, grind, shape it, there you go. Like a buddy of mine says in a specialized field about people learning his craft. " Can you play the piano?, "no", can you watch me play it and then you know how? "

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Thank you for watching and posting please click on an ad or 2. It helps pay for the videos..

[@VisorBlue]

Very cool!

[@unclefrankonap1953]

thanks kevin always enjoy your video,s and and the question and answer by the voice, lol

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Thank you. she has a lot of fun also..

[@nathanblanchet2648]

Such an inspirational guy. Gosh I want to make some nice art with my everlast welder. part of the reason I bought it was because I saw Kevin's videos.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Well, lets get to welding!!

[@davidmanen5495]

Great video, thank you. Cheers

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rollandelliott]

thanks this is awesome!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Yeah, I looked at a few but this one seems to work the best for me. But I am always open to suggestions as well.

[@paulam8235]

Wonderful channel!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

+Paula Murray Thanks Paula!

[@rutslav]

Kevin,check out the beginning of a movie called Wolfen.A woman is walking through a park when she goes by a sculpture constructed using long flatbar stock at different lengths.When the wind blows through the structure a beautiful chiming sound is produced as the flatbar contacts each other.An assortment of different tones are created.True beauty

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Have seen it before! It is a very cool piece. Check out this tree, www.pinterest.com/pin/370069294350037739

[@gwheyduke]

Those bearings are pretty expensive when purchased new. Very nice work

[@KevincaronSculpture]

I do get a xmas card from the bearing store I use!

[@barronredneck]

thank you

[@CODENAME]

nice vid, do u use a lathe turned shaft or a stock piece of cold rolled bar for the bearing shaft. i want to mount a welding project to a bearing and i was just curious.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Just cold roll bar stock.

[@CODENAME]

Kevin Caron, Artist ...thanks

[@lesliedycke9795]

I really the sculpture in the background as well.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

That is "Charged Particle". You can see it here.. www.kevincaron.com/art_detail/charged_particle.html

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Two set screws 90 degrees apart on the bearing inner collar.

[@Irishlassie1953]

Hi Kevin, Thank you for the informative video. I do have a question: what does the 3/4 post sit on after it passes through the two flange bearings? Thank you, Jeane

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Great question! It's doesn't sit on anything. There are two set screws in each bearing that hold the shaft in place. I didn't want anything to drag and slow down the rotation of the sculpture.

[@earlcousins6635]

Question on the sculpture (balls and rods) facing you. Did you "notch" the rods before welding them to the balls? Love the videos, your wit and relaxed approach.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

+Earl Cousins No notches.. just cut square and true on a lathe...

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Stand it up with the bottom ball in the cup that is attached to the shaft. When it stays up right get a tack on it quick!!

[@bingoccolon]

Me and my dad have found this old washing machine part, and a stand that goes with it. It in itself can spin, but we're wondering what positioning we should attach these long, concave half-tubes we have so it can catch the wind? Thanks!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Can you hold it closer to the internet? Can't get a good look at it. Try up and out at about a 45 degree angle.

[@tomthompson7400]

that sculpture in the back ground ,, balls and rods is great , any video on it

[@KevincaronSculpture]

You can see the finished piece here,, www.kevincaron.com/art_detail/charged_particle.html

[@inhibited44]

interesting. I am trying to make a kinetic sculpture with 9 things rotating in the wind. Currently bought 40 bearings for $40 or so off amazon. They are tiny and for 3/8" pipe. Have to assemble it to see if it rotates ok. notice you have to have the center of mass dead center over your bearing or in my case on the pin it rotates on.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Way more complicated than mine!! Good luck and send me a photo when done please.

[@ukulelefatman]

Kevin, Have a look at Amazon for your bearings. Lots to choose from and a fraction of the price you're paying. Great work you're doing, I'm just getting in to welding and you have some great ideas for inspiration. Thanks for posting.

[@Dan-friend.of.the.forest]

Have you even been to the Amazon? That place is frightfully treacherous. Anything from piranhas to tribes of really strong women present untold dangers. If a person can't find their bearings in the Amazon, they could wind up going around in circles, lost to the wind.

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

That's a chuckle worthy comment

[@u1es]

The two bearings will work better the further they're apart. A nice thick spacer on both of them would do the trick 😉

[@KevincaronSculpture]

All depends on how much room you have to work in.

[@williambland3201]

How do you arrive at your ballance point?

[@liamlrb]

what keeps the the shaft locked into the bearing to keep it from sliding through? thanks for sharing Kevin

[@Lloyd.B.]

Set screws in the bearings

[@helturflippad]

Curious, I noticed the interesting artwork on your desk, pipes with ball endings fit together (pardon my poor english) what is your source of metal balls if I may inquire? (Having lot of difficulty here getting roung balls or hollow half balls to put together)

[@KevincaronSculpture]

+helturflippad Try King Architectural Metal for the spun metal balls. Not sure where you are in the world so shipping may be rough...

[@helturflippad]

+Kevin Caron, Artist Thanks mate, appreciate your reply. And yes I am on another side of the globe mate, northern parts of Sweden. And double yes on that, shipping will be hilarious :)

[@JoshuaG85]

Very cool. I just emailed you, yesterday, asking if i could use something from a video, to spin something I was going to make. Then I found this today. The only thing I guess I would have to do, is make something that would allow each bearing, to sit at a specific point on a pole. Thus allowing me to stack four things on there and spin them all. I watch your videos a lot. Hell, your my HBO. LOL

[@KevincaronSculpture]

I am honored! Thank you for watching.

[@RicochetRichard]

It this video you have the sculpture CHARGED PARTICAL siting on the weld table. When you were welding it up did you completely weld it up in subassemblies or tack it all up and then try to do all of the welding after it was completely tacked together.

[@garyscott2417]

Hey Kevin! Since Your inspiring other sculpture artist by your work and you asked for photos, maybe a segment on other artists work via their photos sent in would cool to see what you have inspired?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Good idea Scott. Will pass it on to the boss.

[@lauragrandestaff]

Great video. I was wondering after your 3/4" rod from the sculpture goes through the bearings, does it sit on the ground.... or you cut it so it only goes through the second bearing to keep friction at a minimum? Thanks.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

I cut it just after to comes out of the second bearing. Least amount of drag that way.

[@momentoffaith2735]

How does it sit on top of the disc? Do you have a washer ?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Sits through the disk. Both of the bearings are below the disk.

[@momentoffaith2735]

Kevin Caron, Artist I understand that. But something had to keep the rod from going all the way through. In other words what do you have on top that is spinning against the disc on top

[@KevincaronSculpture]

When you tighten the 2 set screws on the two bearings that is when holds the rod in place. If I had been thinking I would have gotten a shaft a little over size and turned the shaft down to fit the bearings. That would have given me a step on the shaft to hold it in place.

[@sharylmoser57]

Kevin where do I find those bearings,thanks Sharyl

[@KevincaronSculpture]

VXbearing.com

[@Recycledsalvage13]

nice

[@dakotamax2]

What does the base end of the rotating shaft bear against, and how is the contact friction managed?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Sometimes I cut a step in the shaft and use a smaller thrust bearing to hold the end of the shaft. Other times I will use a flange bearing and just tighten the set screws on the bearing to hold the shaft in place. All depends on the weight of the sculpture.

[@ahmedouf3632]

/what kind of paint did u use? in this sculpture kevin

[@KevincaronSculpture]

If you mean the ball and post piece that is on the bench, it is powder coated blue. You can see it finished over here. www.kevincaron.com/art_detail/charged_particle.html

[@2bdefacto]

I have an outdoor artwork of two crows. They are balanced so that they spin in the wind. I take care of them so they're not all rusted. For some reason they've stopped spinning. The perch is metal with a curve and the birds are spaced out to create a good balance. Nothing changed. What happened?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Have to take a look at the pivot. Is it a bearing or just a post in a pipe? Try a shot of WD-40 in the pivot and see if it spins free. If so then you just need to oil it.

[@pitbull448]

Yes!!!! Sculpture in background????? Do a video on that... how many balls, spheres are needed? How many sides does it have? And anything threw the middle?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

You can get a better look at it here....www.kevincaron.com/art_detail/charged_particle.html It is a truncated octahedron. Tack it all together and then do all the welding. Took about 3 months total.

[@pitbull448]

Kevin Caron, Artist thanks for link.... I kinda disagree on powder coat. Polished stainless. Pickling paste and leave in natural state is what I will attempt. Thanks Kevin. And do more budget friendly tig welder reviews

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Thanks for watching!

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Just bolts. That way they can be adjusted to make sure the sculpture is standing straight.

[@Imwright720]

I’d still like to see a video with you building a piece.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

It just takes so long on most of my work! I do have a 16 part series on one piece i did. You can start with this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaTIYqWXobyfiKM

[@loydanonamous1217]

Its not actually slop in the bearing its the bearings are made to be self alining. So they have to be used in pairs to stop the self alining to act.No sideways flop.

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

Do you do much art with gears?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

+Love2boat92 Haven't had many to play with,.. Not doing much found material work any more...

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

Kevin Caron, Artist Oh OK. Thanks.

[@jacksonlee5189]

Great video. I want to get into metal art something fierce. I've got an Everlast welder now and will be buying a bender soon. Your videos are so motivational.

[@carmelpule6954]

Good man who appreciated engineering in art. In fact I always say that all the foundations of art is engineering structure and the art part is the emotions that observers in front of the unit generate themselves with their own imagination. All art which is enclosed in a dark room retains only its engineering structure and art only forms when there is a human observer in front of it. Art is not in the item but in the observer who generates the art himself, In fact I call art emotional drug and all artists are in fact drug trafficers using engineering based substance!!! As far as those bearing are concerned at 3:24, the action of those bearings do not cancel each other out, but they are meant to find the right centre if there is a misalignment and they gimbal in a spherical support. If one uses two at a distance from each other, they line up the rod in them and as there is no slack in the ball bearings and inner and outer races then the shaft retains its alignment but it is not " cancels the other". Congratulations on your appreciation of engineering parts that other throw away.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Have never heard it explained that way but I totally agree! Thank you for watching and posting!

[@KirkHunterStudios]

Let me say that I know NOTHING of metalwork or the line. Back in '91 I designed a plastic kinetic sculpture. 2 years ago, I wanted to make a metal one, so I found a local guy to cut the metal based on my design. The hard part was choosing bearings. I finally got it together, but the bearings keep wearing out. Links to videos below. Do you have any idea how to get the axial load better? Look up: Kinetic Wind Sculpture Mobile "Biomass" here for videos of it.

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

I'll look for it, but it would be good for you to link it, I'm trying to learn about kinetic sculpture creation myself

[@Osnosis]

I think the wobble is called Yaw.

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Which is not to be confused with Yaw'all....

[@mattbritt99]

they move back and forth because they are self aligning flange bearings

[@rickrick1545]

says Borg Warner in the backI use to work at the Muncie plant.

[@art-farm-cieloni]

★★★★★

[@bgrothues9800]

can you make a video on how to make the silver thing with all the balls on it

[@baitedlol6972]

10/10 Acting

[@KevincaronSculpture]

I would need more info than watching the very nice video. You can email me at my first name at my full name dot com. What kind of bearings are you using now? Have you tried bushings instead? How much weight are you working with? What are the shaft and box tube sizes? Send me an email please and maybe your phone number. Probably be easier to talk this one out....

[@leewatkins1610]

35 bucks each?youve got to be kidding!!!!!Surplus center in Lincoln Nebraska has this for 6.99Theyve got them up to 2 inches and surplus even bigger.I have built ^ bladed gang rip saws using 7 or 8 of these with inch and a quarter for less than 8 bucks.

[@TaeKenDo]

Instead of a 2nd bearing, why not save $$$ and just use a bushing to help with the alignment and reduce wobble..?

[@TaeKenDo]

Bronze bushings are used in many machine set-ups for the same purpose. They don't rust and are fairly durable. I was a machinist 30 years ago and the thought came to mind. I was wondering also about access to the bearing to add grease. Would the whole sculpture have to be put down on it's side ot would it be possible to gain access through a small door on the base. The door could also be used for a name plate of the sculpture (if you use one) which would make the door discrete. Anyway, thank for sharing the intricasies of your work! Keep on keepin' on, wish you the best!

[@SWC44]

Like Flying,, Be 1 Or 2 Degrees Offf, and OPPPSSSSSSSSS, Misss the Airport, your Going To,,IF YOUR NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!,, But same Thing,, TY,Jack

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Sorry, but that's a secret!!

[@sbscottw]

At some point does he actually get to the goddamn point?

[@KevincaronSculpture]

Yes, I do get to the point.

[@VisorBlue]

Very cool!