Make my own hitch pin clip

[LCHIEN]

Wanted a simple clip to hold the 1/4" PVC pipe roller that held the roll of paper.

Thought of a hitch pin clip mechanical guys use kind of like a spring cotter pin, only more temporary. They are kind of stiff and meant for smaller rods. Thought I would bend one on my wire bending jig. Bigger and not so stiff. Spent 45 minutes and the result was very marginal!

not one of my better ideas. The small one is from the store, 71 cents. But too small and stiff.
mine is coathanger wire, stiff enough to be a challenge to bend but not stiff enough for the job. loose, ill fitting, rattles.
Well, I tried.

I'm sure they have a machine that stamps these out by the hundreds per minute.

[LCHIEN]

2nd try.

Fit and spring tension just what I wanted. Not rattling. I needed a 1" diameter cylinder to bend the curve that I could place in a block of wood for leverage... turns out those darn deep 12 point metric sockets are good for something... a 19mm socket OD is 0.995".

[LCHIEN]

3rd try only took less than five minutes, after I made a bending jig of the right diameter, and learned to bend the little sawtooth bend first.

[dbhost]

What is the point of the clip through the pipe? Wouldn't a bolt and wing nut have done the same job?

[LCHIEN]

What is the point of the clip through the pipe? Wouldn't a bolt and wing nut have done the same job?

Quick and easy retainer. The clip is manual and toolless and retains the PVC pipe that holds the roll of paper. Not much stress or force, I wanted it easy for my daughter to operate and also be fairly low profile. Threaded nut can work loose. This has a natural retention detent.

And it was a personal challenge. I pictured it and wanted to make one work.

[LCHIEN]

Here in use.