Best ball bearing swivel for . . . public art?

[blandhoke]

Hello tackle experts,

I am working on a public art commission in Norfolk VA, and have been researching stainless steel ball bearing swivels and spinner blades to make small shiny spinning objects that resemble twinkling stars from a distance. I am looking for a ball bearing swivel that will last outdoors for 4-7 years. It will never be submerged in salt water, but will see all manner of weather during the project's lifespan on top of a building.

I used Worth #2 ball bearing swivels initially, but noticed a reduction in spinning effectiveness after a couple days. Does anyone have an opinion to share on Worth vs. Sampo vs. SPRO ball bearing swivels? I will need 2,500 swivels in total, so the price/quality is a concern. Worth seems reasonable at about $.50 / #2 swivel.

Thanks in advance for your advice and insights!

Additional info for reference:
I am making small assemblies of two spinner blades (colorado, indiana, and french blades) that resemble propellers. I am using Worth spinner blades with various coatings and textures to create different sparkles of light. Two blades are placed opposite each other with a hooked snap in between. The assembly is bolted together with a 4-40 stainless steel screw and nut. A swivel is attached to the hooked snap and another hooked snap is attached to the stationary end of the swivel. This snap clips onto a cable with stoppers on either side to prevent the assembly from sliding.

[smalljaw]

I use Worth ball bearing swivels for all the spinnerbaits I make, I have used the Sampos and to me there is no difference in performance. Worth gives me a discount by buying 1000 or more, Sampo doesn't but even if Sampo swivels were the same price I'd still use the Worth simply because the performance and durability has been great. I have baits that are more than 3 years old and the blades spin great, no drop off in performance but they don't get used on a 24 hours cycle either. My guess is it the Worth showed problems after a few days, so would most others, especially the cheaper imports, believe me, I tried 23 different ball bearing swivels when looking for a good spinnerbait ball bearing swivel and none of them faired very well except Worth and Sampo. I'm not sure if Sampo makes a larger swivel but I'm thinking that due to the extreme nature the swivels are going to be put under, maybe you can get a size 3 or 4, the size 2 Worth makes may not be strong enough to endure such rigors for an extended period of time.

[blandhoke]

Hi Smalljaw

Thanks for your reply. I will look into the size 3 and 4. I was thinking a larger size might offer lower spinning resistance due to the ball bearings being slightly larger and rolling better on the raceway. Your test of 23 ball bearing swivels is the type of experience and rigor I was hoping to find here. Thanks a bunch!