How can I affix a ball bearing to a metal shaft without welding? I am making a ball joint for a figure and have decided on ball bearings since they're easy to source in the correct size.

I need to attach the ball to a shaft of some sort, like a small steel rod. 

The bearing will be small, approximately 1/4 inch in diameter. The shaft will be 1/8 inch or smaller.

The ball needs to be completely static and strong enough to support some weight, a pound maximum.

I have steel reinforced epoxy putty, but it's hard to work with and I can't imagine in sticking to the smooth surface of the ball. 

I do not have tools to drill a hole in the bearing, and have not found pre-drilled balls of the right diameter for purchase. 

What can I do? I'm looking to do this withing welding, soldering, brazing, or anything that requires high heat to accomplish.
As much as I like the brazing answer, it's unfortunate that it won't work for your purposes.

A search using the terms "drilled steel ball" resulted in many returns for of threaded and non-threaded balls of various materials. Most of the returns are for larger than 1/4" as you've requested.

If you can adjust your design, there is a source of 8 mm drilled (unthreaded) balls on Etsy. It should be possible to use an epoxy to secure this type of ball to a rod.



Etsy also has a listing for a drilled threaded version.