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Vee pullies

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larry phelan 117/04/2023 09:37:47
1346 forum posts
15 photos

Good morning all,

I need a few Vee pullies, the good old Ali type, which seem to have vanished around these parts. Nothing available except taperlock at mad money [more than the job is worth in this case ]

I was thinking about using Corian, offcuts of which I may be able to obtain from a local Kitchen fitter. Would this material be suitable and if so, how does it machine with HSS ?. This may be a No No situation, but worth a try, since even looking further afield, Ali pullies are not too easy to find, and the range on offer is not great.

Any advice ?

JasonB17/04/2023 09:49:21
avatar
25215 forum posts
3105 photos
1 articles

Corian is quite brittle you will soon get the thin edges breaking off. Machines better with Carbide tooling **GT insert

Have you looked at the bearing suppliers they tend to do pulleys too eg & eg

 

Edited By JasonB on 17/04/2023 09:56:51

DC31k17/04/2023 10:02:09
1186 forum posts
11 photos

As above, it is a brittle material. Thus, you might need to make the top lands of the pulley wider than a comparable metal one and round all edges.

Also, for kitchen use, it will generally only be in 12mm thickness. Bonding it together needs specialised adhesives which might make it cost prohibitive.

It is used a lot by woodworkers for pens, so you could pick up some machining techniques there.

The manufacturers (DuPont, for whom Corian is a trademark) and others who sell the same stuff under a different name (Himacs is one example) have fabrication guides available. They are geared to the material's 'proper' use but still useful nonetheless.

See:

https://mayflowerstone.co.uk/corian/corian-design-guide.pdf

https://www.nordstock.com/media/hi-macs-esitteet/himacs_fabrication_manual_2022_compressed.pdf

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=106623

Dave Halford17/04/2023 10:10:48
2536 forum posts
24 photos

So taper lock pullies are specials for timing belts, didn't know that.

John Haine17/04/2023 10:13:02
5563 forum posts
322 photos

Corian machines beautifully. Sharp HSS works well, carbide probably better but it isn't that abrasive. As Jason implies, you would need to leave wide lands on the edges at the top of the vees. I have glued it with both araldite and Gorilla Glue clear but if laminating for pulleys I'd suggest some bolts too to reinforce (yes it taps easily).

JohnF17/04/2023 10:27:09
avatar
1243 forum posts
202 photos

Larry, have a look at this site very informative IMO. I have recently been researching a belt required for a combination woodworking machine, all details on the original have pond disappeared and the instruction book unbelievably tells you how to change the belt but not the size !

https://www.beltingonline.com/vee-pulleys-c-273/

John

noel shelley17/04/2023 10:39:55
2308 forum posts
33 photos

Taper lock are NOT specials,nor timing pulleys (though can be ). I use them when needed, Normal A or B section though they are costly. Depending on use a slab of alli, cast iron, steel or bronze for damp/ marine use as corroded pullies will soon destroy the belts. Noel.

Nicholas Farr17/04/2023 10:59:34
avatar
3988 forum posts
1799 photos

Hi David Halford, Taper locks can be used on any pulley and many other shaft mounting things that have a corresponding taper in them, and are not limited to all things that turn. In industry most V pullies are made of cast iron and more often than not, use taper locks. Not all timing pullies use taper lock though, the ones I've seen on cars haven't used them.

Taper Locks

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 17/04/2023 11:02:10

Martin Connelly17/04/2023 11:51:57
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2549 forum posts
235 photos

RDG sell a range of aluminium V pulleys. Probably other suppliers as well.

Martin C

larry phelan 117/04/2023 12:10:03
1346 forum posts
15 photos

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Due ti the thickness likely to be available 12mm, I think it might be a non starter. I was hoping to find something around 30mm. Would not be too keen on sticking or bolting pieces together.

Yes I did look at the bearing suppliers and was surprised at the limited range on offer. Years back these things could be picked up everywhere, quite cheaply but they seem to be gone out of fashion

It was just an idea [I get them all the time, some good some not so good } but I will seek a few pieces of Corian just to see what it,s like, having never used any plastic material before.

Yes, I did consider a block of Ali and may go down that road, not the easiest stuff to find around here but it is available in Dublin or Cork from a few suppliers.

Again, my thanks to all, and BTW one pully is needed for that little planer I set about restoring some time ago and which is coming along well.

Nigel Graham 217/04/2023 12:46:45
3293 forum posts
112 photos

Given the constraint on thickness to prevent chipping, there is no reason you cannot use 12mm thick material.

Many commercial pulleys are made by fasting two pressed steel or aluminium plates together; and that approach simplifies turning from discs because each half is an identical disc with a long chamfer. You do not need a form-tool and you keep the top-slide at the same angle for both halves.

The only difficulty may be that of rotating the top-slide to the appropriate angle, on some lathes. In some cases it might be possible to rotate the slide so its hand-wheel is pointing somewhere "NNE" of the saddle but you need take great care as operating it means leaning over the lathe.

Don't rely on adhesives. Best way is to screw the pulley halves to each other right through to tapped holes in a flange on a central bush; that made from aluminium-alloy or mild-steel and having the locking arrangement for the shaft. For plastic materials, run the screws also through a reinforcing, thin steel disc facing on the outer pulley.

Bill Dawes17/04/2023 12:50:25
605 forum posts

Hi Larry, as a fan engineer of many many decades I can assure you taperlock pulleys are pretty much standard in industrial use. Easy to fit and simple to change the bush if you need a different bore for any reason.

A simple pulley with a solid hub is much cheaper but taperlock are relatively cheap in industrial terms but not for a model engineer of course, have you tried any of the companies that advertise used machinery?

Depending on size you want, is machining out of a piece of cast iron or aluminium out of the question.

Bill D.

John Haine17/04/2023 13:24:35
5563 forum posts
322 photos

Could also make from MDF, reinforce when turned with several coats of thinned PVA to soak in, or better West System epoxy.

AJAX17/04/2023 13:29:22
433 forum posts
42 photos

I have a collection of used vee pulleys, some of which may be suitable. What bore size, diameter and belt section type do you need?

 

Brian

Edited By AJAX on 17/04/2023 13:29:42

Andrew Tinsley17/04/2023 13:30:14
1817 forum posts
2 photos

Larry, I had the same problem a week or so ago I purchased a length of aluminium round section rod, sliced and turned the blanks on the lathe. The aluminium was a touch expensive, but the cost of each pulley was much less than the commercial pulleys.

I have used taperlock type pulleys on a 12 inch diameter rotary spark gap. I was not impressed with the reproducability of positioning the rotary part, each time it was removed. Probably just fine for pulleys and fans, but not if you require precise repositioning.

Andrew.

old mart17/04/2023 14:59:06
4655 forum posts
304 photos

Plenty of pulleys on ebay, and "the bearing boys" sell them.

larry phelan 117/04/2023 17:58:34
1346 forum posts
15 photos

Yes Bill, I know taperlock are common in industry, but they can afford them. A simple ali pully would serve my needs, and a lot cheaper. Taperlock is easy to get, not so with the simple Ali type.

Having checked out several suppliers, I was surprised at the limited range of sizes available [some suppliers did not bother to reply ].

Andrew, I did consider buying a piece of round Ali or a piece of flat section, and may still do so .As you point out, there is a big difference in cost.

Buying stuff from Ebay or Amazon has become a pain, with Tax here and duty there and " charges" added to the mix !

Back to the drawing board for the moment !

old mart17/04/2023 18:15:48
4655 forum posts
304 photos

I seem to remember that for an additional fee, the bores can finished to a custom size.

I just noticed Jason is way ahead of me.

 

**LINK**

Edited By old mart on 17/04/2023 18:17:37

Nigel Graham 217/04/2023 18:21:15
3293 forum posts
112 photos

Larry -

May I suggest you tell us the diameters, Vee-size (A, B, Z, or the belt width) and shaft diameter?

You might elicit offers of pulleys from others, saving have to make them!

The apparently-vanished pulleys were held by grub-screws so would that be fine for your application?

Robert Atkinson 217/04/2023 18:30:18
avatar
1891 forum posts
37 photos

Machine Mart sell a selection.....

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