working with rubber

I have a very expensive Makita belt sander which needs a new rubber covered aluminium drive roller, thats a £60 + part !

Any ideas on how i would re - rubber the old roller ?

could you turn the OD of rubber hose if it was hot shrunk fitted onto the roller ?

Could you cast it on cold or hot ?

You might research companies that recover printer rollers if they still exist in this laser printer world.

Richard,

Batchelor Polyurethane

http://www.polyurethanemanufacturers.co.uk/index.html

have helped me in the recent past with PU tube to my dimensions. Allow for a tight fit on your roller but you should check if you need to have the roller crowned and repeat that profile on the old roller hub if it is crowned.

Batchelors do offer a roller re covering service but I don;t know if you will beat £60 for a one off.

Bob D

My Googling research tells me a small belt sander would do the job with the roller in the lathe at slow speed.

Just a thought and I know it's a plastic not a rubber but have you considered black adhesive heat shrink sleeving. It's easy to apply and cheap to buy. If it doesn't work you have not lost much.

Something like this maybe:-

http://onecall.farnell.com/te-connectivity-raychem/dr-25-3-16-0-sp/heat-shrink-tubing-4-749mm-id-elastomer/dp/2316787

They do all sorts of diameters so pick the correct one for yourself.

regards Martin

Oh and I forgot. If you do recover with rubber you can bring to size with a toolpost grinder (cylindrical grinding) as per printing industry practice.

Martin

Hi Richard, Look into old inkjet printers. What size dia. & length are you after? Regards, Bear..

i think my best bet is to put some suitable hose in boiling water and force it on the roller with my hydraulic press, then grind it down to the correct size.

i could use another belt sander against the repaired one until the rubber is the right diameter.

Richard, find a rubber hose to fit the rollor with enough meat to allow you to take it down to size, Glue it with contact adhesive and then set up in the lathe with a coarse stone and then grind it off to size very slowly, this will give lots of black residue so you need a suction cleaner to collect before it gets everywhere.

This works because I have done it but on smaller lengths, allow trhe contact adhesive time to dry well.

Clive

Don't heat your hose, cool it. Rubber contracts if heated at normal temperatures.

Pull a rubber band then hold it, stretched, against you top lip. I feels cool. let it relax, and it feels warm.

As rubber heats up, the long chains whirl around in such a way that they bend more and hence contract. It's avery odd material.

Neil

End of story.

I coated the roller in evostik sticks like s**t, and left it while i went on holiday, then i sanded it down while running on the belt sander, checking the diameter with verniers, a lathe would have helped, in any case it's back to work now, and seems like a good repair job. Saved me £60.

Hi

A friend had som rubber he got from this company to cast some rubber parts for a car

I belive it is possible also to make som rubber rolls with this rubebr, or to coat a roller...grind to size after.. in a Lathe or similare

It is available in Soft, Medium and Hard Rubber

If the rubber is usable as replacement rubber pedal cover for cars it might be strong and durable

But a little costly for making small cheap parts as it cost £ 60.77 > 500gr

http://www.frost.co.uk/rubber-moulding-kits.html

Edited By Johnny Gleden on 02/11/2013 23:30:46

Edited By Johnny Gleden on 02/11/2013 23:31:33

Nelson rubber roller company in Huddersfield.

Bri

You might try Alec Tiranti, in Thatcham, they supply all sorts of moulding materials, including rubber mould making products.

Their main market is craft supplies but they have all sorts of useful non-engineering things

Their website is **LINK**

JerryNotts

Have you looked on E-Bay ? A second hand sander may give you loads of spares.

The stuff used by the chap on Stirling engine forum is "Regia ABS Latex" the container says its for making skid proof socks (as in knitted woollen, feet for the use of). Ian S C