Vee pullies

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

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 ?

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

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

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

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 HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

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

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

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).

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

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 shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

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 FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

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 ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

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

Martin C

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

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 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

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 DawesParticipant @billdawes]

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 HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

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

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

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 TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

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 martParticipant @oldmart]

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

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

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 martParticipant @oldmart]

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 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

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 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Machine Mart sell a selection…..

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

If it needs a keyway, it can be done with a hacksaw ! Noel.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi have you thought of just turning your own. I needed a new double pully for the motor on my M Type so just looked up dimensions on the web, made a V shaped form tool and turned it with correct bore for motor and correct pully sizes.

David

The small double one on motor.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I made one from a piece cut out from an old lorry engine piston, it is a three step one, the largest being 44mm diameter and the smallest being 30mm and the overall length is 34mm. The vee's in my case though. didn't have to be absolutely critical, as they drive a round belt on an old Bonds Maximus Drill. It's held onto a 10mm motor shaft, with a small grub screw in the large and middle Vee, and has never come loose. Like Dave, I used a form tool to cut the Vees.

Regards Nick.

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Good morning Nigel,

For this job, the dia would be 60mm, give or take, A section belt, bore 5/8" but not a problem since I can bore out to suit. I never found any problem with grub screws, so that would be fine.

I was just totally surprised at how little was on offer and at the price of those that were, so much so that I am thinking about taking the same road as Andrew and making my own as required.

One time, you just went in and bought whatever size you needed, over the counter. Not anymore, times change.

Should be an interesting project.

Very little showed up from Machine Mart, to my surprise.

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