Material for Home Made Pulleys

[keithy1959]

Hi, I need to make a couple of pulleys for a prototype Im playing with. I'm guessing MDF will be better than plywood, as a more consistent materials, but would appreciate any advice or experience.

Thanks in advance
Richard

 

[TheTiddles]

Lignum vitae was the traditional choice, then metals were invented. What’s it for?

 

[keithy1959]

It's for a little table saw / powered jig to run a 6mm toothed blade for comb joints and rebates for the back of cabinets. I don't want to spend money on pulleys if it turns out to be a dumb idea !!

 

[Rorschach]

Plywood.

 

[Yojevol]

+1 for plywood. MDF has a soft centre and if you're running a V-belt it might cause it to split. Also the torque has got to be transmitted from the motor shaft to the pulley which may be difficult even with plywood unless you've got a flange plate.
Brian

 

[Jacob]

Lignum vitae was the traditional choice, then metals were invented. What’s it for?

Or boxwood, or any hardwood at a pinch. MDF probably worst choice as it's soft

 

[Orraloon]

If you are referring to shaft pullies to run a belt drive then a hardwood would be better than MDF but I would be going metal if I wanted it to last.
Regards
John

 

[clogs]

Def plywood, better qual if poss.........this pulley was made from shuttering ply....
I needed a bigger pulley as a trial to alter the gearing on my two poster car lift.....
main reason was the small pulley had too little belt touching plus it was to fast to lift near top weight, 2.5tons.....
so made a temp pulley just to check out the ratio.....then was to make a new one in some modern plastic....
well so far it never got done.....BUT the pulley is still working fine....after at least 8 years....
just used loads'a glue and and a heavy balance weight....

 

[Jameshow]

I'd use a piece of uhdp plastic off ebay.

Cheers James

 

[keithy1959]

Thanks, Plywood it is then !! I'm not sure if this will be worth the candle,so I don't want to spend any money on it yet. - Of course if it does work, there's no guarantee I'll replace them with metal either !! 8 years on a temporary shuttering ply pulley works for me !!
Thanks again guys
Richard

 

[AES]

Defo ply (but GOOD, birch, no voids) ply for me too. And if you have some quick-dry epoxy, or liquid casting resin, after you've cut the groove (or the belt/rope(w.h.y?) just run some of that over the groove - if it's not casting resin (i.e. liquid) just play the heat gun or hair drier over the epoxy as it sets. You'll be well pleased with how tough it turns out, and quick, cheap, & simple to make too.

 

[Vann]

Interesting discussion. I'm looking at making a pair of flatbelt pulleys for a 1925 Wadkin. Roughly 6" dia. and 2 1/4" wide with a flange on one side. I was considering MDF, but now I'll look at ply or solid timber.

If it's successful I MAY get around to making patterns to have them cast in iron.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Inspector]

Vann since you would have to have them machined after casting you might find it more cost effective to have them machined from plate of either steel or aluminum. Now if you had your heart set on being able to boast about having your own cast pulleys made that different.

Pete

 

[ian_in_the_midlands]

Can't you have a look down the breakers yard? Anyone scrapping a washing machine or something similar - maybe something in one of those?

 

[clogs]

Keithy 1959....
my plywood pulley was just glued together with w/proof PVA...left for a couple of days to cure properly....
after machining the grooves gave a quick rub with 60 grade paper the brushed on/in water proof PVA again in the grooves...not for better wear but to stiffen the wood fibres....then once dry another quick rub with 80 grade paper to polish off all the rough raised grain.....
I can assure u after all these years it does not eat drive belts.....u'll see extra idler's holding the belt to the drive pulley for a longer arc...
I have now found a supplier of Kevlar belts with notches on the inner face.....expect they will last forever.....

Van
prob easyer to get em cast in bronze.....and even thats getting difficult....

small foundries are few and far between now.....

have a Dutch artist friend who's always getting bronze cast....he finds it easyier and more cost effective to get his parts made in INDIA...

 

[Stevekane]

I dont like the idea of plywood pulleys because the belts will be running on a real mix of fibres/grain, as they get bigger I suspect it matter less but if they were small, say less than 100mm i would rather use a bit of hardwood which I think would in use polish itself up to a good durable finish,,, but this is only my feeling, no experience Im afraid,,,

 

[Terrytpot]

Mathias Wandell has built many bandsaws driven by belts running on home made plywood pulleys…seems to be quite effective.