- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 5,547
i have made and use some UHMW wheels for belt grinders. Tracking and idlers. They work fine. Easy to machine, relatively inexpensive material. Cheaper than aluminum.
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Need some advice on how to get this motor running
- Thread starter RUST3D
- Start date
is there a thread of one of your "wheel builds?" I d be interested in seeing that.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 5,547
No build thread. I just built them as needed, no fanfare. I did find a pic which shows one of my platen wheels from an angle...
If you know how to run a metal lathe though, it's a beginner project. Start with 2" round stock preferably, bandsaw off a 2.050" chunk or so, face it true to 2". Drill through, with a bit a little larger than what the axle will be. Bore a pocket for whatever bearing you'll use. You could use an endmill or an annular cutter to get close, then finish with a little boring bar until the bearing will press in tight and flush. Turn the stock around in the chuck, and bore a bearing pocket in the other side. Make a mandrel from a bolt which concentrically fits the axle through hole fairly precisely, and use large washers and a nut to snug the wheel onto the mandrel. Grip the mandrel end in the chuck, then freehand turn a light crown onto both side of the face of the wheel. I went probably .050" or so. That helps it track. Press bearings in, and you're done. If you like you could face a little spacer to size, to fit inside the wheel between the bearings to add rigidity to the assembly. Your through hole will have to be somewhat larger in this case. I have not found a spacer to be critical, however.
There are other strategies one could employ in this lathe project- that's just a simple and intuitive way, at least for me. It helps if your cutters are sharp, and ground a bit more acutely than they'd be for steel.
If you know how to run a metal lathe though, it's a beginner project. Start with 2" round stock preferably, bandsaw off a 2.050" chunk or so, face it true to 2". Drill through, with a bit a little larger than what the axle will be. Bore a pocket for whatever bearing you'll use. You could use an endmill or an annular cutter to get close, then finish with a little boring bar until the bearing will press in tight and flush. Turn the stock around in the chuck, and bore a bearing pocket in the other side. Make a mandrel from a bolt which concentrically fits the axle through hole fairly precisely, and use large washers and a nut to snug the wheel onto the mandrel. Grip the mandrel end in the chuck, then freehand turn a light crown onto both side of the face of the wheel. I went probably .050" or so. That helps it track. Press bearings in, and you're done. If you like you could face a little spacer to size, to fit inside the wheel between the bearings to add rigidity to the assembly. Your through hole will have to be somewhat larger in this case. I have not found a spacer to be critical, however.
There are other strategies one could employ in this lathe project- that's just a simple and intuitive way, at least for me. It helps if your cutters are sharp, and ground a bit more acutely than they'd be for steel.
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2011
- Messages
- 1,125
i agree. if you stall a belt grinder, you are either using the wrong tool for the job or misusing your tool. I am part of the "Speed Kills" faction, my grinder uses a VFD powered 1Hp 3ph Leeson 800 rpm motor with a 3" drive wheel. I do most of my grinding at 350 to 600 fpm.
scott