So, I am planing to build a grinder. Using a treadmill motor (I know but that's what I have at the moment). Needless to say that this is going to be one of those "budget" builds. I am planing to make the drive wheel from iron. My question is could the other wheels be made out of iron, will the weight of the wheels reduce already smaller than i would want, power of the motor?
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Starting a grinder build
- Thread starter sparrow75
- Start date
synthesist
So many knives so little time
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2004
- Messages
- 933
Nothing wrong with treadmill motors, especially if you have a working controller for it, and good air flow around it.
Iron huh? Are these wheels cast iron? I think that would be okay for the drive and idler wheels but not the contact wheel unless you're planning a platen using them. I'd like to see pics of the wheels you're thinking of using. People get by using a lot of makeshift wheels. If you have decent bearings and balance them I don't see why not.
Just my 2 cents..............
Syn
Iron huh? Are these wheels cast iron? I think that would be okay for the drive and idler wheels but not the contact wheel unless you're planning a platen using them. I'd like to see pics of the wheels you're thinking of using. People get by using a lot of makeshift wheels. If you have decent bearings and balance them I don't see why not.
Just my 2 cents..............
Syn
), but idler and tracking. Thanks for the answerHello, I am thinking of changing my initial design, and that requires trying to modify my motor to face mounting. That would put my driving wheel more further away on the drive shaft because of front mounting plate. What do you think, would 20mm ( around 0,79 inches ) of driving wheel on the motor shaft ( + safety screw on the front of the shaft ) be enough to safely run the grinder?
Should I try to find some way to enable more "grip" on the shaft. I was thinking of something along these lines:
Round piece of iron ( red ) same OD as the motor shaft with the hole for the screw ( green ), would something like this be of any help?
Or this, cylinder with same ID as the shaft, and pres fitted then welded on the drive wheel, with cylinder hole running the whole length of the shaft key. I know that it would be best to make that all in one piece, but that is not an option.
I have more questions
If i face mount the motor, that would close the front holes on the motor case, which is good for protection from dust, but would it interfere the working of the motor by stopping the air flow. I also plan to put some kind of a filter ( from kitchen aspirator? ) on the rear of the motor, again because of the dust. Will something like this "suffocate" the motor too much causing it to over heat? Should I "push" more air in the motor with another fan or something?
Should I try to find some way to enable more "grip" on the shaft. I was thinking of something along these lines:
Round piece of iron ( red ) same OD as the motor shaft with the hole for the screw ( green ), would something like this be of any help?
Or this, cylinder with same ID as the shaft, and pres fitted then welded on the drive wheel, with cylinder hole running the whole length of the shaft key. I know that it would be best to make that all in one piece, but that is not an option.
I have more questions
If i face mount the motor, that would close the front holes on the motor case, which is good for protection from dust, but would it interfere the working of the motor by stopping the air flow. I also plan to put some kind of a filter ( from kitchen aspirator? ) on the rear of the motor, again because of the dust. Will something like this "suffocate" the motor too much causing it to over heat? Should I "push" more air in the motor with another fan or something?
Maybe i should rephrase the question, do I need more contact area between the shaft and the drive wheel than on the first picture? The logic saying i should be fine, but it seems a little shallow to me. Not that if the drive wheel will fall off or something, but is that enough depth for the wheel to stay and run true with constant pressure from the belt? How deep the motor shaft goes into the driving wheel on some of the commercial direct drive grinders?
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2011
- Messages
- 1,429
I imagine your tension spring is 20-40#. It's not much and if you get the face of the shaft and part square I'd expect it to hold up well.
The main concern for me would be if the wheel runs balanced and level. Try the first idea to start.
Good luck and share pictures of your design.
The main concern for me would be if the wheel runs balanced and level. Try the first idea to start.
Good luck and share pictures of your design.