Pulleys making and setup, treadmill motor and pulley. Sheaves is more correct.

swatson144

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I have a treadmill motor and muddled through the threads to make it work and it truly does work. Strangely enough I have no machine that really needs a variable speed 2.5 HP DC motor at this moment but I like to be prepared and it's just more stuff in case I need it, and I learned a little. Not knowing if it's going on the 9x20, drill press, band saw, or what? I decided to get a blank on the flywheel to make a suitable pulley from later.
apressed.JPG
So with the grooves turned off the flywheel and a chunk of steel bored for a .002" interference fit. The chunk was heated and quickly pressed flush with the flywheel's used to be pulley. It's probably all that is needed but...
bdutchkey.JPG
So holes where drilled and tapped at 120° intervals.
cscrewed.JPG
Set screws were put in place .
dblank.JPG
Now there is a ready to be grooved pulley for whatever purpose is needed. I figure any bigger pulley I won't need the fly wheel but I had fun making it all go together. Astute , attentive, observative , forum members may note the lack of "dutch keys" in the previous picture which was taken whilst I test fitted the pressed ass'y.

Steve

apressed.JPG bdutchkey.JPG cscrewed.JPG dblank.JPG
 
After Getting the blank together it occurred to me that in all my years I have never made a sheave / pulley. cheaper and easier to buy them when it's OPM. So needing to speed up the ole belt sander (Hf 4x36) I decided to make a pulley that is a bit larger for the motor as a test.

Not having the vaguest clue where to start, the Machinery's Handbook was consulted. It became obvious that most every dimension changes with the size of the pulley. So I pulled mine out and proceeded to see how many unique ways I could screw it up. 1st chance was grinding a tool and I made it too wide which led to chatter.

Well here is how it went. (1st time for me so I was learning)
ebegin.JPG
Groove near to depth in steps to give some breathing room.
froughing.JPG
rough in either side. I went this way because there is more material to the left.
greliefing.JPG
After getting the proper dimensions relieving is required in this use as the setscrew is located in the shoulder to the left, plus I like long setscrews. For scale that is a 1/2" tool in the picture. Not very pretty nor smooth but since it is for me it is indeed "good enuf fer who it's fer"

Steve

ebegin.JPG froughing.JPG greliefing.JPG
 
that will work out pretty good
you may want to add set screw if your going to use it on something you may want to reverse.
steve
 
nicely done. might have to make some of those at some point.
 
You might find it easier to compound the flanks of the pulley rather than slab or form them. Less tool contact will not chatter as easily. I cut the groove down the middle to its finished width and diameter, then cut each side, moving the compound from one to the other. I calculate how wide the groove will be with each side cut, one at a time. As in, a straight groove at X width, then a groove with one flank cut is X wide at the top, then the overall width when cutting the other flank. Works every time.
 
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