Bakelite pulley disaster...ideas wanted.

Dranreb

Dranreb

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Hi folks, this is what I call my Pet Compressor, it is a dentists compressor that would have powered a drill, maybe for a dentist doing home visits.

I found it on a junk pile and cleaned it up, I love it, it stands just 12" tall, it's so cute and works a treat!

I am hoping to use it to power a 'Steam Punk' style kaleidoscope somehow...

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My problem now is that I managed to knock it onto the floor :cussing:broke the air intake cleaners off the top, bent the greaser, and worse of all broke the Bakelite pulley!!!!

I have managed to do a passable job of repairing the air cleaners and greaser, but I need some ideas as to how to repair the pulley. I would like to hopefully retain the Bakelite outer rim which amazingly survived, and I have cleaned it up in my lathe, and also use the brass center as well.

It needs to be light, I think maybe the use of Bakelite was to allow easy speedup, less inertia, and the center would not have to expand too much when warm to avoid cracking the rim.

This is what I have to work with.

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Any ideas, however bizarre or unlikely would be gratefully received, I know there isn't a box big enough for you guys to think inside of :)

Bernard

PS not sure I have put this in the right place, mods feel free to move it iff necessary.

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I'd order a piece of g10 of the correct thickness. Turn a slight register in the pulley and turn the g10 to fit. Epoxy and dutch key it together.

Or simply make another pulley from AL. since G10 or carbon fiber is rough on tooling

Steve
 
I don't have a better suggestion than Steve for the sheave rebuild.
If you want to retain the original look of the sheave, perhaps a light coat of spray paint or a controlled corrosion step might be in order.
Here is a thought on origin of the compressor.
The electrical connector sure looks to be military grade.
When I was in the AF, we referred to them all as "Canon Plugs" whether or not they were made by Canon.
Perhaps this was for use in a military field dental kit?
The motor, with quick change brush adjusters, looks to be a "universal" wound motor - can run on AC or DC
Does the motor spec an operating voltage?
Terry S.
 
swatson144 said:
I'd order a piece of g10 of the correct thickness. Turn a slight register in the pulley and turn the g10 to fit. Epoxy and dutch key it together.

Or simply make another pulley from AL. since G10 or carbon fiber is rough on tooling

Steve
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of g10 Steve, but if there are issues working with it maybe some easier to machine plastic, if there is one, might be less of a challenge for me.

The rim was difficult to hold in the four jaw because of flexing, very light cuts where called for, so think I will have to attach the center first and then machine the faces and center bore.

Bernard
 
G'day Bernard,

can you put a ruler next to the pulley for scale? You can still get bakelite and as a replacement tufnol could be used. I would exercise caution machining this stuff though. The dust is really nasty.

Paul.
 
twstoerzinger said:
I don't have a better suggestion than Steve for the sheave rebuild.
If you want to retain the original look of the sheave, perhaps a light coat of spray paint or a controlled corrosion step might be in order.
Here is a thought on origin of the compressor.
The electrical connector sure looks to be military grade.
When I was in the AF, we referred to them all as "Canon Plugs" whether or not they were made by Canon.
Perhaps this was for use in a military field dental kit?
The motor, with quick change brush adjusters, looks to be a "universal" wound motor - can run on AC or DC
Does the motor spec an operating voltage?
Terry S.
Click to expand...

Hi Terry, thanks for your thoughts, the compressor came from a deceased dentists property, the plug is a standard UK bayonet bulb fitting, fitted into a now illegal/obsolete adapter that fitted into a pendant ceiling socket, a lamp bulb could be fitted in the bottom at the same time, hope that makes sense!

I shortened the flex because it was damaged.

Pre-war houses in UK often only had a lighting circuit installed, so these adapters where quite common, one of these compressors appeared on Ebay a while back, (in a sad state and £400.00!) it hung from a coat hanger like device by two coil springs attached to the tabs each side of the air receiver, which could hang on the back of a chair. Hence me thinking it might be a traveling type thing.

It runs on 230-240V UK standard, nothing to indicate DC on it, but you may well be correct.

Bernard
 
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samthedog said:
G'day Bernard,

can you put a ruler next to the pulley for scale? You can still get bakelite and as a replacement tufnol could be used. I would exercise caution machining this stuff though. The dust is really nasty.

Paul.
Click to expand...

Hi Paul, the pulley is 4 1/4" diameter.

Will look into getting bakelite, didn't know it was still available.

Great idea the Tufnol, just remembered I've got a piece of stuff that might be just right, it is a coppery colour with a linen looking surface is that Tufnel?

Dug it out and its big enough get two centers out of, and two smaller bits fro the boss in the middle, I could screw it all together and turn it to shape.

What's wrong with the dust?

Bernard
 
Just spotted my stack of Atlas ZAMAK gears, none fitted so they're safe, but the look would be right although they really too heavy...
 
Find a piece of Delrin. I know most Delrin is white, but you may find black also. As others said Aluminum the have it anodised "black".
 
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