Thread: Smallest drive wheel diameter?

Hi all,

Just wondering whether any of you have experimented with driving 2" belts from non-standard wheels (something you have made up) or right from a motor shaft. I would like to build something super cheap that doubles as my buffer (the motor I found is a double-sided 1/2" shaft ~1 hp 1750 rpm single phase job for $30). I added buffer arbors at the ends of the long shafts, and now I'm hoping to use the 3-4" of shaft length before the arbor to double as a grinder drive system. The motor doesn't have mounts, so I'm going to make something with angle iron and/or wood.

I am thinking of making something that mounts to the wall, where I can stand and buff, or sit and grind. Just an idea so far.

Don't overthink. The point of sanding is to make a sanding belt run past a piece of steel. If your contraption can do that, it'll work. All the rest is just engineering to make things better, faster, more reliable. But you can make a sander from really cheap things and it'll work.

I would say get a belt and play around with some mock ups, see what will work and try it. put something together then refine it a bit, play with it a bit, then refine a bit more. That is my work method. I do better with full size mock ups that I do planning on paper or on the computer.

Like Bruno said, do not over think it.

Charlie

edit: I was thinking about this and remembered a friend of mine has a home made grinder with 2" belts, the belt is driven directly off of a shaft. The shaft is about 3/4" in diameter.

Thanks, fellas. You guys are consistently awesome.

To add a little to your post. I did make my drive wheels out of aluminum from a scrap yard. I did get some used contact wheels at a auction that no one wanted because they were too different, meaning a large bore with no bearings at all. They also were for 3 inch belts so it all took a fair amount of adapting, barnyard engineering.
The only belt I had when mocking up the drive was a 2 x 96. I cut it down to 72 and taped it together for something to use for sizing and fitting.
You can do it. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box a little and maybe call in some favors too!!

Ray

Your idea has merit. We used these in industry for tensioning a belt. Some are made with 2" wide pulleys. They allowed use of any belt length.
Back-Stand-Idler-Belt-Sander-Grinder
Just keep watching for a deal or...make your own. The rig saves making a complete frame as it bolts to a heavy plank. And is freewheeling.

~Richard