Rotary motion to reversible linear motion

[Brian Rupnow]

I spent a goodly portion of the day modelling all of the components into position and developing wooden bracketry (pale green), pulleys (yellow), and drive belts (black). I also received my package of 50 rubber o-rings from McMaster Carr. Right now I'm rooting thru all my metal supplies to see if I have enough material to make all the pulleys from.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

YES!!!---I've got enough material to build all of my pulleys for this project. This afternoon I installed one of my new 1/4" cross section rubber o-rings on my driven shaft, and the results are less than stellar. This is probably because I am using solid bronze or brass pillow blocks on the driven shaft, and I may have to make new pillow block bearings that actually hold ball bearings to avoid the friction I am getting. Fortunately I have a couple of 5/16" ball bearings that I have recovered from an old project.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Today I made up the first of my many pulleys, this one fitting on the engine. I make the grooves the same width as the o-ring that I am using for drive belts. I made up a 1/16"wide knurling wheel a few years ago, and I use it to knurl the bottom of the o-ring slot so that the pulleys don't slip when driving the o-ring. I would have liked to use timing belt style pulleys and belts for this job, but they cost way too much. The last time I bought a timing belt and two small (about 2" dia.) pulleys, it cost me more than $150 dollars.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Just call me the "Pulley King" of Carson Road. All my pulleys are finished except for the output from the clutch. One on the engine, two on the gear reducer and the input pulley for the clutch. I've used up every scrap of aluminum round stock that I had. I actually found a scrap of aluminum plate to make the last pulley from, but I'm too tuckered to do anymore today. I'm amazed that I've made up all of these pulleys from short pieces of stock I found laying around my shop.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Yeah!!! All of the pulleys are finished.--And best thing of all, I didn't have to buy any material. There isn't a scrap of round aluminum left anywhere in my shop, but the pulleys are finished. The engine, clutch, and gear reducer are "posed" for the picture---Those are not the right o-rings shown, but they are in the correct relationship to everything.