Belt grinder plans?

[MattiJ]

A quality 2x10 inch wheel with balanced hub was less than $200 IIRC

One of the cheaper solutions for a contact wheel is to buy one as a spare part from Grizzly.

I hate to think what a 6x10 inch would cost

Grizzly contact wheel is not too bad price, ~140 eur/usd but they seem to have only 3" wide model. Here the "asian crap" importers ask 300eur for the contact wheel when you can have the whole 3kW grinder for less than 800.
Anything under 300 usd is probably a bargain for 6" contact wheel.


---
Grizzly manual and parts list might be worth a look, you can see the construction pretty well.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-HP-220V-3-Phase-Metalworking-Belt-Sander/G0489?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

[RichR]

A quality 2x10 inch wheel with balanced hub was less than $200 IIRC

One of the cheaper solutions for a contact wheel is to buy one as a spare part from Grizzly.

I hate to think what a 6x10 inch would cost

Maybe use a go kart tire, or possibly one of those solid smooth wheels used on a forklift?

[lakeside53]

It all depend on the durometer you want. My wheel is serrated and a lot softer then "hard", I think around 90. from here : http://www.contactrubber.com/detail.asp?c=379


Here's grizzly for $100 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G9242-Grizzly-10-Aluminum-Rubber-Wheel-For-Grizzly-G1015-/291477091255?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

[brian Rupnow]

I get the idea that you are looking for plans for a serious belt grinder like mine. I built this many years ago. It has a two horsepower motor on this one, and when I turn it on all the lights in Barrie go dim until it is up to speed. I don't have any plans now, but you might pick up a few hints from these pictures. One thing I would change if I ever built another--Don't use a v-belt drive from the motor to the powered roller. It eats up too much horsepower. Put the drive pulley right on the output shaft of the motor, or use a Lovejoy style coupling between the motor output shaft and the powered roller shaft.---Brian

[QSIMDO]

It all depend on the durometer you want. My wheel is serrated and a lot softer then "hard", I think around 90. from here : http://www.contactrubber.com/detail.asp?c=379


Here's grizzly for $100 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G9242-Grizzl...38.m2548.l4275

Do you find you work at the wheel a lot?

[lakeside53]

yes but I'm lazy so whatever attachment I have installed last typically gets used "next time". Wheels are superb for fine control and curves etc; plattens are great for straight and angles. Mid-belt (slack portion) get uses a lot.

I have a 6x48 Grizzly with 12 inch disk for "other" work but it's single speed and more of an ax than a scalpel.

[QSIMDO]

I get the idea that you are looking for plans for a serious belt grinder like mine. I built this many years ago. It has a two horsepower motor on this one, and when I turn it on all the lights in Barrie go dim until it is up to speed. I don't have any plans now, but you might pick up a few hints from these pictures. One thing I would change if I ever built another--Don't use a v-belt drive from the motor to the powered roller. It eats up too much horsepower. Put the drive pulley right on the output shaft of the motor, or use a Lovejoy style coupling between the motor output shaft and the powered roller shaft.---Brian

Thank you Brian!
The top roller adjusts both tension and tracking?
Oh, no...wait, I see something going on at the left side.
Yes I see the tension adjuster now.

[Glug]

I see the tracking adjustment at the top wheel. And I see what looks like a tension adjusting bolt on the left side. Is there any provision for a quick release and belt change?

[MattiJ]

Maybe use a go kart tire, or possibly one of those solid smooth wheels used on a forklift?

Forklift wheels are possibly one option but you probably need to balance them. 7000fpm is 80 miles per hour, unusual speed for forklift.

Boat trailer rollers might be one possibility, these are only couple of bucks per piece but you need to get inventive with the hub and bearing:

And that one is 88mm dia or about 3.5", if your maximum belt speed is 7000fpm that 3.5" roller is going to spin at 7800rpm!

I have 3x110" belt grinder project with 3kW 2-speed motor..
Aliexpress has 3"x8" wheels for about 80 usd including shipping, I would have ordered already but don't want to pay the DHL customs "service" extortion fees.

[brian Rupnow]

There is no quick release. You loosen off the adjusting bolt on the left side and that lets the bottom roller, shaft, bearings and support slide up to change the belt. The rollers that the belt roll on are mild steel. Belt never slips, and lasts one to two years.--I see absolutely no reason to go to plastic or rubberized wheels. The wheels on the sander in the picture are 4 1/2" solid steel. It takes a lot to get the sander up to speed because of the weight of the pulleys.--If I was making it again I would make the pulleys from aluminum or from steel pipe with 3/16" wall and welded in endplates. -Brian

[Ohio Mike]

Tom Lipton's 6x48

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJiKV2XMMvA

[brian Rupnow]

That is an excellent design of a belt sander. If I was to make another, that is almost exactly what I would do.----Brian

[Hal]

Strange when I click on that link I get roach coach video.

Hal

[Glug]

Great video. Nice simple design. As he mentioned, it has worn well in a couple decades of shop use.

At what HP and force do any of those build choices become overloaded and deflect or wear? For example, when you're bogging down a 5HP motor. Will the belt walk from pulley or structure deflection?

The aluminum table bracket, with the nearly continuous slot, looks like it might be a potential source of table deflection? Easy enough to make it steel.

He mentioned flush mounting the motor studs to the plate was a challenge but apparently couldn't quite recall how he made the fasteners to do it. And one of them failed - either lost the head or it sheared off.

[brian Rupnow]

Strange when I click on that link I get roach coach video.

Hal

Just let it play for about 30 seconds--Then you get to the belt sander build.