Belt issues never again with this mod!!

[Menacer]

After having so many issues with belt alignment , belts breaking, tools breaking because of over aggressive cuts long running machine times my little machine has made an upgrade for itself! Need to do some more testing but I'm very happy with results so far.

I'll try and post some videos soon.

[Menacer]

Alright these gears seem to be working great for me at the moment. I really should be pushing my machine to test them but currently I do not have time or money to be wasting on tests so I have to machine usable stuff and test at the same time. I guess I should add I'm also learning the machine trade.

A lot of what I know comes from this forum and its users posts and most from friends. I do not claim to be a machinist so if I say or do something wrong please don't tear me a new one, just let me know.

Yesterday I made this backplate for my fourth axis. With the stock pulleys this probably would've taken me hours and busted a tool if I pushed it. There are three separate operations the longest which took 26 min. It feels good to finally make something without stalling my stock gears which usually lead to a catastrophic failure which steeped the already steep learning curve.

I've always thought that the weakest link in the system was the V-belt and I never really understood why they use V-belts over cog gears. I'm sure someone here give me some insight.

Again I'm not a machinist and I apologize for my grammar.

[900steve]

looks good. keep us posted.
can you share any info/pictures of your enclosure?

[Fastest1]

Looks good to me! Though I did think you must have installed a gear or direct drive from the title of the thread.

[Menacer]

Fastest1,

Yes I made 2 belt drive gears to replace the stock vbelt . Pics are in my 1st post. The second post is info on the 1st part I made using the gears.

900steve,

I will take some pics and start a new thread called "my enclosure"

[awetmore]

Your new pulleys look impressive. What ratios (or speeds) do you have now?

I'm surprised that you've had so many problems with the belt slipping. Do you normally run fairly large diameter cutters? I almost never use anything over 1/4" on my Taig and haven't had any problems with my belt slipping, but I see how it could be more of an issue with larger cutters.

The motor to headstock interface is my least favorite part of the Taig though. Holding the heavy motor off center just never made a lot of sense to me.

[awerby]

While you've eliminated the possibility of having the belt slip, that's not really the worst thing that can happen. If the cutter gets seriously stuck (using the standard belt) the belt is supposed to slip, which keeps the spindle motor from killing itself. If everything's hooked together with timing belts as in your arrangement, the motor will just keep trying to spin, until the smoke comes out. Instead of replacing an $8 belt, you'll have to replace a $110 motor.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Menacer]

"Your new pulleys look impressive. What ratios (or speeds) do you have now?"

Thank you awetmore,

1/4 end mill is the most I'v ever used. I had problems with most of my V-belts slipping fallowed with the belt overheating, deforming resetting belt tension basically until its no longer unusable.

I was trying to keep it stock 6 gears but I would have to use a belt with less height and its not worth the overall performance loss. After doing some testing with belt size/height I've ended up at.

Bottom up

RPM
belt 1 - 1345 High torque
belt 2 - 2050
belt 3 - 3450
belt 4 - 6262
belt 5 - 9535 High RPM

Whats sweet about this is that the RPM is almost exact give or take 100 or more after your tool starts cutting. If RPM drops to much you know your over working the motor so there are a lot of ways to fix this, slower feed rate smaller depth of cut our dropping down the RPM to get more torque but the bottom line is its a motor its doing work.

Andrew,

Hey how are you doing? I got my Taig and 4th axis from you so thank you! Well I understand gearing and got this machine to make prototypes for RC helicopters using belts. I guess I should change the description of the thread because its not indestructible it just a lot more forgiving and lets you use the true power of the motor. If the tool gets in a jam the motor will destroy the belt like a motorcycle motor will destroy the chain. Its still a belt... not a aluminum or steel gear.

I made the mistake the other day of trying to mill more blanks for my gears and was using 1/4 trying to cut a 2" x 6" round stock and did not have it clamped right and wam!! the part moved just a little bit and jammed the tool but I thought I was pushing the machine to much and slowed everything down popped a new belt on wam... poof 2nd belt down.. After that I could tell the part moved and though man I'm dumb... the clamp has to work extra hard cutting such a tall and skinny piece of round of stock.

Long story short.. the motor will not come to a dead stop in a jam... It will free itself and run with zero load.

I would also have to add that I did not come up with this idea myself as I have seen some other small mills that come with cog belt drives or have upgrades.

[awerby]

I wouldn't have thought that the motor could bust free of one of those timing belts, but it's great that it does.

It's always good to hear from a (reasonably) satisfied customer; I didn't recognize "Menacer" as someone I'd done business with. Nice work on those pulleys!

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Menacer]

I wouldn't have thought that the motor could bust free of one of those timing belts, but it's great that it does.

Well if you going to do something like this you have to consider belt tooth size, tooth pitch angel & height.

It's always good to hear from a (reasonably) satisfied customer;

Pleasure doing business with you. I sent you e-mails asking questions and you got back to me that same or next day!

I didn't recognize "Menacer" as someone I'd done business with.

That's because that was not the name on my credit card!
Sorry I couldn't help myself!

[SpeedsCustom]

I'd get one. I once had a bad crash, actually two...Cutter runs right into my steel vice. Machine actually had enough power to rotate the entire column to one side. Luckily the V-belt had worn enough so the cutter slipped. But than again, that was a few years ago and the machine has been solid since.

-Jason

[whiteredline]

Hey there, just wondering where you purchased the belt? Thanks, gears look good!