Speed Reducer Quick-Release?

[Ken Nelson]

Cowboy Bob,

Are you selling that speed reducer and if so, How much?  Thanks

[CowboyBob]

Yes,we are it sells for $190.00+ UPS. It give a 3-1 reduction same as the other type.

[BattleAx]

Edited August 4, 2018 by BattleAx

[BattleAx]

2 minutes ago, BattleAx said:

Had some scrap angle a couple of pulleys  ordered bearings and a shaft from eBay works very nice.

[DonInReno]

On 8/3/2018 at 9:03 PM, dikman said:

It looked like it should work but I couldn't get rid of "belt slap"

 Yes that odd “pulsing” tendency of the belt does make a spring loaded tensioner harder than it looks to overcome.  I’ve seen a few that incorporate a small shock absorber piston so the tensioner can move, but can’t quickly cycle in and out with the variations in the belt/pulley.  With the proliferation of soft closing hinges and drawer slides in cabinets, there are a few parts that seem ideally suited, but I have no idea if the pistons have enough resistance and travel.  There are small industrial soft close cylinders in varying amounts of resistance, but they are too $$$.  Hell, half the new toilet seats are soft closing so something cheap should work! Lol

Another design uses a one-way bearing and friction clutch like the drag on a fishing reel so it cinches down easily but requires much more force to loosen.  Unless it’s incorporated into an automotive tensioner that can be modified for less spring force that seems too complicated to cobble together.

The pivot bolt could always be tightened so the spring adds the tension and the position is simply locked in place.  

In the end maybe it’s no more complicated to add an easy method of moving the motor.  Moving the super smooth feed handwheel of a mill or lathe makes me think of an easy to reach handwheel moving the tensioner...hmm...

I also wondered if pulley size made a difference in belt slap, but when I added a larger drive pulley it actually became worse - in this case the paint on the pulley had more grip so the belt would noticeably ride up where the belt was slightly thicker.  

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by DonInReno

[dikman]

I think for this to work the tensioner needs to have a fixed adjustment, for instance a sliding tensioner fitted with a screw adjuster to keep constant tension on the belt. Perhaps not as convenient as a spring loaded one but it would still allow slackening off the belt without moving the reducer or motor assembly.

[brmax]

I believe if you wanted to fabricate a very square and supportive bracket. You could use one of the many many small gas cylinders made for lifting and etc. 

The ticket would be finding one at a price your happy with, they are sure out their, good luck with it.

 

Good day

Floyd

[Pintodeluxe]

BattleAx, that is an impressive looking improvised build.  Takes me back to my Erector Set days as a kid!  Nice work.  

[CowboyBob]

1 hour ago, Pintodeluxe said:

BattleAx, that is an impressive looking improvised build.  Takes me back to my Erector Set days as a kid!  Nice work.  

Yes,very well built & look like it'll do the job.

[Pintodeluxe]

I didn't think I could move the speed reducer far enough backwards to alleviate the problem, so I installed a toggle clamp quick release.  Cowboy Bob's solution looks best, but this works in a pinch.  Now at least I can release belt tension to tip the machine back for maintenance.  When I lock the quick release, the belt tension is set automatically.  

  I did need to drill a slot in the toggle clamp, but no modifications to the speed reducer are required.  A low profile furniture connector bolt attaches the toggle clamp to the speed reducer.  The bolt that comes with the speed reducer is re-used and threaded finger tight with locktite.