Educate me about... wedge pulleys

[m_c]

Are you sure you need a 6" pulley on the motor?

I was thinking that as well.
If the existing motor was 1450rpm, as you're swapping to a VFD, I'd fit a smaller pulley, and overspeed the new motor to gain the same spindle speed. That way you get more usable torque at slower spindle speeds.

 

[gordon stephenson]

I have seen even broken Taper locks used at a push, and lasted in service without any issues.

 

[skotl]

Thanks guys - great advice as ever

Yep - the motor is brand new and shiny so no issues there, but noted for the next swap!

And yes - 6" was me rememberating through the haze of a bottle of wine. I figured an actually ruler would be more reliable, and it's approx 90mm

Also like the idea of boring the existing ones out - I'd thought about that but was hamstrung on the fact that I need the lathe to bore them out and, without pulleys...
I'm guessing they would need to be pretty bang-on-concentric otherwise I'd create problems for myself? Hmmm... wonder if it's worth trying taking one off and doing it on the lathe (with one belt) and then do the other once I've got the new motor mounted...

Will go check bearingboys - if it's expensive / can't find the right size, I might consider that

 

[Hitch]

Also available in stainless, that doesnt snap in two.... but spendy

 

[Kram]

If yours has speed reduction gears I would stay as standard, if not, I recommend using just one pulley at a time of different sizes.
My motor is 1000rpm and has 63mm pulleys, spindle has 63, 125, 180.
Similar motor, no problems running a single belt.
If using pulleys under 80mm its worth using XPA belts, they have more flex.

Yes you can turn the pulleys one at a time but remember you'd then need to broach or file a keyway, easy enough, and grub screw to lock onto shaft.

 

[skotl]

£24 delivered for cast iron 3 x v pulley and bush. I'll see how bored I am tomorrow and, if I am, I'll try boring one of the existing pulleys out.
And if that doesn't happen then I'll place the order tomorrow night

 

[skotl]

Welllll... here's a top tip!

I added the pulley and taper to the cart this morning, to find out how much it was going to be, then just left the computer.

Came back this afternoon to an automated email from bearingboys saying:

Get 15% off to complete your order
We noticed you have left a few items in your basket and we'd like to see if there was anything we could do to help.
We'd like to offer you a 15% off coupon, valid for the next 48 hours on any item in our catalogue.
You'll find the coupon at the end of this email.

So I've ordered them. Today's top tip is to make sure you're logged in (so the site has your email address) then leave things in the basket for a few hours.
This worked with Nespresso a year or so back when they gave me £50 off a machine that had been lying in my basket, that I hadn't yet purchased.

 

[Fraserb]

Welllll... here's a top tip!

I added the pulley and taper to the cart this morning, to find out how much it was going to be, then just left the computer.

Came back this afternoon to an automated email from bearingboys saying:



So I've ordered them. Today's top tip is to make sure you're logged in (so the site has your email address) then leave things in the basket for a few hours.
This worked with Nespresso a year or so back when they gave me £50 off a machine that had been lying in my basket, that I hadn't yet purchased.

Amazon often do the same.

 

[rory1]

You can even bore your pulley out to take a taper lock . I don’t know why you’d want to but you can do it

 

[Brad93]

You can even bore your pulley out to take a taper lock . I don’t know why you’d want to but you can do it

View attachment 260254

How did you pick up the threads in your new pulley?

 

[RichardM]

You don't, they are not all threaded in the taper lock insert.

 

[Spark plug]

How did you pick up the threads in your new pulley?

I machined taper lock bores a number of times, it’s actually rather simple once you’ve done one:

 

[Kram]

Ebay do it too, only if you watch the item. Basket doesnt work. Often next day theres a message with a 5-25% discount for 48 hours.

 

[Ali]

Just fitted one, will never use any mother type now, so easy and paid less than a tenner

 

[skotl]

I machined taper lock bores a number of times, it’s actually rather simple once you’ve done one:

View attachment 260258 View attachment 260259 View attachment 260264 View attachment 260260 View attachment 260261 View attachment 260262

That's really impressive, and way beyond my abilities

 

[Agroshield]

This document gives the dimensions for machining if you are intereseted:

https://c-rproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/taper-lock-bushings-catalog.pdf

The site looks good for a lot of related stuff.

It is interesting that in the larger sizes, you are supposed to seat the taper using a hammer and then turn the screws a little more.

Edit:

It seems they also do bushes that can be field-bored to suit very odd shaft sizes. Handy to know.

 

[Turbo]

When I was a fitter we thought that taper lock pulleys were a gift from heaven when we first got them! Instead of needing loads of tools & pullers we could swap a worn sprocket with a set of allen keys & have the breakdown fixed in minutes instead of an hour!

Be careful though, some taper lock grub screws are imperial thread so you need imperial allen keys to fit them!

 

[Robotstar5]

Ebay do it too, only if you watch the item. Basket doesnt work. Often next day theres a message with a 5-25% discount for 48 hours.

I noticed that, went on the weekend to buy something from my watch list and noticed 2 other items had a 20% discount offer so bought them as well

 

[bricol]

If you like taperlocks, you are going to love Ringfeders or Tollok locking bushes - but possibly only if someone else pays for them Cross & Morse version is a bit cheaper I think. Plain bore only needed in the hub, and plain shaft. No keys. With transmit incredible amounts of torque. Very useful for start/stop indexing operations - no fretting on the keyway or shaft. Have to be fitted correctly, going around and around the set-screws to tighten them properly.

Clamp discs very useful too if you don't have enough room to fit an internal locking bush in your assembly.

 

[bricol]

When you fit a taper lock be careful with the fit of the key. If it is at all tight in the radial direction the inner bit of the taper lock is stressed over it and will crack as you tighten the Allen screws that hold it all together. Although the key needs to be a good fit in the key way it needs about ten thou ‘headroom’ radially.

I first discovered this when I dismantled my 6 foot field flail for rebuilding but have come across it several times since.

Normal fit keyways to BS4235 will give you the required "headroom" - key a tight fit ion the shaft, nice sliding fit in the hub, with clearance above the key.