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gavlanco
04-29-2009, 07:45 PM
I was looking on a Hovercraft site (just looking for parts lol) and they sell wood pulleys for belt drives. Has anyone ever experimented with these. Seems like you could save a little weight.

Duane Scarborough
04-29-2009, 09:13 PM
Wood pulleys for belt drives? You've got to be kidding. :shock:

Duane

buster
04-29-2009, 10:02 PM
I have seen farm machinery years ago that used wooden pulleys for flat belts, but I am not familiar with any modern stuff that uses them.

I guess the worst case senario would be you may have to walk (or swim) home :o :oops: :oops:

Dave

gavlanco
04-29-2009, 10:59 PM
Same way I'm thinking. I think they were on a site called Universal Hovercrafts. The drive pulleys they sell are metal and the large driven pulleys are wood.

buster
04-30-2009, 10:22 AM
I just checked them out. It doesn't look like they exactly give them away just 'cause they are wood!

I started building a homemade re-drive before I bought mine from Arrowprop. I got a 70 tooth Harley rear drive pulley, and I was going to get a 41 tooth pulley made up for the engine. That would make about 1.69:1 ratio.

Also, would need to make up bushings to mount on the shaft. Should not be a problem for someone with a lathe.

I got behind on my schedule and gave up on that Idea, and just bought one! If you want to try that route, I'd sell the HD pulley for less than I paid, say around thirty bucks.

Dave

gavlanco
04-30-2009, 11:25 AM
Dave, Wish I could use those HD pulleys, but I'm looking for a 2.6 to 1 ratio. I have a 2 to 1 right now. Got a good deal on ebay. The pulleys are for a Quicksilver MX Ultralight. (Never used , no stratches) I want to run the competiton 59" prop. They said I need the 2.6 ratio. Hard to find a 8" aluminum 4 groove pulley.

Duane Scarborough
04-30-2009, 09:23 PM
Buster,

I've seen lots of old equipment that used wooden pulleys, for flat belts. My Dad restored an old steam sawmill engine, and it had wooden pulleys, with wide, flat, leather belts. But it also ran at about 300 RPM. And put out maybe 5 HP max. :)

Duane



I have seen farm machinery years ago that used wooden pulleys for flat belts, but I am not familiar with any modern stuff that uses them.

I guess the worst case senario would be you may have to walk (or swim) home :o :oops: :oops:

Dave

Duane Scarborough
04-30-2009, 09:42 PM
gavlanco,

I think that your best bet would be either to find a fellow hobbyist with a medium sized lathe, or visit a few small local machine shops, tell them what you want done, and that you need it done cheaply. My experience has been that if I approach them right, I've been able to get fairly complicated work done very cheaply, sometimes for free. That's if I could wait until they had some idle time. If you're in a hurry, you're probably going to pay a high labor rate.

The guys in the small shops like helping do-it-yourselfers, if you approach them right. :)

I had a small part machined for me today at a total cost of a smile, a "Thank You", and a handshake. It was made from scrap material, and took the guy maybe 10 minutes. You do need to make sure that you know exactly what you want though. All dimensions etc., on paper. No guessing, and no figuring it out as you go along.

Duane



Dave, Wish I could use those HD pulleys, but I'm looking for a 2.6 to 1 ratio. I have a 2 to 1 right now. Got a good deal on ebay. The pulleys are for a Quicksilver MX Ultralight. (Never used , no stratches) I want to run the competiton 59" prop. They said I need the 2.6 ratio. Hard to find a 8" aluminum 4 groove pulley.

Wildfowl
05-01-2009, 10:47 AM
Good advice Duane... It's all in approach.

I had a weld crack and bent the crap out of the main bunk roller on my boat trailer.

I was at Merritt near (20 some miles) Valentine NE. There is only one town out there and only one welding shop and it was right at the start of haying season..... :shock:

I pulled into his yard and pulled the glob of metal that used to be a three-roller bunk out of the truck just as the owner walked to the open overhead door. I took about three steps in his direction and noticed he was already lowering his head and looking over his nose like a bull ready to charge me.

I did the only thing I could do....I said in a loud enough voice so he could hear me good: "I can leave it with you for a few days." His head popped up, he kind of jerked back a bit, and just bust out laughing. He said I like you already.

Three days later I got a call from him to come and pick it up. It was perfect and he even painted it. I was grimmicing when I asked what I owed him. Eight bucks. He said he had a special press that the unit fit into and it only took him about 5 minutes to straighten the metal and less to weld it. I tossed in a couple of nice walleye fillets and made a new friend.

Machinests, welders, and boat builders are good people!