Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 19Make the pulley wheel: prepare the groove and flanges
Materials:
Clean the surface of the PVC pipe length with a paper towel and alcohol, and let it dry on a clean, flat surface. Measure and cut a 5-1/4" length of anti-slip tape. Peel about 1" of the backing and fold it back.
Place the tape on edge beside the 1" pipe. Success now depends on avoiding accidental contact with the adhesive, and on keeping the tape edge in light contact with the flat surface, for alignment.
Press the folded backing against the pipe, then slide your finger toward the exposed tape end. Once the tape end sticks, pull the loose end of the backing to expose more adhesive. Press this exposed adhesive against the pipe, rotate and repeat. When it's fully mounted, you should see a gap of about 1/32".
The CD will become the inner flange (the one nearest the spokes), but it needs a larger center hole. With the hole saw, cut a 1-3/8" hole in a scrap of plywood; call this the cage. Place the CD on another plywood scrap, and clamp the cage over the CD using at least 2 clamps. Remove or retract the hole saw's pilot drill. Cut lightly through the CD.
You will make the outer flange from the nearly-smooth bottom of a plastic bottle or jar, including 1/2" or more of the container's sidewall. Where the bottom meets the sidewall there must be a gentle curve, not a sharp-angled joint. Peanut-butter jars and small round refrigerator food containers work well, but are sturdy and may be hard to cut. Thin, flimsy PETE plastic may work well -- it's easy to cut, the load it will be required to support is very light, and it resists UV. Bottles with irregular or deeply lobed bottoms won't work.
Cut a 1-3/8" hole in the center of the material. How you do this depends on the material. What often works is to place it upside down on a flat scrap, and clamp the cage over it. Especially for flimsy material, it may help to support the material with a round wood scrap underneath. Don't worry if the hole isn't precisely centered. Cut delicately, tilting the drill in circles so you're not trying to cut the whole circle at once.
- 1" length of 1-1/4" PVC pipe.
- Alcohol.
- Paper towel.
- 5-1/4" of 1"-width 3M gray nonslip tape.
- One CD.
- A plastic bottle, jar, or refrigerator food container.
- Scissors or box knife.
- Marking pen.
- 1-3/8" hole saw.
- Clamps.
Clean the surface of the PVC pipe length with a paper towel and alcohol, and let it dry on a clean, flat surface. Measure and cut a 5-1/4" length of anti-slip tape. Peel about 1" of the backing and fold it back.
Place the tape on edge beside the 1" pipe. Success now depends on avoiding accidental contact with the adhesive, and on keeping the tape edge in light contact with the flat surface, for alignment.
Press the folded backing against the pipe, then slide your finger toward the exposed tape end. Once the tape end sticks, pull the loose end of the backing to expose more adhesive. Press this exposed adhesive against the pipe, rotate and repeat. When it's fully mounted, you should see a gap of about 1/32".
The CD will become the inner flange (the one nearest the spokes), but it needs a larger center hole. With the hole saw, cut a 1-3/8" hole in a scrap of plywood; call this the cage. Place the CD on another plywood scrap, and clamp the cage over the CD using at least 2 clamps. Remove or retract the hole saw's pilot drill. Cut lightly through the CD.
You will make the outer flange from the nearly-smooth bottom of a plastic bottle or jar, including 1/2" or more of the container's sidewall. Where the bottom meets the sidewall there must be a gentle curve, not a sharp-angled joint. Peanut-butter jars and small round refrigerator food containers work well, but are sturdy and may be hard to cut. Thin, flimsy PETE plastic may work well -- it's easy to cut, the load it will be required to support is very light, and it resists UV. Bottles with irregular or deeply lobed bottoms won't work.
Cut a 1-3/8" hole in the center of the material. How you do this depends on the material. What often works is to place it upside down on a flat scrap, and clamp the cage over it. Especially for flimsy material, it may help to support the material with a round wood scrap underneath. Don't worry if the hole isn't precisely centered. Cut delicately, tilting the drill in circles so you're not trying to cut the whole circle at once.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
1
comment
|
Add Comment
|
1
Feb 16, 2010. 11:54 AM
buteman
says:
buteman
says:
Would it be easier to melt through the plastic with a piece of 1-3/8" pipe to make the hole?
Reply
2
Mar 24, 2010. 11:43 PMLarry Breed (author)
says:
Larry Breed (author)
says:
Interesting! If you try it, please let me know how it works. I've settled on using the 1-3/8" hole saw, applied delicately.
Reply
 |
Add Comment
|
