Belt splitter jig

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Revision as of 17:54, 5 March 2010 by Adrianbowyer (talk | contribs) (Assembly)
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Mendel uses belts which are only 5 mm wide, but stock belts for the suggested pitch (5 mm) usually come in either 10 mm or 15 mm widths. The belt splitter jig is needed to split these wide belts.

The three RP part files (see BOM below) for the belt splitter can be found in the cartesian bot files.

<videoflash type="vimeo">7027330|640|480</videoflash>

BOM

Name Qty/assembly Total Qty Type
belt-width-adjuster_1off 1 1 RP
belt-split-jig-bracket-universal_2off 2 2 RP
Box cutter/Stanley blade 1 1 Blade
M4x40 cap 4 4 Fastener
M4 nut 4 4 Fastener
M4 washer 8 8 Fastener


Assembly

BLADE WARNING: Use leather gloves or be prepared to lose fingers.

This is what it should look like, though the belt has been omitted for clarity. The bit sticking out the side slides in to accommodate different belt widths and clamps when all four screws are tightened.

Belt-splitter.JPG

Operation

BLADE WARNING: Use leather gloves or be prepared to lose fingers.

Assemble with the belt in place. Tighten bolts. Work the blade into the belt.

Belt-splitting-first-cut.JPG

Insert blade fully. It is safest to clamp the whole assembly in a vice, then pull belt through.

The wire that stops the belt stretching and that is buried in it run in a helix. It is not a stack of loops. So watch when you have been once round with the blade and stop. You will find that the two halves are still held together by the wire. Cut that back and trim and tidy the edge with wire cutters. You must avoid a step in the edge, as that may catch as the belt does its work.



Back to Mendel mechanical construction root.