Cast Aluminum Pulley Repair

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:28 pm

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Repaired the cast aluminum pulley on my new band saw. As you can see, it had quite a chunk knocked out of it and another piece that was broken off that I welded back in. Second pic, I backed it out with thick copper backing, making sure I made it a little loose so I could get enough filler in to lathe off.

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:32 pm

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The top pic is where I just was jamming in filler to build up. Second pic is the finished weld...blob..whatever you wanna call it.....off to the lathe.....

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:37 pm

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On the lathe and the finished product. I used 4043 filler which machined down way better than that soft cast garbage but all in all it worked.

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:45 pm

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Back on the saw. So I used 1/16" 2% lanthanated, 15 cfh, 125 amps, pedal, started out using 1/16" 4043 filler as I didn't want to melt the pulley so I went slow up against the cast parent but as I got out onto the copper, I went to 3/32" 4043 and let it eat. The cast was very soft(probably pure) aluminum but puddles out pretty good but I could feel that if I floorboarded it, it would have melted back really bad so I went slow to begin. Going to make a diamond plate belt cover for it and then let it sit and hardly ever use it. Might order the table for it so I can use it as a vertical saw. Thanks for lookin!

Olivero · Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:13 pm

Really nice Nail, looks brand new.

Good job.

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:33 pm

Thanks...this is the crap I live for...sometimes there is a question mark behind that remark

electrode · Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:56 pm

Looks good. Where did you get that big round piece of copper? I need one of those.

How did you break the pulley on your new saw anyhow? And how do you like that QCTP you got for your lathe?

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:02 pm

electrode wrote:Looks good. Where did you get that big round piece of copper? I need one of those. How did you break the pulley on your new saw anyhow? And how do you like that QCTP you got for your lathe?

The pulley was broke when I rescued it from the garbage so instead of just buying a new one for $10, I spent twice that much in electric and gas to fix it

I love that QCTP! I have some HSS bits that will fit into it along with the indexable carbides that came with it. I don't know how I did without a lathe for so long. I break shit on purpose now just so I can make a new part

electrode · Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:11 pm

exnailpounder wrote:
electrode wrote:Looks good. Where did you get that big round piece of copper? I need one of those. How did you break the pulley on your new saw anyhow? And how do you like that QCTP you got for your lathe?
The pulley was broke when I rescued it from the garbage so instead of just buying a new one for $10, I spent twice that much in electric and gas to fix it I love that QCTP! I have some HSS bits that will fit into it along with the indexable carbides that came with it. I don't know how I did without a lathe for so long. I break shit on purpose now just so I can make a new part

Looks like you bought the QCTP I recommended as I see the wedge. Great choice. You did get the BXA too huh? Once you learn how to sharpen HSS bits really well, they are the way to go as they are inexpensive and cut rather well. I like rescuing and fixing stuff too, and sometimes I spend more on making a new part than buying one cause that is why I have all these machines in my shop. A great excuse to buy more tools too. Honey, I just need this $3000 band saw so I can make an exhaust shield for your motorcycle.

But where did you get the round piece of copper??

mpete53 · Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:14 pm

Nice job
doing those kinds of repairs just ups your skill set for repairing a part you can't buy

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:17 pm

I forged that round piece of copper out of recycled pennies and used a boring bar to make it look a piece of pipe

MosquitoMoto · Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:52 pm

Lovely - a repair after my own heart.

I sink time into this stuff all the time, while the people around me ask "Why are you wasting time? Buy a new one?"

Well done!

Kym

doc58 · Tue Jan 24, 2017 6:13 pm

A very neat repaired pulley. Well done.

electrode · Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:02 pm

exnailpounder wrote:I forged that round piece of copper out of recycled pennies and used a boring bar to make it look a piece of pipe

That's what I figured.

But seriously, is that a type K or L coupler or a piece of that high dollar by the inch copper pipe in 3 or 4 inch diameter? Looks pretty handy to have in the shop. I have a few flat bars but non pipe in copper.

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:34 pm

electrode wrote:
exnailpounder wrote:I forged that round piece of copper out of recycled pennies and used a boring bar to make it look a piece of pipe
That's what I figured. But seriously, is that a type K or L coupler or a piece of that high dollar by the inch copper pipe in 3 or 4 inch diameter? Looks pretty handy to have in the shop. I have a few flat bars but non pipe in copper.

I thought you were pulling my leg..lol...that is 2" DWV that I had left from a project. I collect all that kind of stuff just for oddball repairs like today. I see scrap copper on Craigslist alot...and I go to ALRO's walk-in metal store and they have drops of anything you cab think of...I got wood over a 20lb. chunk of aluminum one time...is that normal?

LtBadd · Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:53 pm

exnailpounder wrote:and I go to ALRO's walk-in metal store and they have drops of anything you cab think of...I got wood over a 20lb. chunk of aluminum one time...is that normal?

Maybe, not sure talking about it is...

exnailpounder · Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:55 pm

FizHD · Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:00 pm

Nice work!

MinnesotaDave · Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:48 pm

Nicely done!

electrode · Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:23 pm

exnailpounder wrote:
electrode wrote:
exnailpounder wrote:I forged that round piece of copper out of recycled pennies and used a boring bar to make it look a piece of pipe
That's what I figured. But seriously, is that a type K or L coupler or a piece of that high dollar by the inch copper pipe in 3 or 4 inch diameter? Looks pretty handy to have in the shop. I have a few flat bars but non pipe in copper.
I thought you were pulling my leg..lol...that is 2" DWV that I had left from a project. I collect all that kind of stuff just for oddball repairs like today. I see scrap copper on Craigslist alot...and I go to ALRO's walk-in metal store and they have drops of anything you cab think of...I got wood over a 20lb. chunk of aluminum one time...is that normal?

Looks bigger in the pic (the copper pipe, not your wood)

I can get some copper pipe from ebay as we don't have an ALRO's around here. But the DWV is the thinnest next to type L and K being the thicker versions. I guess the thicker stuff isn't all that much thicker but the reason I asked is because the pic made it look bigger and heavier than it really is (the pipe).

p.s. The older I get I need more than a chunk of metal to obtain a chubby.

Rudy Ray · Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:57 pm

Great job on that pulley repair.

I get things like thin in my shop from time to time and they want a quote, which I quickly give them an honest estimate based on time, then they think I'm cheating them. "A new one only costs $X.xx !!". Then by all means, go buy a new one, this isn't China and I'm not fixing them by the 1000.
I'll get off my box now.

Still, great job.