looking for groves for cable to set in on 1 inch shaft

[Tom60]

I am rebuilding a mill made by Delta in the late 80's. There were a lot of missing parts and modifications, so I am trying to make it work better than it was. I have a cable on each side that raises the saw above the log and it goes down a track like other mills I have seen. The accuracy is effected negatively by the cables lifting the saw not being in a fixed track. I have a one inch rod. I am looking for a groved sleeve that I can put on the 1 inch rod that the 3/16 inch cable can ride in. Does anyone have a source? It would be easier than grinding one in. Thanks

 

[PhilB]

The closest I could find was a McMaster Carr 3434T117. It is 2" in diameter but has a 1/2" bore. You would have to have it bored out to 1". McMaster Carr has online ordering. They are about $5 for one. Take the shaft with the pulley to a machine shop so they get it to fit right.
Phil

 

[Tom60]

groved sleve

What McMasters has was a pulley (3434T117). I need a helical groved slot that will force the cable into a track as the mill is lifted by the 3/16 inch cable wrapping around the 1 inch rod at both ends. Similar to the groves on a winch that is worn.

 

[Mac88]

Do you have a pic of what that part looks like?

 

[Tom60]

helical guide

I have not got a picture, but I will draw one and get my wife to take a picture of it this evening. Thanks Mac

 

[BobL]

If you were closer I'd make you one on my trusty 50 year old Southbend 9" (lathe)

 

[Mac88]

If you were closer I'd make you one on my trusty 50 year old Southbend 9" (lathe)

I have a feeling that may well be the required solution.

 

[woodchuck357]

Try a piece of flexible steel natural gas hook-up line

If the ID is to big a bushing could be made to make the gas line fit the rod.

Or attach one end of a piece of heavy wire to the rod and wrap it around to make a spiral track then attach the other end. The ends could be held in place with heavy hose clamps temporarily, then welded in place.

 

[Tom60]

If the ID is to big a bushing could be made to make the gas line fit the rod.

Or attach one end of a piece of heavy wire to the rod and wrap it around to make a spiral track then attach the other end. The ends could be held in place with heavy hose clamps temporarily, then welded in place.

Neat idea!!

 

[Hddnis]

Sounds like coil threaded rod might work for you.

McMaster-Carr

1" size is 3 1/2 threads per inch which should easily fit your cable.




Mr. HE

 

[Mac88]

This is what Tom is looking for

Tom was having problems getting his drawings posted, so I took the liberty of doing it for him. This should give everyone a clear idea of what he needs. It looks to me like something that might have to locally fabricated.

The pics were quite large so I resized them. PM me if you want the full-sized versions.

 

[Hddnis]

Looks like coil threaded rod would work.

Another thing that might work would be the winding pulley on a garage door, but they are normally larger than one inch.


The coil threaded rod could be welded end for end with regular steel rod to save some cost.


Mr. HE

 

[Tom60]

Looks like coil threaded rod would work.

Another thing that might work would be the winding pulley on a garage door, but they are normally larger than one inch.


The coil threaded rod could be welded end for end with regular steel rod to save some cost.


Mr. HE

Thank you.

 

[Mac88]

Looks like coil threaded rod would work.

The coil threaded rod could be welded end for end with regular steel rod to save some cost.


Mr. HE

From Tom's pics it looks like the central rod is 1" OD and the threaded sleeve is more like 1-1/2" or larger. I don't know how critical that might be for proper operation. They look like they could be easily turned on a lathe if one has the proper tooling. The "thread" needs to be deep enough to contain the 3/16" cable.

 

[Hddnis]

Just an idea anyway.

Sometimes getting a part made is real expensive and sometimes you find a shop or friend that can make just what you need quick and cheap.




Mr. HE

 

[Mac88]

Just an idea anyway.

Sometimes getting a part made is real expensive and sometimes you find a shop or friend that can make just what you need quick and cheap.




Mr. HE

It's a good idea, and a simple fix. If someone has a piece of that threaded rod laying around they could check the depth pretty easily with a 3/16" drill bit to test the fit. It's a lot easier to tell when you have it in hand. There may be other solutions as well. The thread basically works as a "level winder" to keep the cable from overlapping itself. There might be other ways to do that.

 

[lps8]

a simpler fix

On Gene1605 post "small bandsaw mill", he has a very simple solution. Here is a link to a pic showing how he did it. I have his instruction if you are interested. Adjustment is 1/16" per click.

http://www.arboristsite.com/milling-saw-mills/156857-2.htm

Go down to #26 for a good pic.

Larry

 

[Tom60]

Money

It doesn't appear that anyone is making a clamp on cable guide. This would add accuracy to many industrial applications using simple pulleys and winches. Make me one, and you can have the idea and patent rights (if it is new)$$$$$$$$! :msp_thumbup:

 

[Tom60]

On Gene1605 post "small bandsaw mill", he has a very simple solution. Here is a link to a pic showing how he did it. I have his instruction if you are interested. Adjustment is 1/16" per click.

http://www.arboristsite.com/milling-saw-mills/156857-2.htm

Go down to #26 for a good pic.

Larry

He seems to have the same problem as mine as far as wrap spacing. If you look at his pictures, the cable has gaps on the wraps. When I was young as a scraper on lathes and mills, the boss insisted that we strive for accuracy on every part so the combined error was as small as possible. This was to make up for bearing wear and operator error on precision parts. Once you learn that way, it is hard to let go, even if sometimes it would be smarter to just run with it.

 

[Mac88]

On Gene1605 post "small bandsaw mill", he has a very simple solution. Here is a link to a pic showing how he did it. I have his instruction if you are interested. Adjustment is 1/16" per click.

http://www.arboristsite.com/milling-saw-mills/156857-2.htm

Go down to #26 for a good pic.

Larry

Thanks Larry. That's a similar system to what Tom drew up, minus the threaded "guide" that keeps the cable from overlapping itself. I don't see why that wouldn't work, as long as the operator keeps an eye on the cable to insure the saw remains level. I don't know what the vertical capacity of the mill is, but that could require winding several turns of cable around the take-up shaft.