Brass or plastic (type) pulley

Phileas Fogg · 2nd January 2007, 07:08 PM

Looking for thought...

I have a DIY table with a motor using a brass pulley designed for a flat belt (aka: from an older Kenwood belt drive). I am running my DIY table with an audio cassette tape as a belt and it works well enough. This said I have another motor which came from either an audio cassette deck or VCR. It has a hard plastic-like pulley that is of a narrow groove design for running a thin round or v-belt. I was thinking of trying this on on the other motor shaft to run a silk thread drive for my turntable. I wonder if any of you here have thoughts on which material is better, a wider brass pulley for a flat belt or a thinner grooved plastic pulley for a round or V belt?

Next, I was able to easily pull the plastic pulley off the motor it came with. The brass pulley currently on the motor I'm using is on tighter and I am worried about any damage to the motor if I try to pry this off. Any ideas on doing this with little fear in damaging the motor or shaft?

I really am only considering this for the curiosity of it. I am just wondering if it will improve the performance of my setup or not? The drive diameter of both pullies looks very similar and as my motor is a D.C. servo I have trim pots for fine adjusting speed control.

Thanks in advance.

Panicos K · 7th January 2007, 10:14 PM

I would go for the grooved plastic pulley(less ringing than otherwise fine brass)and silk thread(less resonance and better stability than rubber belts)

Eusebius · 10th January 2007, 11:55 PM

how do you join silk thread without putting a knot in it?

Panicos K · 15th January 2007, 10:29 PM

Yes you will have to have a knot

ak_47_boy · 20th January 2007, 01:28 AM

I is possible to tie a extremely small inline knot with silk. It would not make the platter skip. It is hard though. Quite hard.

Phileas Fogg · 20th January 2007, 09:24 AM

I have made a thread drive using the brass pulley. It rides up near the top (crown) of the pulley, but my speed trim control allows me to get the speed correct. The double square knot with a little dab of super glue makes for a strong connection and the knot does not affect the playback of the table at all. The strobe pattern on a disc remains frozen and the platter runs smoothly. The knot is really quit small and even watching it with your eyes only sees it quickly blip around the pulley. Factoring I have the thread drive taught enough but not so tight that it strains against either the platter or pulley. I am impressed with how quickly the thread gets my 10lb platter up to speed as well and it does not seem to drag as much when I lightly run my carbon fibre brush over an LP cleaning to get ready when playing.

2nd January 2007, 07:08 PM	#1
Phileas Fogg diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006	Brass or plastic (type) pulley Looking for thought... I have a DIY table with a motor using a brass pulley designed for a flat belt (aka: from an older Kenwood belt drive). I am running my DIY table with an audio cassette tape as a belt and it works well enough. This said I have another motor which came from either an audio cassette deck or VCR. It has a hard plastic-like pulley that is of a narrow groove design for running a thin round or v-belt. I was thinking of trying this on on the other motor shaft to run a silk thread drive for my turntable. I wonder if any of you here have thoughts on which material is better, a wider brass pulley for a flat belt or a thinner grooved plastic pulley for a round or V belt? Next, I was able to easily pull the plastic pulley off the motor it came with. The brass pulley currently on the motor I'm using is on tighter and I am worried about any damage to the motor if I try to pry this off. Any ideas on doing this with little fear in damaging the motor or shaft? I really am only considering this for the curiosity of it. I am just wondering if it will improve the performance of my setup or not? The drive diameter of both pullies looks very similar and as my motor is a D.C. servo I have trim pots for fine adjusting speed control. Thanks in advance.

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7th January 2007, 10:14 PM	#2
Panicos K diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	I would go for the grooved plastic pulley(less ringing than otherwise fine brass)and silk thread(less resonance and better stability than rubber belts)

10th January 2007, 11:55 PM	#3
Eusebius diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	how do you join silk thread without putting a knot in it?

15th January 2007, 10:29 PM	#4
Panicos K diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	Yes you will have to have a knot

20th January 2007, 01:28 AM	#5
ak_47_boy diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006	I is possible to tie a extremely small inline knot with silk. It would not make the platter skip. It is hard though. Quite hard.

20th January 2007, 09:24 AM	#6
Phileas Fogg diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006	I have made a thread drive using the brass pulley. It rides up near the top (crown) of the pulley, but my speed trim control allows me to get the speed correct. The double square knot with a little dab of super glue makes for a strong connection and the knot does not affect the playback of the table at all. The strobe pattern on a disc remains frozen and the platter runs smoothly. The knot is really quit small and even watching it with your eyes only sees it quickly blip around the pulley. Factoring I have the thread drive taught enough but not so tight that it strains against either the platter or pulley. I am impressed with how quickly the thread gets my 10lb platter up to speed as well and it does not seem to drag as much when I lightly run my carbon fibre brush over an LP cleaning to get ready when playing.

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