I have a Marantz CD-94 CD player I need to repair. The changer mechanism belts are in bad shape (some broken). I'm wondering if TPU 3D printed belts might work for this because that would allow me to get exactly the right belt dimensions. Has anyone tried TPU for this kind of application?
Never tried it but it seems like a potentially good solution. I need an odd unobtanium belt for a CD player and have considered making a mold and casting it out of 2-part urethane.
Yeah, me too on the make-a-mold idea. But there may be an even easier approach that I just came across -- O-ring cord + the right kind of glue. McMaster-Carr sells round and square O-ring stock for really cheap. I'm talking less than $1/foot! Apparently belts made this way hold up OK, although they probably would be best in applications that only see intermittent use like operating CD player loading trays and the like. A TT drive belt.....maybe not (but I could be wrong).
I found a number of "zip" type adhesives on Amazon that are touted as being suitable for bonding rubber -- Meuvcol, Bondtech and Alecpea are brands that looked like they would work. Loctite makes good adhesives too, but they typically are considerably more expensive. According to Google's AI assistant, zip-grip type adhesives are supposed to be very good in this kind of application. If you want to one-stop-shop McMaster-Carr does sell a type of Gorilla glue that is supposed to be suitable and is comparable in price to the adhesives I found on Amazon. I'd choose a gel-type adhesive because it's better at filling gaps, and hand-cutting rubber isn't likely to result in a really flat surface.
McMaster-Carr may be a bit more expensive when it comes to shipping cost but their shipping department is astonishingly efficient. Most items I order from them arrive just a few days later.
Some of these adhesives only reach their full strength after 24 hours so some kind of fixture to hold the bonded ends together might be handy. A short piece of aluminum "L" stock would work, plus a couple of clips to hold the ends in place. I'd put some sort of mold release agent on the L stock first.....and use the minimum-possible amount of adhesive to do the job.
Some have reported that TPU belts can stretch more than commercially-made belts. Its usability probably depends on the particular application.
Anyway, more reading about TPU suggests that it can be difficult to print. I'm not sure if my old, un-enclosed Ender 3 could print it or not, time for more online poking around...
Anyway, more reading about TPU suggests that it can be difficult to print. I'm not sure if my old, un-enclosed Ender 3 could print it or not, time for more online poking around...
There are some direct-drive addons which are reported to work well with difficult filaments like TPU, but there also is a less-expensive alternative -- modify the cold end to provide better support for the filament. It is a 3D-printed replacement for the OEM part. This would require the least amount of tuning, in terms of print parameters.
Less available for US consumers (like me). I did find that web page but decided to look around for alternatives.
The web page also has some good information on how to replace the belts.