MACHINING CROWNED PULLEYS OR ANY CONTOURED SURFACE ACCURATELY IN YOUR HOME SHOP with basic equipment

HOW TO MACHINE AN ACCURATE CROWNED PULLEY! Jean-Louis wants to machine a crowned (domed) pulley for a flat belt and wants to know how to produce the convex outer surface. This video presents an accurate way of doing it in a home machine shop. This technique can also be used to produce all kinds of accurately profiled surfaces on turned parts. This video is part of a free online machine shop course accessible to everyone on my webpage THATLAZYMACHINIST.COM . No sign up, no subscription and no hassle, it's all free and always will be. As for all of my machine shop videos, this video is specifically produced for novice machinists. Thanks for understanding that I am a professional toolmaker and teacher but I am not a professional video producer (and it shows). I produce these videos for fun as a little retirement project that lets me give back a little of what was passed on to me by so many amazing trades people, most of whom, sadly, are no longer with us. Marc L'Ecuyer Thatlazymachinist.com
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[@pheirphon4680]

I happy to have you sharing your experiences and knowledge with me and also majorities! I wish a safe and peaceful journey!

[@cogentdynamics]

The best teacher on the Internet. Thank you Marc!

[@MsShanku]

You are the best so far.

[@made_by_chris]

why cant everyone just get to the point like this. I love these types of videos. No fluff, no nonsense. Just valuable info. Thank you!

[@douglasbattjes3991]

Never to old to learn, thanks so very much, never thought of clamping a part to the ways on the lathe, and love the red paint on the old Atlas lathe, it's a 101 correct, like 4 more, I have plenty of them. Was going to make a drive wheel for my belt sander 5", but the material is more expensive than the already made wheel, 3/16" key way and all,,, 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@RobertLBarnard]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@KevinHiggins22]

How ingenious!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

[@ryanr2n2yc]

I'll be honest, i didn't have much faith in the first minute but i stuck around and i'm so happy i did. That was an amazing technique that I've never seen or heard of and i can't wait to go use it myself. new sub here!

[@rhdt]

LOL, I guess after this video I will forever be the the proud owner of knowledge of this interesting technique :) Thank you!

[@vajake1]

That was pretty cool. I don't fully understand it so I'll have to go and watch it a few more times. Thanks for posting this! Bob in Virginia, USA.

[@thefixerman1]

Marc, superb instruction for a technique that is new to me. Looking forward to trying this out.Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@karlphilipp93]

The simpler, the better. Excellent!

[@jesusjcrrotary9271]

I own a 4x6 bandsaw like the green on in your video that I am trying to fix using info in this video. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@pauldevey8628]

"Width-wise" said like a true French Canadian. We are proud of you. Thanks!

[@larryschweitzer1007]

Very nice process. Best looking Atlas I've ever seen. I'll bet it is better than new.

[@montagray3761]

A strange mix of sarcasm, safety reminders and very nice machine work. It is like a really good breakfast.

[@pheirphon4680]

I Pheir Phon, Appreciates your Shares-Gaven Peacefully! Please stay Alive and Happy, Please!

[@burtlade1705]

Excellent Marc! That's a technique I have not seen before. Thank you.

[@scottcurda3232]

Marc, that is so amazingly simple and useful. Merci Monsieur.

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

Amazing ! I have to make a convex pulley for my little cheapie belt sander and now i know how to do it ! Thanks Marc !

[@IBWatchinUrVids]

Really happy to see you back at it, Marc! You've got a niche that many other KZbinrs don't.

[@Engineerd3d]

thank you for posting this video. It is exactly the thought process to arrive at desired results in the shop. Please keep it up

[@MrPragmaticLee]

I love watching a master of his trade at work. Thank you so much for sharing! And thanks for the channel plug as well.

[@donaldnaymon3270]

Great tips. Thank you for sharing.

[@manueluceda3603]

Es un placer poder tener estos videos,gracias por compartir su maestria siempre es bueno recordar, las clases de cuando estaba en mi formacion,un cordial saludo desde España.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

Another great machining technique. Many thanks, Marc!

[@ecredic]

Fantastic! You are a great teacher... Congratulations! I learned lots with your videos! Thanks!

[@ben47g51]

Thanks for demonstrating this useful technique! My toolpost grinder uses crowned pulleys.

[@ophirb25]

Very nice and cool idea.

[@MartsGarage]

Thanks for this, Marc, there were quite a few points in there that were new to me at least. Glad to see you posting. Mart.

[@tinker5291]

Splendid video Marc! You've done it again!

[@5tr41ghtGuy]

Mark, thanks for demonstrating this profiling technique! It would seem that there are countless applications for which this can be applied.

[@MrJugsstein]

Love watching you at your forte passing on knowlage. Thanks.

[@CraigLYoung]

Thank you, your technique makes more sense than the others I've seen.

[@thingmaker3]

Thank you for such a clear and concise demonstration. I've been wondering for a while now how this was done in the olden times. Please do keep up the good work with these excellent videos of yours!

[@Preso58]

Great technique. Never seen it before! Thanks for sharing.

[@brandontscheschlog]

Lmao, the look on your dace when you say you’ll be the owner of a crowned pulley ! Awesome video!

[@Gkuljian]

I forgot all about this method. Thank you! Ironically my machine was once a tracer lathe. But when I bought it the tracer had been removed. Oh well. So the poor man's tracer technique is still pretty good.

[@rayfalcoa1955]

Hello Mark,i always enjoy your videos.keep up the great videos and the narrative...thank you.

[@meduffer]

That was brilliant Marc!

[@ClipperDays]

Merci Marc. OK, now I have run out of French. But I liked your technique and appreciate that you did this with an Atlas lathe. They are better than people believe.

[@ckvasnic1]

Great Show! Thank you for sharing your time and many talents!

[@ddcd53]

Great video, very informative. Very good quality camera work. It's very nice of you to share your vast amount of machining knowledge with all of us. I always look forward to your videos. Thank you. Dan

[@lenchodirker710]

Thanks Marc ! Handy tracing technique !

[@timmallard5360]

That's a really cool technique there. Very good explanation! I'm going to have to try this. Setup videos like this are incredibly helpful

[@stevecanny1583]

Awesome technique Marc! I'm going to put that to use this weekend to make a small domed pressure plate I need to make. That will save me having to build a ball turning jig first. Thanks very much for this! :)

[@freethinkerofny9187]

Thank you for showing this technique!

[@barrycass2820]

Nice Atlas wow beautiful. Thank for the videos. Pick up a lot off of them. Thank you.

[@markbernier8434]

lots of use for these for conveyor belts

[@charles1379]

thank you very much for such a brilliantly simple process for crowning.

[@TheSuperduke516]

Brilliant

[@vanderhoof5701]

Interesting method! Thankyou. 👍🙋 I'll apply it in the turning of my next set of belt sander pulleys.

[@RGSABloke]

Nice work Marc, many thanks for sharing. Kindest regards. Joe.

[@rweait]

Thanks, so much, Marc. I enjoy your videos.

[@tarmaccowboy4939]

Brilliant demonstration, thank you!

[@stephensarkany3577]

Better than leaving stock on the sides to center the crown is to leave stock on the OD. Blue the OD and cut the profile at a diameter that just leaves a little blue. The blue mark is the apex, so measure that to both sides and adjust the tool, or template accordingly before the final cuts. In this demo the indicator was attached to the compound, so that could be used to shift the tool relative to the template.

[@johnfry9010]

That was awesome Marc !

[@dziess9305]

Flat....Flat belts.... :D Great information, thanks for your Posts!

[@outsidescrewball]

Great video and machining tip....thanks Marc

[@mk6595]

Very nice. I'm looking forward to trying this. Thanks.

[@netpackrat]

Thanks for making this video. I am new to machining, and building a kit which is designed to use a flat belt. Was wondering how to put the crown into the pulley.

[@netpackrat]

This technique worked great for me, thanks again.

[@chrisjeppesen2993]

nice tecknic !! I usually just make 3 facets not as pretty but it works.

[@JimmysCanal]

Hey Marc, Another great teaching video. Thanks for sharing! Cheers Jimmy

[@barrobby1]

Hello all, crowned pulleys are used extensively throughout the printing industry for flat belt product contact delivery. This method is one I like, thanx.

[@maynard5955]

Thanks for the video learned another trick today

[@jerzyszczepanski9792]

Perfect. Thank you sir. Just what I was looking for to make my Belt sander Rollers.

[@AdamBakerBaker]

Your expression of "proud ownership" was hilarious. Not sure if that was true Canadian pride, true Canadian sarcasm or perhaps they are one in the same. Thanks for the tip, Marc. Yet another thumbs up from me...

[@marclecuyer9930]

Hi Adam! You have to check the sing in the background when I say that I will be the proud owner ... You will then know if it is pride or sarcasm. Thanks for watching and be safe, Marc

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Nice method of tracing.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

That is a great technique and I will try to remember it. You and I have basically the same lathe although mine is Craftsman and the drive is underneath. So I suspect that we have the same 3 jaw chuck. My chuck is .003" off center when the jaws are nice and tight. Your chuck looked like it was dead on. If it really is how did you do that? Thanks for the great video.

[@marko99butter]

Nice method for us without a tracer attachment.

[@metaling1]

Thanks Marc!

[@larrysperling8801]

great lesson marc, i am impressed with that little 3 jaw it appears to run quite true.

[@shinli1961]

Dear Marc, thank you very much Lesson: 64

[@joebabb504]

Many thanks for showing this Marc. Have you a video where you talk about your lathe tool holder? I have an old Southbend lathe but not happy with the original tool holder. I'd like to build a tool holder similar to yours.

[@kerrywil1]

Thanks for the video. what are the demesions of the sheet metal under the chuck on the ways for chips? thank you

[@tracylemme1375]

Just a couple of comments. About 60 years ago I started my machinist career on a 12 in Craftsman lathe which was made by Atlas . It is good to see cutting tools made from HSS. It seems that with the advent of inserts ( I use them a lot) the skills of off hand grinding is being lost.

[@TK_pool]

English wheel anvils ideas are running through my head.

[@johnnyholland8765]

I had an Atlas just like yours(mine was green though)but I sold it for an import that had a larger spindle bore. Sure wish I had kept it.It was a good machine. Didn't really like the flat ways but was still a good machine. Like the impromptu tracer setup........

[@flugschulerfluglehrer]

Very instructive. Thx.

[@DieselCrawler86]

Aboot on center Aboot ready. Oh i never get tired of that lol

[@flineman]

very good

[@jessereynolds9013]

Excellent video Marc, thank you. Would you mind explaining how you would accurately determine how much to surface off the sides of the pulley to ensure the high spot of the crown was in the center?

[@JRo250]

Excellent video, Marc! That was entirely new to me and I much appreciate the lesson.

[@noallegiances8676]

thankyou so much for this very useful info. excellent video . subscribed and liked..cheers

[@keithnoneya]

Interesting approach to an interesting problem. I personally would have used a mandrel to ensure I didn't waste the boss material. There is always a different way to skin a cat. Thumbs up. Nice work. Best Wishes n Blessings. Keith Noneya

[@torneirorenato]

muito legal,aprendi muito com esse vídeo,parabéns

[@THATLAZYMACHINIST]

Merci Renato! Obrigado Renato!

[@JorgeOchoaLions]

Very instructive video, as all of yours are. I do not know what is the principle that causes the belts to self-center on concave rollers. Is there a Rule of Thumb regarding the radius of curvature on the roller relative to the width of the belt?

[@THATLAZYMACHINIST]

Hi Jorge! The crowned surface of the pulley turns at the same speed (RPM) all over. However the edges of the crowned surface turn slower than its center (surface feet per minute). It is that difference in speed that makes the belt track on center. In other words the edges are trying to catch up to the center and if the edges are not at the same speed, the one closest to center drags the other one closer to center since both edges want to have the same speed (SFM). I do not know what the rule of thumb is for the amount of crown but I can say that the friction caused by the difference in speed between the edges and the center will increase proportionally to the amount of crown. A pronounced crown will wear the belt faster. I hope this helps? Marc

[@JorgeOchoaLions]

Ah!! Thank you for the explanation Marc.

[@pheirphon4680]

Is it 5-Dimentional- Platform?

[@PeterWMeek]

How cool is that? A lathe tracing "mechanism" where the servo function is done by the operator's eyes and hands. It give me great joy to see an actual radiused crown rather than the double angle (flat triangle) approximation I have seen used by several other KZbin machinists, including some creators whom I otherwise respect. A question: is there any guidance on how high the center should be for different diameters and widths of pulleys? ======= Note for the perplexed ========== If you have the width and the difference between the edge radius and the center radius (or most combinations of dimensions), you can calculate the radius of the template needed to make such a crown. Hint: google [ circle segment calculator ].

[@airlui]

super Marc

[@charlesbradshaw1285]

That's all well and good, but the recommended crown radius on a 4" diameter pulley is around 40"!

[@rafusy]

nice trick, thanks! :)

[@pheirphon4680]

Jennifer Merkel is and was really good at this!

[@pheirphon4680]

Air-cooled?

[@robertlunsford1350]

Why would you not make a rigid stop vs the indicator?

[@EZ_shop]

Clever!

[@CompEdgeX2013]

TRacer on the cheap...I like it. :-)

[@WideVisionMetalFab]

Also simple, and genius!

[@CarlosContreras-gk9gp]

you are so awesome dude

[@chrisnixon2179]

Sweet

[@RVJimD]

Cool! I am very interested to see how you do this. I make crowned pulleys for my model conveyor systems. Ill post a link in a second comment, i guess you will have to approve it if you want it to be visible. Thanks for another video! Jim