Metal Planer Restoration 45: Machining a Crowned Flat Belt Pulley from a Casting

As part of the restoration of my circa 1890's New Haven Manufacturing Company Metal Planer, I needed to make a replacement flat belt pulley for one that was missing from my machine. Using patterns I created copying an original pulley from another machine, I had a new casting made at a foundry and in this video, I turned a new pulley on my Monarch metal lathe, including the crowned face done with a taper attachment.
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[@jllogsdon66]

Keith I appreciate you sharing the mistakes along with the successes. We learn as much from seeing how to fix things as we do from seeing them go right the first go 'round. What a legend.

[@capitanschetttino8745]

I'm binge watching the whole Metal Planer Restoration series and I'm shocked by the love, strenght and passion that you have to feel inside to become a master craftman like Keith is. This is just amazing.

[@mhansl]

Same

[@leeroyholloway4277]

I wrote down a bad measurement this week for the position of a gear on a shaft. Not even a round number, something like 130 thou. As I was about to drill the pin it "just didn't look right". I assembled the old parts and re-measured, cussed myself thoroughly and corrected the operation before disaster struck. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug... I'm glad your pulley worked out and look forward to seeing the planer in operation.

[@RANDALLOLOGY]

Being the bug, he avoided the windshield before going S P L A T. !!!

[@DAKOTANSHELBY]

Keith Rucker: "Let's Getter' Done" Keith Fenner: "Hey, that's my line"

[@forresta65]

what does Blondihacks say..the Three Keith's lol

[@jacobpoucher]

Fenner is a legend rucker is a hackkk

[@docokd7oco443]

We'll just call that a witness mark...🤫

[@chrisc4088]

Glad you showed everything. Thanks. Made it even more interesting.

[@erichoff7926]

Excellent work and practicle recovery from a visit from mr B.

[@rayramirez938]

Thanks for sharing all that knowledge.

[@gaildimick1831]

Thanks for the teaching. Enjoyed the video.

[@johnquinn3899]

Just exactly what I like about your channel - you tell it like it is. And we learn. Thanks Keith.

[@zvonibab]

that is awesome Mr Keith

[@scottwilcoxson2439]

You are an honest man. You could have edited your mistake out of the video. But you just dealt with it. And it didn't make any difference to the finished part. That's life!

[@dewaynestephensen4600]

Great video. Like you said, we all make mistakes. As my father often said, “The sign of a good machinist, is how well he can correct his mistakes.” That is exactly what you’ve done. I’ve been learning from your videos of a long time. I hope all is well at home, work and family. Take care. Well done!

[@bobkelly2447]

Don't be so hard on yourself Keith ! BOO BOO's happen ! and you managed to get rid of it too so no harm no fowel ! (quack, quack ! LOL)

[@MySkullzDented]

You're a cool cat Keith, love your videos 😊👍

[@cannon440]

You had one of those days "the dropsies" everything you touch turns to crap. But you persevered & came out smelling like roses.

[@paulatkinson2849]

Everyone messes up but it takes a good machinist to know how to fix it

[@kimber1958]

Nice job Keith

[@forresta65]

My tool and die teacher always said you won't make the little mistakes. Its the big ones that will catch you... Keith Rucker Hold my malted milk! Love your videos. Thanks.

[@markmossinghoff8185]

"Everyone make mistakes " said the hedgehog as he climbed off the hairbrush.

[@somedaysoon3784]

Stealing that.

[@xxxggthyf]

The one things I miss most about the building game where I started my working life is the ease with which mistakes cam be ignored, covered up, blamed on the materials or blamed on other people. Or in direst emergency claim it doesn't matter and is "full of rustic charm". Houses built the mirror image of the way they were meant to be, houses a brick narrower at one end than the other, whole estates built in the wrong place by 20 metres so you have to move a boundary fence under cover of darkness to make room on somebody else's land... Been there... Done that :-)

[@markmossinghoff8185]

@@xxxggthyf early in my career as a plumber I once connected an entire row of drinking fountains in a factory to the plant compressed air system instead of the water line. Hard to explain that away.

[@xxxggthyf]

@@markmossinghoff8185 Like it :-) Was this some sort of substance induced error or one of those "How the **** did I manage to do that?" brain-farts? I think the best one that was entirely my own work was the time I wired a large step-down transformer back-to-front and gave a machine 2,400v instead of the 24 volts it was expecting. Being good, solid 1950s technology and being protected by a 63A amp fuse it caused quite spectacular amounts of damage before the fuse blew. Luckily that happened after hours and I blamed it on a transformer failure. Well... It wasn't rally a lie. It was a failure to wire the transformer up correctly failure so it was the truth. Just not the whole truth.

[@keepcalmandfarmon5401]

We all make mistakes!!! You fixed your boo-boo and moved on--that is a good lesson for us all... Thanks for sharing with the mistakes included.

[@bsdubois]

It is nice to know cast iron parts can still be made in the USA. Thank you and Windy Hill Foundry for making replacement parts and returning vintage machinery to useful service.

[@jamesstanlake4064]

The only person who never makes a mistake is the person who never does any work.

[@yawpaw9796]

Yeah, this is the kind of guy who eats germandude's lunch. The guy who gets the job done and for a good price. Expect 5thau error Edit: with germandude i mean the man focus on "good nuff stuff" for practical use. Germandude is the man who laps flat mirror finish with 3micron diamond lapping compound, just for being german And AND! To charge more because he is german and do the german gutt'n'toight way. German stuff is expensive, that is why this man is eating germansdude lunch.

[@brianwilless1589]

but not working would be a mistake?

[@alanclarke4646]

@@brianwilless1589 Catch 22

[@howardhiggins9641]

Corollary: The person who never makes a mistake is the one who never learns anything.

[@WobblycogsUk]

Nice save on the mistake there. Can't wait to see the machine up and running.

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Thanks for sharing.

[@walk-tall-hikes]

Nice recovery 😉

[@mauricekeithjohnson2598]

Hi Keith I'm a 75 year old retired Bermudian marine electrician who has just discovered you and the similar sites, such as Abom79. I haven't done any machine work since my days in shop classes 60 years ago, but you have certainly re-ignited my interest. Trying to talk my brother into letting me have his lathe for the workshop I am now setting up. Just finishing restoring a a 1940 Boise 1800 drill dress with a custom idler reduction I have built. Watching you machining the Crowned Flat Belt Pulley as I have my morning tea !! Looking forward to watching your videos ! PS we didn't see the incorrect first cut ! :)

[@SunnnyDay]

Nice work !

[@redherring3110]

Good job 👍

[@davidhudson5452]

Good Job As Long As It Works

[@hitoortega1616]

Excellent

[@MaturePatriot]

Great work. Turned out no harm, no foul. We all make mistakes, if not we would all walk on water, and there's on ONE who can do that all by HIMSELF!

[@5914DL]

All I see is a beautiful part and a learning experience (for us.) Thanks Keith.

[@oneofbillions691]

Any apprentice machinist would be more than fortunate to study under your masterful skill and knowledge Keith. To err is human, to admit it is a class act.

[@jacobpoucher]

Lol 😆 🤣 😂 😹 idiot

[@andrewturnbull5897]

Great video as always Keith! I agree that including the boo-boo is very instructive to us other mortals 😁. One flaw, however, no Ginger or Maryanne cameos! 🐱.,

[@wazzazone]

Hi Keith, you're so lucky to have such a reliable foundry as Windy Hill. Been watching their channel with interest.

[@shadowdog500]

I first learned of your channel when kieth Fenner used his tracer attachment to crown a pulley for you. I’m glad you can do it yourself now.

[@briananichowski9139]

That has been the story of my week. Keith you are a good man. We all have issues. Thanks for the great work.

[@rickmellor]

First time I've actually seen a taper attachment in use. Thank you for that!

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hi Keith, Hat's off to you showing the slight issue you had and well done for recovering it. Have a good weekend Paul,,

[@Dudleymiddleton]

Obviously the boo boo didn't matter - true craftmanship, you know you had a lot of lee way on the casting and it came good at the end. Thank you for sharing, Keith and stay safe, man!

[@cokdnlokd1238]

That 3/8 bitt must be a good one you sure use it a lot as a starter for large holes.

[@steveadams99708]

Enjoyed the video - the only machinist who never made a mistake never did anything!

[@neila2953]

Great video and like the honesty. As I told all my apprentices, the guy that didn't make a mistake, didn't make anything at all.

[@Hoaxer51]

I wish all my mistakes were that easily taken care of! Nice job, it won’t be long now!

[@aeroscottmodelenginerepair2830]

Keith, many thanks for your content contributions. Your videos are watched and enjoyed by thousands. Fun talking to you at the Bash and admire your prep work on Stan's mill and surface grinder prior to your scraping demo.

[@5tr41ghtGuy]

As soon as Keith made the whoopsie, I was telling him through the screen to keep cutting until it cleaned up. Glad to see he took my advice ;-)

[@Trident_Euclid]

Telekinesis 😈

[@thirzapeevey2395]

Well, as a friend of mine often says to me, "Why are you the only one who gets to be perfect?" :) I've been watching you since the wood planer project. This is the first time I've seen you make a mistake. It just shows that you are, actually, human.

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing. Enjoyed.

[@samrodian919]

It worked out Keith ! Stop fretting lol we all make mistakes from time to time , some a lot more often than others ( me mostly lol) it's the real machinists that's show their mistakes and the also rans who hide them. So fair play to you!

[@avoirdupois1]

Nice progress, can't wait to see it on the machine.

[@erich9244]

Thanks kieth agreed with the commentator below " without mistakes we would not learn anything" Keep up the good work.

[@edwardswiderski4137]

I'm sure you've heard this many times but error is human I think you addressed it very well appreciate your honesty and the education that you provide in what you do

[@csnelling4]

Thanks Keith 👍

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing!

[@odiesclips7621]

It's been a while since I've watched you again. Excellent work, Keith. I ran a 16 ft Gray planer for five years during the 70's. Interested in this rebuild. Well done.

[@danielllorens2080]

Another great video Mr. Rucker, you are a master! Thank you sir!

[@air54plane]

It all works out in the End,Good Job!!!

[@anntrautwein1430]

I was taught a number of things by my dad a master carpenter If you make an mistake fix it don't wait because it will eat at you until you do The difference between a true craftsmen and an wanna be is not that they don't make mistakes but they know how to fix them Looking forward to you next video

[@vincentshelpfulhints4085]

Everyone will make mistakes.. Admitting to those mistakes takes honorable character in a person.. Rare quality in a person these days

[@mdouglaswray]

Great video, as always!

[@robbomet9495]

Nice job, Keith. It is very satisfying to see a rough casting machined into a beautifly turned part. Nice to see I'm not the only one makes mistakes sometimes

[@brianhostak3961]

Great video. Learned how to do that and now I can go ahead with my pulley.

[@coalcutter]

Great to see mistakes makes me feel a lot better

[@ellieprice3396]

Another great job as always. For a finished look paint the rough cast surfaces dark red, black or whatever color matches the planer.

[@stuartkorte1642]

Just in time. I’ll be casting some wheels for a sander next week so learning to crown is perfect. Thank you.

[@bobbyvance6622]

Can’t wait to see that thing making chips!!!

[@ZigZagMarquis]

Keith, thank you for posting your videos. I find them interesting, informative and like to think I learn a little from them. Also, when I see you doing the measurements, math, geometry, trigonometry, etc. that your work involves, I cannot help but to think about some of the knuckleheads that were in my shop classes in junior high and high school so many years ago. They didn't want to have anything to do with math or science, just wanted to play grab-ass all the time and make fun of others that wanted to actually learn something. Caused me to take a different path in life and not pursue the trades. Kind of sad. Keep up the good work sir and thanks again for posting videos of your work. Happy Holidays to you and yours and stay healthy in these times.

[@johnmolnar2957]

Hey, another great video . I always enjoy your skill and experience. everyone makes mistakes. a true craftsman often sees the mistake before it gets out of hand

[@rhavrane]

Bonjour Keith, People who do nothing don't make mistakes :+) As small model builder, I like your world of huge machines, so accurate besides this and I can't wait to see your grinder finally operationnal again because I do not know what it is useful for. My concern is that I am not familiar with non metric measures, but I trust your skillness for your measures. Amicalement, Raphaël

[@davesalzer3220]

Everybody has those days.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Great stuff! I'm gonna be machining some parts soon for a 12" jointer restoration on my channel. This gives me the confidence that I can do it!

[@nitro105]

Nice recovery Keith, 0.015 wont be seen like the 0.010 notch would have been, can't wait to see the planer in operation!

[@Curiosity-NZ]

Keith, All of us old school engineers have our moments while doing the task. Some we can disappear others we call a modification as required by production necessity due to client feedback..

[@M4nusky]

fun fact: at 1.5deg taper for each 0.001 taken on the radius the end of the taper moves about 0.014" ! if it meets up with another 1.5deg taper thats 0.021", easy to go too far! Great video and thanks for sharing

[@jeffreypfeifer862]

Go Keith... in the homestretch on the metal planer now!

[@shortribslongbow5312]

Very nice video glad to see the correction too. Thanks for sharing. :o)

[@kennydebique6192]

If we don't make mistakes in life. We are not growing. Mistakes and failures are our best teacher.

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

buen trabajo..gracias por tu tiempo

[@carolcarola9719]

the way to avoid mistakes is to do nothing. The important thing is to know how to correct problems. Great lesson for life.

[@phlodel]

Doing nothing is a mistake. There is no escape.

[@aserta]

If you can't figure out what happened, then it's just plain bad luck. Everyone and their dog has those days (the puppers mostly when they don't get enough headpats) so that's that. Kudos for showing the mistake.

[@johnson2207]

Polishing the pulley will make it grip the belt much better when in use.

[@spaert]

Very nicely done. And no need to be embarrassed, we all goof up sometimes. (Of course, every time I do, I feel the same way you do about it, so there's a little personal hypocrisy for ya...haha!) But you fixed it and it came out right. Kudos to you for not trying to hide the mistake. We appreciate the honesty. And with all the wonders you turn out, only an idiot would pick on you for a slight miscalculation every once in a while. Nice job - every time I watch you do something like this, I learn something. Keep up the great work!

[@terminalpsychosis8022]

Gorgeous work, as always. Also nice to see even an old pro can make a "bo-bo". It's not a mistake though, as it cleaned up in the end. Just an unplanned modification. ;) Looking forward to more on the planer.

[@jacobpoucher]

Far from pro

[@premierd8988]

You fcuked up more than usual Keith ....

[@6NBERLS]

I made a part one time out of O1 tool steel. I Bozoed it up and had to start over 5 times. Finally, on the fifth try, I accumulated enough self-control to do it right. Stubbornness makes a pretty good substitute for genius.

[@johnhenderson1760]

You know what they say: Short rows take 90% of the time.

[@ctjctj2]

Ok, is it sick that I saw Keith's video on more planer restoration and I gave a small yell "YEAH!"

[@knas5289]

Keith: If you want to do a simpler video due to your time constraints, please make a small update on the total of the metal planer. Current status; what's done and what's left to be done. Thanks for all the interesting videos you put out for us.

[@robertthomas6019]

No worries, good job.

[@mjbailey404]

Keith made a really big dial test indicator out of a dial indicator lol

[@SciPunk215]

We learn by making mistakes. This ended up as a good functional piece.

[@tonyschiffiler4816]

Crank the play out of the cross slide before your taper , nice job.

[@maxheadflow]

Very good. One thing you can do is paint the casting before machining. Saves time on masking. (I hate masking :-) ) There may machined surfaces you want painted tho.

[@jessefoulk]

"Right on the money." -Every Keith Rucker video

[@WilliamTMusil]

Hiya Keith

[@pbooth001]

Don’t know about anybody else but don’t see any mistakes except perhaps thinking you had one in the first place.

[@moya034]

Nice work. On this pulley, and the gear, I'm surprised you didn't paint the castings before machining... now you have to mask the machined surfaces.

[@machintelligence]

What a perfectionist. I would have just had a slightly wider chamfer on both sides to clean them up.

[@assessor1276]

No to worry Keith - everyone boobs the odd time. Sometimes you’re the dog, and sometimes you are the fire hydrant. Dammit.