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  1. #1
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    Default Richardson Drill Press

    Hello All

    I am looking for a 6 step pulley for a Richardson drill press. Mine is cracked. Any leads would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    LanceIMG_4035.jpgIMG_4034.jpg
    Last edited by zolanc; 27th Oct 2022 at 07:59 AM. Reason: add photo

  2. #2
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    They're pretty hard to come by. I've been looking for a drive pulley for mine which seem to be the first to go.

  3. #3
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    I doubt that you will find one out in the wild, particularly if they are prone to cracking like that. A remake may have to be the way to go. That triangular shape could be interesting to produce. Is it straight sided or curved? Go all the way thorugh or just for a small length? What are the overall dimensions? A chunk of Al that size would not be cheap though (just saying).

    Picko, is yours the same or a different shape/ size?

    Michael

  4. #4
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    Hi Guys,

    That pulley looks to have been cast ! I agree with Michael that the bore would be quite interesting to produce. How deep is it ?
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    I doubt that you will find one out in the wild, particularly if they are prone to cracking like that. A remake may have to be the way to go. That triangular shape could be interesting to produce. Is it straight sided or curved? Go all the way thorugh or just for a small length? What are the overall dimensions? A chunk of Al that size would not be cheap though (just saying).

    Picko, is yours the same or a different shape/ size?

    Michael
    The drive pully just has a 5/8" hole for the motor shaft Michael, and is the same'ish' shape / size.
    Here's a shot of one.

    Drive pulley.jpg

    I can't tell you anything about the driven one because the closest I've ever needed to get to it is to replace the belt. I have a four step on it and for what I do it's OK but I would like to make it original one day if I can.
    My mate has just bought a three head one like this but hasn't picked it up yet. Actually I should say he stole it - $102.50.

    3 heads.jpg

    When he gets it home he'll need to keep an eye on it or a pulley might go walkabout.

  6. #6
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    I doubt that you will find one out in the wild, particularly if they are prone to cracking like that. A remake may have to be the way to go. That triangular shape could be interesting to produce. Is it straight sided or curved? Go all the way thorugh or just for a small length? What are the overall dimensions? A chunk of Al that size would not be cheap though (just saying).
    I turned up a multistep pulley (LHS pulley in image below) for my small (0.5HP) wood working lathe using a piece of 75mm Al round bar.
    I had to do this when I upgraded to a 1HP motor which had a 19mm bore V's the 5/8" bore of the original (RHS in image below)
    The original pulley was hollow and did not have enough metal in the region of the bore to drill it out to 19mm.
    From memory I bought enough Al to make two pulleys (in case I stuffed up) and it cost me about $75!
    Hate to think what a piece for the OPs pulley would cost.

    pulleyf.jpg

    In the end I put a VFD on the lathe and now the belt sits more or less permanently in position #4 from the big end.
    If I do move the belt its only +/- one step.

  7. #7
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    I have seen people online repairing broken cast iron pulleys by clamping in a vice, grinding the cracks, brazing or welding the cracks and finally cleaning the welds by turning the pulley on a lathe.

    As it stands you are unable to use the cracked pulley and might as well make it a weekend / backyard repair project. You can find a few videos on youtube that will help build some excitement into doing this.

    It might be the best alternative while you continue looking for a replacement.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
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    Perth
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    There used to be a company in O'conner WA that mainly sold blank drive pulleys. I bought a new blank drive pulley for my old japanese drill press from them about 5 years back and just bored it to suit.
    Guys from Perth may know if its still around.
    Another option is try and get the required steps in 2 pulleys and match them up to make the 6 steps. the 3 centre keyways would be easy to make with a broacher.

  9. #9
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    I reacon Lance (OP) and I should go halves in a complete Richie and part it out. He takes the driven pulley and I take the drive pulley for starters. In the same auction in which my mate bought the three head unit, there were two other Richardsons, a floor unit and a bench drill. They went for $61 and $51. Had I known he was going to bid on the one he got I would have bid on the others and we could have shared the freight cost.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by kafie1980 View Post
    I have seen people online repairing broken cast iron pulleys by clamping in a vice, grinding the cracks, brazing or welding the cracks and finally cleaning the welds by turning the pulley on a lathe.
    I've welded up damaged Al pulleys, but that one looks like it is zinc die cast - that stuff will not play nicely, so I think the best thing (apart from a donor machine) is to make up a new one.

    Michael

  11. #11
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    Certainly buying a suitably sized lump of aluminium is likely to be expensive, but a couple of alternative options come to mind.
    Option 1 would be to cast a suitable lump and then machine it to specification. I understand that alloy wheels are considered the gold standard for casting, so a trip to the wreckers might be in order to find some cheap accident damaged wheels. Others with considerable casting experience might care to comment on the suitability or otherwise of this idea, and any tricks or pitfalls to watch out for.

    My other idea would be to make a wooden pulley. Some old well seasoned hardwood, perhaps an old Red Gum fence post or similar might work or alternatively something built up with suitable plywood. A metal core to carry any required keyway and with a flange on one end to enable the drive forces to transfer to the pulley could be incorporated if that was considered desirable.
    Good luck with your project.

  12. #12
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    The OP also posted in the woodies forum and a member (Treecycle) iresponded with this interesting link
    http://www.bearing.net.au/wp-content...um-Pulleys.pdf

    The OP will still have to do something about the triangular bore but at least its worth know that the pulleys are supposedly still out there.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ropetangler View Post
    ...Option 1 would be to cast a suitable lump and then machine it to specification.
    My recent experiences with casting suggest that the cost difference in buying a cast lump and machining from billet are not that different - not sure whether that shows how the extra labour for a casting is balanced by the cost of the material that is not there or not...

    I would guess it is about the amount of material that has to be removed from a theoretical billet to get to a casting, but a pulley is pretty compact, so the proportion removed would be less than say recreating the body of a drill press.

    Once the overall dimensions of the pulley is known, the price of material is easy enough to determine. Until then

    Michael

  14. #14
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    Hi Lance, what are the measurements of the pulley, OD and height, PLEASE?
    Asking as I may be able to get a billet offcut from a contact here. Secondly, would you be able to machine it to size yourself, or have a contact there that could do it?
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  15. #15
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    It might be possible to turn the top section of that broken pulley down and fit it into a 6 step pulley, maybe fit that below the smallest pulley groove where there is more meat....

    If I was repairing this drill for myself. I am more into function than form so i would fit a 2 step pulley at each end and a 1 hp 4 pole 3 ph motor with a vfd....so much nicer to use.

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