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conveyor belt stuff, joining single-ply PVC flat belts

[486]

[486]

ugh, that guy again?
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
94
Messages
5,320
Loc
pine city MN
I got a basement to dig out
I got a few treadmills
I'm making a conveyor out of the bits to carry the dirt up out the window

Problem I'm running into is that the belts are very hard to join together. Each treadmill is only like 6', means I'd need 4 of them to get the 15 feet what with the overlaps vertical and horizontal, whereas I can cut two belts off and into pieces half-width to get a single 15 foot long conveyor. Less motors, no overlaps to set up.

Problem I'm running into is that the belts aren't as simple to join as I'd hoped.
Sewing machine doesn't got the tension on the thread to do it, it'll punch through and all but the thread just ties up in knots on the underside.
I tried PVC glue and a truck battery to smash it together, sorta kinda almost worked, very weak
tried rubber cement, didn't stick at all, acted like a thermoplastic when I ground the parts flat, tipping me off further that indeed this is PVC I'm working with
Tried the clothes iron, it didn't seem to get hot enough, so tried the underside of a cast iron pan, that was 100% too hot and without nearly enough pressure. I think the clothes iron is getting hot enough but I just can't put enough pressure on it.

tried a hail-mary of PVC glue plus the iron and it seems almost like it might work
brake cleanered, purple primered, glued it together wet, then ironed it out a while, then left it to cool and dry with a truck battery on it overnight, the edges are still a little peel-y though

there's a place local with the proper tools to join these belts, but they want $40 per joint, and I've got a minimum of 3 that would need to be done
they also quoted me $200 for a new belt all together, I forgot to ask if they had anything on the shelf unsold because it is an odd size or the customer didn't pick up

I'd imagine there to be some sort of glue that'll melt it together just like pipe glue does to pipes
Anyone got some magical recipe for joining PVC sheet together?
Anyone got some belting material source I haven't thought of?
Anyone got some stupid penis/asshole jokes?
 
You might try the chemical vulcanizing kits. Other than that, there are metal piano hinge type things that you rivet to both pieces that are typically used in my experience.
 
Heat up some fine stainless mesh and press it into the joint?
 
Yeah your gonna have to use a mechanical splice. That Super thin stuff you gonna have to you the hog ring or riveted joints.

By you go to fleet farm or a store like it and look at the bailer belt splices that’s exactly what your gonna need.

next issue your gonna have is it not being able to get enough traction on the head pulley to pull the the belt and dirt up hill. I would source some of those roller planels that boxes roll on and use them under the belt to roll on.

I have a conveyor built exactly what you need it’s 10-12’ long 16” or so wide. Would be perfect for your application.
 
I've looked at the clipper lacing and it seems excessive, not to mention rather expensive

I can't imagine it taking that much power or tension, it's only got to lift a shovelful of dirt up 10' or so, extremely low production stuff compared to what you're used to panzer, lol

was planning on just having the belt hung out in the air between the two end rollers, then the weight of the material is also further tensioning the belt, less drag from idlers, less complexity, etc
 
Got any farmers you know that deal in spuds or onions? They'll have the lacing setup you need. It's basically a hinge that staples through each joint. Google "RS125 belt lacing" and you'll find everything you need. It's expensive though so you may want to look at renting a belt from an industrial supply shop.
 
junkytj said:
You might try the chemical vulcanizing kits.
Click to expand...
tried the self-vulcanizing rubber cement that bonds patches to tires real good, doesn't even stick at all to this shit

starting to think about buying a couple canvas tarps to cut up and sew together
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clipper-Be...944661?hash=item3fd47da8d5:g:KwIAAOSwPJhd-UgU

$41

s-l1600.jpg
 
Industrial sewing machine? Whole different animal than the normal home machine. I can't image that stuff is any harder to sew than leather, and there's plenty of thick leather sewing out there. Sewing awl might be an option too - again used them plenty for leather work, although it might be a PIA for any significant volume.

http://www.speedystitcher.com/#the-basics

Treadmill belts is a good idea though - never though of that.
 
If you want to try glue again. Use rc car tire glue (ca glue) it bonds the rubber together. Guys with rc crawlers literally build their own tires swapping sidewalls for different wheels, narrowing, ect. Sounds dumb, but The amount of torque applied to those little tires is probably more that you will see. On go fast rigs they just use a few dots to hold the tire to the wheel.

The only issue is the glue is not flexible. When we narrowed tires, you just use a few dot of ca, and then seal it up with shoe goo.

Like panzer said, your bigger issue will be keeping the head pully gripping.

Also really try to keep the dirt in the middle, so it doesn't get inside the belt. Shouldn't be too hard since you're doing it by hand.
​​​​​​
I'm actually surprised conveyors aren't used more in construction. If you had a legit set up like youre talking about, you could probably rent it out for projects like yours. If you set it up right, it could load right into a wheel barrow.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Also really try to keep the dirt in the middle, so it doesn't get inside the belt. Shouldn't be too hard since you're doing it by hand.
​​​​​​
I'm actually surprised conveyors aren't used more in construction. If you had a legit set up like youre talking about, you could probably rent it out for projects like yours. If you set it up right, it could load right into a wheel barrow.
Click to expand...
fully intend to make a plywood funnel so I can just toss dirt at it from 6' away, and it should end up being around 80lbs all together, so certainly one-man portable

I've used CA glue on o-rings... I think it cracks into a bunch of little bits that individually hold the rubber together, kinda odd how it is hard/brittle and all but it doesn't seem to mind having the rubber flexed. Dunno if it'll stick to this PVC at all though. I'll try a small section.
 
[486 said:
;n224162]

I'm at .050" belt thickness
so the common ones are out, gotta go with a number 25 or 30 lacing, and then I run into where I need to get the tool to mash it into the belt which I don't have and don't know anyone that would have one
Click to expand...

Hammer works fine as long as your careful and take your time.
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Hammer works fine as long as your careful and take your time.
Click to expand...

no shit?
I only see it going amazingly poorly haha

will need larger rollers as well, as these ones are only 2" in diameter and I'm imagining the drive roller just spinning on the lacing with the belt stopped
maybe put some radiator hose over the drive roller anyways, for better traction than the weakass knurl they got going on
 
[486 said:
;n224181]

no shit?
I only see it going amazingly poorly haha

will need larger rollers as well, as these ones are only 2" in diameter and I'm imagining the drive roller just spinning on the lacing with the belt stopped
maybe put some radiator hose over the drive roller anyways, for better traction than the weakass knurl they got going on
Click to expand...


Your gonna have to step it up to like a 6” roller. Put some booger welds on it for traction.
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Your gonna have to step it up to like a 6” roller. Put some booger welds on it for traction.
Click to expand...
that's way more beef than I want on this thing
one-man portable and all

well, gonna go to my dad's and see if his sewing machine is any ballsier than mine
really doubt it but w/e
also might have better luck ironing the belt together in a heated shop rather than out on the front porch here
 
Piano hinges on both sides riveted together. If rivets don't work use flat head screws, with the nuts facing outwards.
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Yeah your gonna have to use a mechanical splice. That Super thin stuff you gonna have to you the hog ring or riveted joints.

By you go to fleet farm or a store like it and look at the bailer belt splices that’s exactly what your gonna need.

next issue your gonna have is it not being able to get enough traction on the head pulley to pull the the belt and dirt up hill. I would source some of those roller planels that boxes roll on and use them under the belt to roll on.

I have a conveyor built exactly what you need it’s 10-12’ long 16” or so wide. Would be perfect for your application.
Click to expand...

This is the answer. Looks like the 'Clipper' type splice is the one that requires the least specialized installation. Basically a hammer, an anvil, some vice grips, and a piece of thick flat bar to pound the clip down in 1" increments.

 
YotaAtieToo said:
What about a pinch roller? I mean hell have all the parts from 4 tread mills, so it would be free. Can't hurt right?
Click to expand...

a well placed return roller to get more that 180 degrees of belt contact on the head pulley would help also.
 
Why not go to the rental place and get a damn conveyor? I've used em a couple times to move material in or out of a basement.

Worked with a guy who put a wheelbarrow bucket on a lawnmower deck, and ran it in and out of his crawlspace with a pulley system when he excavated. By the time he was finished it was being powered by a makita wrist breaker drill.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
If I'm thinking about it right, they would have to sit a lot steeper, which could cause an issue.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be a biggy to glue some flights onto the steeper belts. We used to buy flighted belts with 3" paddles that were glued to the belting by the local belt shop. I'd have to imagine there is at least one belt shop anywhere near a decent population center in the country that could supply glue and flights cheap enough.
 
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