I made a belt tensioner because I though it could solve problems. In my internship, I do a lot of Solidworks so I decided to pratice before going to HK.
It’s also much more fun doing my own parts then doing tutorials.
Oh I love Solidworks! I can’t believe I have been using Google Sketchup all that time, what a shame! All my friends where saying, try it, it’s easy! Yes it is easy!
I’ve use Charles technique to parallel a part on the mill. You place a perfectly rounded bar in the T slot of your table. Then take you part and touch that bar. It will be parallel with the table. (You like what I use for circular rod? yeah I know!)
Look at the bearing placement. The best way is the bottom picture. It is impossible for the aluminium bracket to pop out of the assembly since the lip of the bearing is holding everything. On the first picture, vibration could will make the bracket come out.
I bought that spring saying “Thats the ONE!”. I then brought it home and my dad start laughing at my spring saying it’s scrap. I didn’t believe him… Ok DAD your RIGHT, it’s a piece of crap, it’s loose and way to flimsy! I need to find a better one, aka Stiffer. I need to figure a way where I could screw to adjust the tension on the spring. Something that pulls on one end.
Since I wrote this post in august and took me time to post it, I was able to show this to a guy at work and he told me that it should not even be a spring. It should be adjustable rigid link. When I roll with my scooter, you can see the thing vibrate and follow every movement of the belt.
The thing is, I thought that having a belt tensioner would get tension on the belt without consuming more current. I can use the bolts that connects to the shaft to tight the belt and that will be very stiff . This also makes the motor consume so much more current then having a little loose on the belt corrected by a belt tensioner. I still have time to think about it.
<EDIT> After posting on facebook, my friend Louis Moreau said the same comment on the static pressure and not using a spring. Here is his drawing!
Thanks Louis!