belt clamps

[mxk]

If someone can send me or point me to an STL file I would be willing to try and print a few.

[bdring]

This might be easier to fabricate. The belt folds over on itself in the slot. This could be routed with a 1/16" end mil with slight changes to the tooth profile, but still on the same pitch.

[frob]

This might be easier to fabricate. The belt folds over on itself in the slot. This could be routed with a 1/16" end mil with slight changes to the tooth profile, but still on the same pitch.

Neat idea
it just crossed my mind that you could simplify it even further, if you used thicker 3/8 or 1/2 acrylic or Al bar -
mill the slot only partway down, leaving a solid rib at the bottom keeping both sides joined the full length of the slot -
then you could either have just one or 2 mounting holes in the center - and still have an uninterrupted slot if that's better-
if the belt goes with the slide permanently i'd be tempted to to glue it in there with epoxy anyways so it cant come loose in handling.

[bdring]

This worked great. It is 3/8" delrin. The belt folds over on itself. I was not able to pull the belt out. The thicker delrin also puts a "cap" on it so it cannot pull out sideways once installed. I may make it out of 5/16" delrin. it will be cheaper and less material to cut.

I cut it with a 1/16 dia. 0.50 len 2 flute end mill. I cut 0.2 per pass at 35 ipm.

[luiscp]

It seems that you could make it without the tooth on one side if you just fold it over it self and then maybe put a small pin in the loop of the belt that was formed, the width of the gap will just be the thickness of the 2 belt tooth over tooth. That way it will be a lot simpler to fabricate and not worry about the tooth profile in the clamp.

[IPvFletch]

If he made the gap the right thickness, he doesn't need a pin. It can be folded and slide in from the side. It will NEVER come out, esp. if you then screw this piece to the carriage. It can't even slide back out from the side. I think only one side is open/exposed too.. Great design!

[bdring]

@luiscp

That is an interesting idea. You could make the pin right in the delrin because the groove does not go all the way down. Realistically this needs to be done with at least a 1/16 end mill, so it will come down to whether or not that relatively wide slot width will work. I have noticed that various belt suppliers have different thicknesses of the flat side area. If I recall correctly, the recommended tension on MXL belt is around 6-8 pounds, so this does not need to be super strong.

[frob]

That is an interesting idea. You could make the pin right in the delrin because the groove does not go all the way down. ... If I recall correctly, the recommended tension on MXL belt is around 6-8 pounds, so this does not need to be super strong.

Love it!
While i'm sure that would work fine, why not kill 2 birds with one stone and just put 2 mounting screws as pins and call it a day ? i almost cant imagine anything simpler after that

[bdring]

The built in pin idea worked great! This holds as much as I cal pull. Super simple, elegant, easy to install, priceless. I will make the rest this way. Great brainstorming session folks!

[Enraged]

That looks fantastic! I think I'll make one of those for my Shapeoko too