Making Closed Loop GT2 Belts?

[kbrown]

Hi,

Does anyone have a good method of making your own closed loop GT2 timing belts? After watching a few u-tube videos I decided to 3D print a little template that allows me to cut the belt diagonally so that the teeth match up:

Then I joined it into a loop using a piece of fabric ribbon on the back side of the belt and super glue.

It works okayish. The joint is pretty strong. The only problem is that the joint area is rather stiff. It's ok for larger pulleys but with smaller ones it's struggling to bend around it and causes some extra tension on the system.

Wonder if contact glue would old up? Any other ideas?

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I use the same template/method, but I use other printed part(s), that allow the 2 halves to be securely held, then use a very thin, flexible film, super-glued, across the joint, and with the glue seeping into the joint to hold to two edges together...

[kbrown]

17 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I use the same template/method, but I use other printed part(s), that allow the 2 halves to be securely held, then use a very thin, flexible film, super-glued, across the joint, and with the glue seeping into the joint to hold to two edges together...

Would love to see your other printed parts

[Dr_Ju_ju]

They are all on Thingiverse e.g. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3085586/files  and as this one also has an OPENSCAD file, you can design your own....

[kbrown]

I just tried glueing only the diagonally cut edges without anything extra on the outside of the belt. Seems plenty strong and a lot more flexible than my previous attempt:

Just need to print some kind of a jig to hold the ends aligned while gluing. I did this one just by hand as a test... Used this glue: https://www.everbuild.co.uk/products/adhesives/superglues-and-activators/industrial-superglue-hv/

Edited October 1, 2022 by kbrown

[Chriske]

This is how I've done it a few times.
And it will work on very small poullies. It is incredibly strong..!
It is not my YT movie...!

 

[kbrown]

1 hour ago, Chriske said:

This is how I've done it a few times.
And it will work on very small poullies. It is incredibly strong..!
It is not my YT movie...!

 

Not sure what belt this is but it looks coarser than GT2. I feel GT2 is too fine for putting pins in or at least it would be incredibly fiddly to achieve. At least with my eye sight and a bunch of frankfurters for fingers 

I've seen some jigs that allow drilling a 0.5mm PCB drill bit through the teeth but I don't think I'll go there... yet.

Edited October 3, 2022 by kbrown

[Chriske]

it is GT2 I used a few times..😉