Cheap and Easy Drive Roller

[happycheapskate]

Plasti Dip is $7 at Lowes http://www.lowes.com/pd_42518-61158...plasti+dip&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151&rpp=32

If it doesn't work out on the drive roller, maybe you can use the rest for fixing old tools or even dipping your handlebars in it for grips.

It says "remains flexible and stretchy" so that's probably not what you need for a drive roller, but if you were going to get some anyway, there it is. I think there are a bunch of different kinds, some harder plastic.

 

[beach cruiser]

I have tools that I've dipped almost 15 years ago & they all still feel rubbery. They've all been dropped, kicked, scraped and the coating is still intact. I believe that with the knarled surface of the DAX rollers the contact surface should prove to be an excellent surface to coat. It remains to be seen how wood will perform.

 

[happycheapskate]

I never tried it. I am thinking of trying a piece of cut bike tube with zip ties, since I have 700c tires (flat strip made from old BMX tube, take a piece long enough to wrap the roller a couple times, ziptie in place, wrap so it gets tighter when roller turns tire). It will just be for making it home in the rain if it works.

Usually for the rain, I lower tire PSI to minimum posted pressure on the tire, and cram that roller into it till it stops slipping. I usually lose about 5-10mph but I can drive it up hills and through puddles. Has anybody tried anything else to wrap the roller for a temporary solution, like a wet-dry sanding paper and super glue or any other thing (denim knee patches, 3m scrub pad, etc)? I think hose clamps would be off limits, since they would cause vibration and surely chop up your tire if they made any contact.

 

[happycheapskate]

I think I'll buy the plasti dip I posted earlier. I have some old tools I can coat if it doesn't work, so it won't waste.

 

[motorhedfred]

If you've ever used plasti dip before, you know how it hardens after you open it. I saw something on the cable TV at work today about blowing some inert gas like argon into a can of POR 15 to keep it from setting up in the can, but they used butane instead. If you've got a butane torch, try blowing some unburned butane into the container before you close it back up. Maybe it'll last longer.

By the way, there's guys on this forum who have experience with wooden drive rollers without any coating that say they work really well.

 

[happycheapskate]

Thanks for the tip. I'm interested in the wooden roller idea, but I don't know anyone who'll share a drill press or make one for me. For something this small, it should be ok, but wood rollers can shatter. Guess you could pack a spare since they don't weigh so much.

 

[motorhedfred]

Read the last paragragh of post #248 on this page below....

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=30738&page=25

I'm planning on building one from 1/4" thick red oak discs laminated as described to a roller length of about 3". This would be about 12 plys with the woodgrain rotated about 45 defrees each layer. I'm expecting it to have excellent bite and be very strong. I'm going to use a 3 1/2 " holesaw which will give me about 3 1/4" OD.

A drillpress would be preferable, but if you're careful you should be able to use a coping saw, bandsaw or hand drill to cut them. Where there's a will, there's a way brother. Drill you centerhole, get a long bolt and big washers, glue 'em together and crank the nut down good and tight.

Several layers are much easier to cut and shape than one thick piece.

 

[Wickedest1]

bump up to the top for an informative thread for newbs...like myself...

 

[Lightning Boy]

This thread is worthy of a sticky. Every friction drive rider should see it. I'm late to the party on this one, but it's been very informative reading.

 

[Ludwig II]

To stop a plain wooden roller from breaking up, I think it should be possible to fit a pair of ferrules on the ends, like on a wood chisel.

 

[Lightning Boy]

Ludwig- I use BMX pegs on both my friction bikes. After grinding some lines for traction, they work very well. If you can find one, it will last a long time. I considered oak as well. This led me to scrap the idea of oak entirely.

 

[cannonball2]

I agree on oak not being suitable for smaller rollers, it is better suited to a larger slower turning application starting int the 2" range. I only built one small engined FD, and ultimately ran a BMX peg. Mine was knurled its whole length and worked as was. The diameter was a bit on the high side of the engines power, worked great on the flats. Rubber worked ok, but a small roller on a 2stroke will spin pretty easily and rubber doesnt like that. Older Lawnboy wheel drive rollers work also, but are probably hard to find now.

If one really wanted to run a wood roller, one built from laminated(Gorilla glue) hole sawed plugs of 3/4 plywood will hold up, but requires a long shaft, like from a hand held blower. This method will work for any size engine and roller you got the saws for.