DIY excavation conveyor belt?

[Stephen Tashiro]

Anyone ever seen plans for a DIY conveyor belt for excavation work? (My feet get sore pushing a wheelbarrow.)

The only part of the design that seems mysterious to me is the belt itself. What material would one use for it? I suppose that in the old days people used leather for such belts. Nowadays that would be expensive.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I contemplated building one, once, and had the same question as you. I figured I could build a frame, some PVC-pipe rollers at the ends, and attach a motor, but what about the belt? The best idea I had (didn't actually try it) was some large intertubes, cut into flat pieces, and "stitched" together with zip ties or something similar. I'm also curious if anyone has actually built one and has better ideas.

[Jamie Buxton]

Why not use standard conveyor belting? For instance, McMaster-Carr offers it in a dozen different grades, in widths from 2" to 24". They'll sell it to you by the foot, or even make it up into a loop for you.

[Stephen Tashiro]

The McMaster-Carr link is a very interesting site!

The way that I visualize an excavation conveyor, it would have the belt attached to something like a pair of bicycle chains arranged like those in this old hay conveyor project: http://www.vintageprojects.com/farm-construction/conveyor-elevator-farm-plans.html , which calls for something called "No. 55 binder chain". (Was that chain a familiar farm item? )

It isn't clear to me if the belt could be driven in some simpler way, like a friction drive. I don't know how modern excavation conveyors drive their belts. ( http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/c_series_conveyor/c_series_conveyor.shtml )

[Russ Filtz]

It isn't clear to me if the belt could be driven in some simpler way, like a friction drive. I don't know how modern excavation conveyors drive their belts. ( http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/c_series_conveyor/c_series_conveyor.shtml )

The drives themselves are typically either pulley/belt (like most table saws) or direct gear drive. That setup powers the head pulley. The ultimate drive to the belting is either friction as the belt goes around the head pulley, or the head pulley can be a sprocket (like a bicycle) and the belting is attached to chains that are driven by the sprockets.

Here's a pic of a typical idler conveyor drive, but notice it's done wrong, motor hanging over the belt! The drive pulleys & rubber drive belt is hidden in the metal box behind the motor.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t67/Krustyboomer/gvlmag.jpg