Replace rack with belt?
 

Trying to build a machine that is belt driven any Ideas where I can get the belts and gears ?:rolleyes:

Look at the open-ended timing belts at www.sdp-si.com. You'll also find some posts about using timing belts on the CNCZone forum. (Personally, I think that using flexible timing belts would be more costly and require more maintenance than using rack/pinion.)

Thanks for the information Richard I'm Stilll looking at both options

Belt drives
 

Although I do not recommend a chain, nor have used it, there is a possibility of another type of drive.

If you use a chain. like a bycicyle chain, drive that with the pulley, you can get controlled motion.

There are a few down sides.
#1) the chain will stretch. that means it really is not all that good.
#2) because of the way the chain would be used, the actual drive will not be perfectly linear. each link would impart a tiny cogging motion. maybe so small as not to have any worry ?
#3) chain is not really less expensive than the gear and rack.

the photo would be upside down. the chain would be laying on the lower rail.

Just an idea, it is not recommended.

I think that if you were to look and look and look, you will find that Gerald has already picked the best pieces and the easiest ones to get and to make and to work with.

Dave

here is a photo of a belt drive. a chain would be similar.

And, it would be a lot of work and trial and error and there is no real support on how to make it work.

Dave

Lets not forget that Gerald's rack and pinion solution is tried and true with little to no maintenance required. Plus as was noted, there is support for the rack design here.