filling a pipe to make it act like sold shaft?

BHD · Mar 5, 2014

I have need of a slip roller at least 50" wide, and would like to be able to do 10 gauge, and would like to use it for rolling rings out of flat as well, at the ends, of the machine,

I have looked online and most start in at $800 and up fast, and there only rated for 16 gauge,

first if I would order in steel shafting of 4" I am reasonable sure my costs would start to rival a bought unit,

so the thought I have is to use heavy wall pipe (thinking 4" in diameter or near that), and a 1.5 shaft (or near that) running from end to end, with filler rings on the ends, to support the pipe, (hoping I can find some type of drill stem some where).

HERE IS THE QUESITON, is there any filler material I could pour in the center of the pipe to make it solid that would not disintegrate to dust in time, (like concrete) the idea is to make the pipe work like solid shaft,
any type of epoxy type filler that would be affordable?

the rollers will flex some on heaver gauges,

Gary Fowler · Mar 5, 2014

I would just go with 4" pipe in a heavy wall thickness like schedule 80 or even 120. That should not flex on a 50" length. Maybe also put in s support ring in the middle of the shaft also even though you cant weld it, it will keep the "axle" from flexing in the middle and therefore make it much more rigid.

MechE1 · Mar 5, 2014

BHD. This brand is not really cost effective, but you could use the high durometer stuff. Hapflex 500 Series - HAPCO Inc. There are other brands that my be less expensive. Affordable and epoxy filler "castable" usually do not go together.

grsthegreat · Mar 5, 2014

man, when you start rolling thicker metals over 48" wide...your going to have a tough time with hand cranked slip roller. My Grizzly 50" roller has solid filled rollers and its still limited to 50" x 16 gauge steel. Mind you, if you were wanting to roll say 12" wide pieces, you can go alot thicker. These ratings are for full widths of steel.

Ive seen some 50" units that have electric, computer feeders, and there still rated 16 gauge

RedNeckRacin · Mar 5, 2014

I think your best bet would be a scrap yard. You never know what might turn up! Someone may be scrapping a dragline or a shovel and you could pick up the material you are looking for. If you want new material, some extra heavy walled pipe poured full of molten lead with caps welded on the end may do the trick???

Other than those options, a machine fitted collar to support the outside walls would be what makes sense to me.

Creamer · Mar 5, 2014

Gary Fowler said:
I would just go with 4" pipe in a heavy wall thickness like schedule 80 or even 120. That should not flex on a 50" length. Maybe also put in s support ring in the middle of the shaft also even though you cant weld it, it will keep the "axle" from flexing in the middle and therefore make it much more rigid.

This is good advice. Put a support ring or two in the middle and lock them into position some way axially along the shaft then a schedule 80 pipe. Any material you put in will not have the same stiffness and therefore you will have relative movement and it eventually will be useless. Stiffness is the key to this one - keeping the same material to have the same deflection under the load.

Kenneth S · Mar 6, 2014

Pipe no matter what you do is not going to do it, you need solid shaft. Most people don't know that slip roller shafts are ground with a slight taper (slightly bigger in diameter) in the middle of roller to compensate for roller flex. For rolling 10 gauge a minimum of 4" diameter solid shaft is as light as you can dare go for 50" wide (a machine that rolls 60" x 10 gauge uses 4 3/4" diameter solid shafts).

Dozernut · Mar 6, 2014

Maybe a rod out a large worn out hydraulic cylinder, some of those excavator cylinders have some big rods that might work. Maybe a hydraulic shop would have a junker they would sell you or maybe an old dozer setting in the brush.

Egon · Mar 6, 2014

Get a piece of drill stem or schedule 160 pipe and weld hubs onto the ends. The wall thickness will be enough so you don't have to worry about flex or dents.:thumbsup: