# Baler Belt Alternatives



## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm looking at an impeller kit project where the flap will be projecting close to 1/2". The common baler belt I see like at Tractor Supply seems like it will get folded back quite a bit. 

Have there been any good experiences with other materials like UHMW or urethane?

Thanks,
Pete


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## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

I saw a guy on another forum use a cheap cutting board. The white kind that are made of Polypropylene or Nylon Plastic. It worked out pretty good.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I dunno, Pete. I think UHMW or HDPE or anything like that is maybe too hard. Why not try backing about half the distance with light steel plate? It'd still be rigid but would have some forgivness in it as well.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Motor City said:


> I saw a guy on another forum use a cheap cutting board. The white kind that are made of Polypropylene or Nylon Plastic. It worked out pretty good.


Hah! That's what I make my blower skids from.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Spectrum said:


> I'm looking at an impeller kit project where the flap will be projecting close to 1/2". The common baler belt I see like at Tractor Supply seems like it will get folded back quite a bit.
> 
> Have there been any good experiences with other materials like UHMW or urethane?
> 
> ...



Hi Pete

Sandwich a metal bracket on each side of the baler belt extension which extends out past the impeller to take up some of the distance. The metal bracket will support the belt and keep it from bending over

We had a 2 inch snowfall the other day and the snow plow pushed up 6 inches along the end of the driveway. I went out with the MTD tonight and it tossed the snow 40 to 50 feet. I threw it towards the power lines and it seem to almost touch them. This is what a tight impeller kit will do.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

If I recall correctly one used truck flaps and or cheap tire sides but I may be corrected for making SS flaps out of them.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Normex said:


> If I recall correctly one used truck flaps and or cheap tire sides but I may be corrected for making SS flaps out of them.


_sixtyfiveford_ on youtube made ss paddles out of sidewalls. I think he may be a member here.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

sounds like i need to hit the dollar store. i was considering doing this upgrade but the mud flaps i was looking at seemed too thick and heavy


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## JohnL (Nov 14, 2014)

Sidewall from a junk tire!!!!!!!!!!!


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

I've got some used toro s-620 paddles which are much thicker than the rubber pieces that comes with the Clarence kit, you might want to look for some used s-200 / 620 paddles


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## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> I dunno, Pete. I think UHMW or HDPE or anything like that is maybe too hard. Why not try backing about half the distance with light steel plate? It'd still be rigid but would have some forgivness in it as well.


I agree, you could not let that stuff ride on the inner impeller housing like the rubber flap kits do. there's a guy on youtube that had a video up of a harder type flap kit, my gosh that thing made so much noise it sounded like an engine that was ready to toss a rod through the block. way too noisy.

you may want to try a tractor/truck supply store and buy thick mudflaps and cut them.

the key isn't the material, it's the backing plate. that's why the Ebay impeller kits with the steel plates/hardware are in reality, a deal. you don't have to go find and buy all that stuff, or cut your own backing plates.

my challenge isn't throwing distance, it's the fact that this year, there's been very little snow, and what we do get is crap wet snow that melts in a day, and the ground is not frozen so blowing snow becomes an exercise in futility, if not stupidity- unless you have a concrete or paved driveway.

but there's something about a paved driveway that feels like living in a guilded cage. I like natural surroundings, including dirt roads.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

First off, thanks for all of the input so far.

As background I'm looking at something that will need to go into small scale production, not a one of a kind arts and crafts project. I've done one that way. Now I'm trying to go from something that worked to the best thing that will work because I'll be spending real money. All that being said I need to stay with a commercial material that can go on a water jet, punch pres or laser cutter. 

An actual blade extension, clamping plate and hardware seem to be givens. A metal backer to help stiffen the flap would be an extra cost item #4 that I'd like to avoid.

In my limited experience the Clarence type kits may rub initially but soon burnish in and run with a slight clearance. Is that the common thing for you folks? My design intent is to have the kit install with a slight airgap but for the sake of deflection and so forth want to stay non-metalic so it doesn't become a spark shooter.

Please keep the ideas coming!

Thanks,
Pete


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I don't see many options Pete, other than some type of belting material or other rubber based product. As greatwhitebuffalo pointed out, anything hard is going to sound horrible. Also in cold temps I'd figger that solid materials such as HDPE are going to get a little more brittle? If you're going for a good, quality small production, people will or should be willing to pay for that quality. I still say steel backed/belting is the way to go.
Wishing you all the very best in your venture.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Like buzzard mentioned, the old school s200,620 flapper blades do a great job(need a punch to make way for bolts, but pretty straight forward). My buddy is a master at welding and he thinks he can just add a bead of weld and grind it smooth. Measurements and complete removal of the system are required, but most of us do that anyway. Every time I weld, I burn holes in stuff I'm wearing and near the bench


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Hello Pete. I am not familiar with bailer belt, but I have worked with conveyor belt material. It is always a corded material which will hold up to extreme wear the same as most single stage snow blower paddles. I found this company and I'm sure there are many others.

Used Conveyor Belting | Repurposed Materials- Repurposed Materials

They have some 1/4" x 28 1/2" x 12' ($45) listed under the Chicago warehouse section. Just something for your consideration.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

I'd be interested in finding a material like this for an impeller seal.
Kage Innovation
I sure wish I cold have tested this out for everyone. I have a bunch of this still left over, I should have tried it on a working machine that I own.
hdpe-impeller-seals.html


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

what about a Floor Squeegee? they are fairly cheap, the rubber is usually fairly stiff and long enough that you should probably be able to do 2 snow blowers with 1 squeegee


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## countryboymo (Oct 13, 2014)

I might be able to source some good used industrial plant conveyer belting.


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## treedasher (Dec 1, 2014)

I just picked up some old grain conveyor belt(about 2'x1') from the girlfriends family farm. It seems stiff enough to hold yet bend if it needs to. Now I just need some snow to test it on.


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## jermar (Dec 10, 2014)

A friend was changing the rubber blade on his Toro single stage. I cut the rubber, and let it rub fairly hard against the barrel. I sprayed silicone to help it break in. I used POR15 to coat the impeller blades. Great improvement for two years! Next year I'll use POR15 epoxy to coat the inside of the barrel for a smoother finish.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

jtclays said:


> Like buzzard mentioned, the old school s200,620 flapper blades do a great job(need a punch to make way for bolts, but pretty straight forward). My buddy is a master at welding and he thinks he can just add a bead of weld and grind it smooth. Measurements and complete removal of the system are required, but most of us do that anyway. Every time I weld, I burn holes in stuff I'm wearing and near the bench


I have welded steel plates to a few impellers that had more than 1/4" clearance and fitted them using an angle grinder to get 1/16" clearance. On machines that only need a little help I have welded a bead to the impeller edge and again fit it with a angle grinder both methods work very well depending on the machine and will last a very long time.


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## Classic Blower (Jan 19, 2014)

*New Honda Paddles*

Pete; - you can go here; Snowthrower Paddle Replaces Toro 23-3730 ($8.82) and buy new paddles - 2-5/8" x 17" for about $ 9.00 each.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Canvas Belting*

Having grown up on a farm, there are many different widths and thickness' of canvas belt. Try some place that handle farm materials and see what they have. Another is drive belting - where a motor or tractor pulley powers a piece of equipment via a belt. We had a grain elevator that had a belt drive that ran from the electric motor to the elevator. It was about 2"-3" wide and very stiff though I don't know how waterproof it was. Look for something for line shaft setups.

Goodluck


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

I as well grew up on a farm and we had flat belts running some implements for cutting lumber as well. I'm thinking though if you happen to have an amish community nearby, they run most of everything with belts. Just saying.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Normex said:


> I as well grew up on a farm and we had flat belts running some implements for cutting lumber as well. I'm thinking though if you happen to have an amish community nearby, they run most of everything with belts. Just saying.


Excellent idea, didn't have amish near us but we had some things than ran via belt.


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