am new here and i am only going to work on my own stuff (i.e make the wife and i some rods), any way am on the cheep and built my wrapper and got a singer motor and speed controller.

but what i need to make or find is the big wheel (speed reduction wheel that connects to the rod chuck), i have seen a few in the pictures shown around here but no explanation on how they were made.

any suggestions?
thanks

Are you talking about the thing called a pulley?

Probably cheaper to buy. Most good hardware stores (not Lowes or Home Depot) will have a selection. You may have to rig up a sleeve or arbor to mount to your motor shaft.

Graingers, if you have one locally, will almost surely have a wide variety of aluminum pulleys.

.................

any suggestions on the "pulley" size?

The larger the pulley on the headstock in relation to the one on the motor, the slower the chuck will turn. Slower is usually better for a beginner. I have seen headstock pulleys on home-made wrapping machines that were 10 inches in diameter. Just remember that as you move up in size, you increase the back turning resistance against the motor. So a slower set up also means you'll have a little harder time backing the rod up to correct mistakes. It's not a big deal unless you're working with very small diameter blanks.

...........................

Terry here is a photo of my home made Lathe,pulley is 7 1/2"

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I have used old (empty) plastic leader spools or line spools - even plastic clothesline pullies - and vacuum cleaner belts to turn wrappers and driers. I find them adequate and very cost-effective, since I don't build a lot of rods.

thanks everyone for the help and the conversation