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Delrin, how strong is it?

Ultradog MN

Cast Iron
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Not sure if strong describes it but...
I have to make the tracks and gliders for a couple of sliding closet doors. They are big, heavy old doors. Easily 100+ lbs each.
I can cut, drill, weld and fabricate so making steel tracks aren't a problem. And I can turn some simple wheels. Say 2.5" dia, 1" wide with a 3/8" slot in the od that would follow the tracks. Let's say a 1/2" bolt for the axle
Steel or brass would work fine but I don't want them to be noisy as they roll. Was thinking a material like delrin would be quieter but I'm wondering if it would be up to carrying the weight of the doors - for many years.
Ultimately they would get enclosed so you'd have to cut out the sheetrock if they ever needed to be serviced.
Thoughts?
 
'Delrin' covers quite a selection. I think you'll be able to find one that would work. My own experience with it has been fairly good, but it has poor abrasion resistance. Performance as a bearing would depend a lot on the finish of your axles. How many wheels on each door? I think if it were me I'd use a sealed bearing insert in a plastic or hard rubber wheel.
 
Delrin will be more than strong enough for the loads you're talking about. But they may be noisier than a slightly "softer" plastic like a nylon or UHMW polyethylene.

Make some test parts to see how they perform before finishing the surrounds. The materials are cheap enough, the parts are simple enough that you can do some trials at minimal cost.

I would incorporate an actual bearing into the roller, not count on direct plastic-to-bolt contact for the rolling action.
 
2 wheels carry 50 pounds each, 4 wheels carry 25 pounds each. Smooth track and smooth axles will make something for your grandchildren to worry about. And you can make extra wheels and tack them to a joist in the basement. Use a shoulder screw/bolt for the axle. And at that diameter it is not so hard to press in a few ball bearings. I would use R10s with a .625 shoulder bolt/screw. Because I buy fookin thousands of them every few months. Turn some grooves in the OD and squeeze in some polyurethane O rings if you want real quiet. Wheels riding on the bottom of a track will roll over whatever settles there, wheel riding on a thick blade? Not so much.
 








 
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