Motorized Bead Roller

[Goosesdad]

Not a harbor freight fan but for my needs this was a $500 solution instead of a $1500+ solution for a proper motorized bead roller.

In the end it works pretty well and allows me to work without an assistant turning a crank.

Took about a weekend to build, parts list and pics below. The HF bead roller flexes a ton and needs to be stiffened. I found a lot of help on Metalmeet.com. And Youtube of course.

The most challenging part was machining the hub of the winch to fit the countershaft sproket....proper alignment and accurate machining was key so that the sprocket fit tightly but given that the hub is hollow it was important not to go to far on the lathe. The pics should define the process but glad to provide more info.

Some manageable downsides:
The speed is a little fast, right about 5RPM but this was the slowest that could be achieved given the constraints of the winch motor and the available sprocket sizes. I spent significant time working this out trying to get to 4RPM. For a rookie bead roller, slower is better.
Also the winch runs out a bit after the button is released, just the nature of the high torque motor and the limited load placed on it.
Do a better job than I did on stiffening the crappy HF beadroller, it will pay off.
Also, do a better job with the tension adjuster. Use a wheel or at least a larger handle for more leverage. A depth gauge for this adjuster so you could duplicate beads easily would be helpful.

Harbor Freight:
Bead Roller
120V Winch

Amazon
Countershaft sprocket: Tsubaki 35B15F-1 Finished Bore Sprocket, Single Strand, Inch, #35 ANSI No., 3/8" Pitch, 15 Teeth, 1" Bore
Masterlink: Koch 7535040 Roller Chain Connector Link, 4-Pack, #35
Chain: Koch 7435100 Roller Chain, #35, 10 Feet
Bearing: Hub City FB260URX1 Flange Block Mounted Bearing, 2 Bolt, Normal Duty, Relube, Setscrew Locking Collar, Narrow Inner Race, Cast Iron Housing, 1" Bore,
Sprocket: W.A.O. GO CART / MINI BIKE SPROCKET..72 TOOTH / # 35 CHAIN
Hub: Live Axle Sprocket Holder Hub