Rubber(?) tubing used as wheel/roller traction material

[Monochron]

I remember seeing multiple posts about teams using some sort of rubber (urethane?) tubing from McMaster as traction material for wheels and rollers that came in outer-diameters as high as 4". The idea being that that you could stretch the material over the roller or wheel.

I have found latex tubing on McMaster but the OD only goes up to 1.5". Does anyone have a source for something larger? Or maybe has a link to one of the old threads talking about it? For reference I believe the old CD threads were about using tubing to make custom intake wheels for Recycle Rush.

[cadandcookies]

You're looking for polyurethane tubing: http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3601/=10rmz4b

Goes up to 2.5" ID.

I believe it was AdamHeard who had a spreadsheet for what VexPro pulleys you could put it around to make wheels.

[jwfoss]

Additionally teams have had success with Gum Rubber tubing from McMaster.

[BoilerMentor]

Silicone is a pretty solid option if you're looking for grip and it's available from mcmaster up to 2.75" OD. There are some tricks using inflation or an evaporating liquid lubricant, like ethanol to slide it on. We're using Silicone over PVC with custom 500 hex plugs.

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

You're looking for polyurethane tubing: http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3601/=10rmz4b

Goes up to 2.5" ID.

I believe it was AdamHeard who had a spreadsheet for what VexPro pulleys you could put it around to make wheels.

Thanks that's exactly what I was looking for. Urethane tubing "without the "poly" returns a much smaller subset of IDs.

And the other suggestions of gum rubber are great, thanks for that as well.

[philso]

Originally Posted by BoilerMentor

Silicone is a pretty solid option if you're looking for grip and it's available from mcmaster up to 2.75" OD. There are some tricks using inflation or an evaporating liquid lubricant, like ethanol to slide it on. We're using Silicone over PVC with custom 500 hex plugs.

It was pretty funny seeing people's reaction to Pit Admin announcing our request for "alcohol" at a regional.

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by jwfoss

Additionally teams have had success with Gum Rubber tubing from McMaster.

Do you happen to know how grippy and how wear resistant gum rubber is compared to polyurethane? Everything I have found indicates that poly is a bit more wear resistant but I'm not familiar enough with either to guess how well it would hold up during competition.

[Jacob Paikoff]

We have used drawer liner from Home Depot for years as a roller material and it works great. Link

In 2009 we experimented with a number of different styles until we found one that worked the best and used it that year, 2012, 2014 and will again this year.

Not exactly rubber tubing, but it might be useful.

[Bruceb]

If you are looking for this to cover intake rollers I am not sure it is needed.
We prototyped with plain ole PVC pipe and those grippy balls got sucked right in.

Just sayin

[RoboAlum]

Originally Posted by Bruceb

If you are looking for this to cover intake rollers I am not sure it is needed.
We prototyped with plain ole PVC pipe and those grippy balls got sucked right in.

Just sayin

How has that pvc intake held up or did you move away from the idea?