In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:

E Kinney wrote:

I've never thought of a chain hoist as a precision machine. Does the
friction material have to be perfectly round that you have to do all the
steps you have described?
Why not just use the technique for making common gaskets?

That's simply the only way I know of to cut clean disks in tough rubber
sheets. How would you do it? The OD would be pretty easy, could cut that
with tin snips. But the ID - oy vey. Well, maybe a hole saw would work.

No, it isn't precision, but the closer you cut it to perfect, the more
material you have that bears so the better it will work. You could hack
out the middle with a chisel and make a square hole, but the friction
disc would have less bearing area ..

I bet in the old days the friction material was heavy leather. With
modern adhesives, especially urethane, one can face-glue multiple sheets
to make the needed thickness, if a single piece cannot be obtained.

As for cutting, given that this is a one off, a scrollsaw or a coping
saw and a jewelers bench pin
(http://www.contenti.com/products/ben...s/110-253.html) could work.

Make up a full-scale drawing on paper, temporarily glue to stock, cut to
line, remove paper.

Joe Gwinn