Best way to connect to stepper motor

[toozie21]

I have some stepper motors that i want to use in a project. They look a lot like this:


I have a feeling that they were ripped out of an old printer/plotter. What I am not sure, is how to handle the sprocket-like part on the shaft (don't know the real name for it, maybe cog belt gear?). I assume that it is pressed on, so there is no way to remove it, so do people just drill a hole into it for a homemade setscrew, or do you buy the belts somewhere? How should I best proceed?

 

[LightUp]

... What I am not sure, is how to handle the sprocket-like part on the shaft (don't know the real name for it, maybe cog belt gear?). I assume that it is pressed on, so there is no way to remove it, so do people just drill a hole into it for a homemade setscrew, or do you buy the belts somewhere? How should I best proceed?

The best way to remove a gear or pulley is to use a "wheel/gear puller" for press fitted items.
This guy made his own; http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-and-Simple-Gear-Puller/
You can Google for more similar ideas.

 

[toozie21]

Ah, OK, like you have to do with a pulley on an small engine (I was actually reading up on those last weekend). OK, that makes sense. What do you put on in its place?

 

[LightUp]

... What do you put on in its place?

That depends on what you use it for. It could be a gear, pulley, or an arm for linkage control, .... or a hand of a clock.