JOSHUA WALL/

Neolt drafting desk

Reverse-engineered and fabricated a replacement counterbalance cable pulley for a Neolt drafting desk.

Reverse engineering · Mechanism interfaces · Prototyping

Original light-coloured counterbalance cable pulley beside the dark fabricated replacement
Original and replacement

What I did

  • Recorded the existing pulley from several directions to capture its winding groove geometry, changing profile, and interfaces.
  • Modelled the replacement geometry, 3D-printed a new pulley, and reassembled the desk for use.

Design

Exploded assembly reference — view 1
Exploded assembly reference
Reference images showing the non-standard wheel profile — view 1 Reference images showing the non-standard wheel profile — view 3 Reference images showing the non-standard wheel profile — view 8 Reference images showing the non-standard wheel profile — view 11
Reference images showing the non-standard wheel profile
Original and fabricated counterbalance cable pulleys — view 1 Original and fabricated counterbalance cable pulleys — view 2
Original and fabricated counterbalance cable pulleys
Assembled desk in use — view 1
Assembled desk in use

Model

The replacement counterbalance cable pulley in three dimensions, viewed from above one side