Method for producing a seamless metallic belt

A method for producing a seamless, continuous metallic belt, said method including the steps of:

• providing a seamless, tubular metal workpiece, the workpiece having an inner circumferential face and an outer circumferential face, wherein the workpiece has an inner circumferential diameter;
• placing the workpiece on a core, the core having a circular cross sectional profile and a diameter less than the inner circumferential diameter of the workpiece;
• heating the core with a heater so that an outer surface of the core expands and contacts and engages the inner circumferential face of the workpiece to hold the workpiece to the core;
• carving material from the workpiece while the surface temperature of the core is at a constant value;
• while increasing the surface temperature of the core, which remains in engaging contact with the workpiece, carving material from the outer circumferential face of the workpiece by applying a cutting tool against the outer circumferential face while rotating the core and the workpiece wherein, in said carving step, material is removed from the workpiece to provide the workpiece with a select outer diameter so as to form a belt having a constant thickness;
• turning off the heater only to cool the core so as to cause thermal contraction of the core away from the belt;
• and
• removing the belt from the contracted core.