Flat Belt Drive Knowledge

[Norman Warfield]

I am in need of a Flat Belt to drive a lathe. I am in also in need of learning about them.

Where can I get education on Flat Belts and their related hardware?

Thanks...

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Norm'

[John Lawson]

If you don't mind dismantling the spindle, go to yur local belt and drive Company and order a one piece heavy duty synthetic belt; it will not stretch. Stay away from leather belts uless you want to install the new one without disassembling your headstock; the metal joiner with a rawhide pin makes it easy to install a new belt, but leather will stretch in time and has to be re-adjusted on a regular basis

[wierdscience]

S-1 drive belting,it's yellow rubber on one side,green rubber on the other and has a black nylon/rayon core.
You can get it with the Clipper lacing installed.
Check and see if you have an Applied Industrial Technoligies branch near you,they have a rubber house that will make any belt size/length you need.
They will ask you for the application,diameter of the driving and driven pullies,width and of course length.

There is also a tan drive belt,but the S-1 will deliver much more power and is not effected by humidity or oil.

[precisionworks]

McMaster has a good selection http://www.mcmaster.com/

I used http://www.mcmaster.com/itm/find.ASP...string=6355K33 on my South Bend. You'll also Alligator Lace No. 20 to join the ends of the belt.

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Barry Milton

[J Tiers]

A recent issue of Gas Engine Magazine had a decent article in two parts on belts.

Flat belts aren't too tough though. Smooth side towards pulley. Smooth pulleys hold best, but must be clean. Rubber and canvas is nicer than leather. Release tension after use.

There's lots more.

[Evan]

On cleaning flat belts the best solvent is alcohol, specifically isopropanol. You can get it as gas line water remover. I use a scriber to poke a hole in the cap without opening it.

[andy_b]

Norm,

what kind of lathe is it? i have an old South Bend and an even older LeBlond, both with leather belts. to me, a pre-WW II lathe just NEEDS a leather belt.


if you are in a production environment, maybe a leather belt isn't the way to go, but for a hobbyist, even with a lot of use, leather isn't that bad. the one on my SB looks just like it did the day i put it on almost two years ago. i don't clean it or oil it or do anything to it other than release the tension when i'm not using it. i haven't even had to adjust it since i installed it and first set the tension.

andy b.

[Norman Warfield]

It's an old Montgomery Ward Powercraft. It use will be as a second lathe and for my small one off shop, for fun and very occasionally, profit.

I was going to convert it, but it sort of inspires my nostalgic interest.It is in great shape, the ways look as if they haven't been used.

The thing that's wrong is someone jammed up the feed gears and tore off some teeth on four of the gears. I am presently trying to locate a source for them.

Thanks for your interest...

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Norm'
If it isn't broken, why do I keep trying to fix it??