Splicing a serpentine belt

[gellfex]

Amazingly, there doesn't already seem to be a thread specifically on this. I'm ready to stop using a metal laced leather belt on my Logan 200. I've seen all sorts of ideas scattered around, from lacing to cord stitched to hog rings to CA glue to Shoe Goo. What say you???

I like the idea of CA gluing after sanding down 2" laps to the cords, but there's references to flexible formulas rather than plain vanilla.

[Doozer]

CA glue with a diagonal scarf joint seems best in my mind.
Hog rings will rip through, as they will be in between the chords.
You can order REAL flat belting from McMaster Carr.
Be it textile or leather belting.

-Doozer

[Mr Fixit]

Hi Gellflex,

I have done this with my South Bend tool room 9" and it has been running for over 8 yrs on the same belt and works like a charm. I'm a HSM and have had crashes or too deep of cuts before, it does slip in these situations, but then it might be how tight I have it adjusted. Other wise it works great .

The pictures show how I came up with a method of cutting a serpentine belt from the local NAPA auto parts. I took a string and found the length I needed and then went to the NAPA store and found a belt that was close to the same length. The wood pieces are assembled together with screws. the plywood was one piece the first time and I attached the 2x4 to it and ran it through the table saw. I've kept them just in case I need to do another but all is good so far.



Hopefully this gets you started in the right direction. Feel free to ask and I will try to answer any questions.

TX
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

[Stepside]

I used a uded timing belt that I cut long tapers on. Twisted the belt and cut both tapers at the same time. Glued them in place with ShooGoo. Clamped ti together between two aluminum plates. It works very well and has lasted for years. The lathe gets a lot of use and there have been zero problems.

[Mcgyver]

I've done it by scarfing the belt on sander held in a vise, then clamping with shoe glue, I think it was shogoo. It worked, but wasn't as smooth at I wanted it (driving a small lathe). Its just hard to get a perfect joint and any deviation sets up vibration as the joint goes over the pulley. If its at all a fussy application one of the link belts might be a better

[Paul Alciatore]

I have a serpentine belt on my SB-9. I took the old, leather belt to a local auto store and they matched it.

I did not cut and splice it. Instead, I disassembled the spindle and the back gear shaft and installed it whole. When I took the spindle apart I found that it was a real good thing that I did because the felt oilers had worn down to the springs and those springs were rubbing on the journal bearing. I ordered new oilers which I used before reassembling the spindle.

It has run well ever since. If you have an old lathe with a journal bearing in the head stock, I strongly recommend disassembly.

[gellfex]

Hi Gellflex,

I have done this with my South Bend tool room 9" and it has been running for over 8 yrs on the same belt and works like a charm. I'm a HSM and have had crashes or too deep of cuts before, it does slip in these situations, but then it might be how tight I have it adjusted. Other wise it works great .

The pictures show how I came up with a method of cutting a serpentine belt from the local NAPA auto parts. I took a string and found the length I needed and then went to the NAPA store and found a belt that was close to the same length. The wood pieces are assembled together with screws. the plywood was one piece the first time and I attached the 2x4 to it and ran it through the table saw. I've kept them just in case I need to do another but all is good so far.

Your method looks fascinating. I think most people use a razor and a jig to cut it. What glue did you use? It seems glue choice is key to success in this. I hadn't thought a long scarf like that would work, most of what I had seen was lap joints of the flat sides.

I have some Aquaseal glue and liquid Cotol Accelerator for it that I use for latex drysuit gaskets. I wonder if it would be a good glue choice.

[gellfex]

I have a serpentine belt on my SB-9. I took the old, leather belt to a local auto store and they matched it.

I did not cut and splice it. Instead, I disassembled the spindle and the back gear shaft and installed it whole. When I took the spindle apart I found that it was a real good thing that I did because the felt oilers had worn down to the springs and those springs were rubbing on the journal bearing. I ordered new oilers which I used before reassembling the spindle.

It has run well ever since. If you have an old lathe with a journal bearing in the head stock, I strongly recommend disassembly.

The Logan 200 has a taper bearing. I've never messed with it.

[Mr Fixit]

HI Gellflex,

Here is the product that I used and was suggested by the South Bend forum over on PM when I was just starting out.

11-2009 posting and what I wrote.

I used a serpentine belt on my 9A and spliced it with a different method I think I found here or on the Southbend Yahoo site. I cut a 5* angle on the diagonal in a wood jig in the table saw for about 8"-10" and used the above posted locktite for plastic on the 3/16 cut edges with wax paper under it to keep it from sticking with a board and clamp to hold it down. I didn't take any pictures but I may still have the jig. I will look for it tomorrow and post a picture if I find it. I have been using this for a year now and no problems. Heavy cuts, fast speeds and all is good.
.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/tape-glues-and-adhesives/glues-and-epoxy/1008713

TX
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

[J Tiers]

The Logan 200 has a taper bearing. I've never messed with it.

Yours does? Sure it's a 200? Could it be a VERY early Logan?

We want a pic of it!

No 200 I have ever seen has a taper bearing. They all have a double row angular contact for the nose bearing, and a single row at the back. Comes apart fairly easily, but I still find it a pain, and I do not mind the click-click noise, so I would always splice the belt.

The very first 100 or fewer Logan lathes had a plain bearing setup, a couple people on the Logan group have them. Are you one of them?

[gellfex]

Yours does? Sure it's a 200? Could it be a VERY early Logan?

We want a pic of it!

No 200 I have ever seen has a taper bearing. They all have a double row angular contact for the nose bearing, and a single row at the back. Comes apart fairly easily, but I still find it a pain, and I do not mind the click-click noise, so I would always splice the belt.

The very first 100 or fewer Logan lathes had a plain bearing setup, a couple people on the Logan group have them. Are you one of them?

You know, I may be talking about my butt. I thought it was a taper bearing but since I never messed with it and I'm not a bearing expert I don't know. I can tell you there's no oil cups for those bearings, just the rear pulley shaft.

[J Tiers]

You know, I may be talking about my butt. I thought it was a taper bearing but since I never messed with it and I'm not a bearing expert I don't know. I can tell you there's no oil cups for those bearings, just the rear pulley shaft.

That's because they are "greased for life" (sort of). Front one is "shielded one side" (the side toward the pulley) the other side has that stamped shield on the front that traps the front cover. Don't try to take off the front shield.

[Bob Engelhardt]

...
The pictures show how I came up with a method of cutting a serpentine belt from the local NAPA auto parts. ...

...

That's clever - basically a scarf joint on the other axis. Scarf joints have frustrated me, but your technique looks much more manageable. I wonder if bandsaw blades could be jointed this way.

[J Tiers]

If you use a fairly rigid glue like cyanoacrylate, how does that stay glued as it goes over pulleys,? Seems as if it would be fractured, or tear the rubber. If it works, it works, but...... It just seems counter-intuitive. Especially for that sideways "scarf" joint.

[BCRider]

If you use a fairly rigid glue like cyanoacrylate, how does that stay glued as it goes over pulleys,? Seems as if it would be fractured, or tear the rubber. If it works, it works, but...... It just seems counter-intuitive. Especially for that sideways "scarf" joint.

I think the key is that it's rigid and brittle but not THAT rigid and brittle. After all even glass is flexible when it's in thin enough. And we're talking about a tight joint for the glue in all cases.

That being said I suspect that for belts Loctite would likely specify one of their more flexible and shock resistant formulas of CA. In fact as I typed that last bit I seem to recall that the new plastic round belt for watchmaker's lathes is joined with CA glue.