Belts... and why nobody changes them. :/

Well, now that it's been once, I'd be willing to do it again. Ummm, or not. Well, maybe. ;)

It's all nice and clean now (kerosene worked wonders!) anyhow:
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And I've got the back and middle part (back gears - which are in the middle!) back in:
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Found belts today (speaking of which, I take back my B32 motor to pulley belt listed above. I think a B31 might fit better).
ALSO - I listed them backwards. A B32 goes pulley to spindle, then the B31 is motor to pulley. And I reserve the right to get that wrong at least another 6 times.
But go figure - it's a Sunday afternoon and nobody had metric lip seals in stock! Sheesh! :D

I'll go hunting for the seals tomorrow.
(While this temporary unemployment thing sucks, it sure does leave more free time to do stuff like this though!)

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Hi All,

I know that belt changes can be painful However generally by the time a good belt is used up it time to give a once over to both the driving and driven ends. If one of my belt driven machines does't sound just right, my first suspicion is always the v belt.

Michael
 
Compared to my Harbor Freight 8x12 that THING you have came straight from Hell...

I have 2 belts... 1 V-belt and 1 timing belt, I think I could do both in 15 minutes while working on morning coffee.

I am however getting a bit tired of manually swapping gears.

This is something to consider when getting a new machine. I do plan on getting something bigger later on.

I am going to ask to see the manual on any new machine pre-purchase.

I'd be snapping pictures along the way just to be sure it all goes back the way it came out.
 
Belt drives are more forgiving at times, but belt changes are where Powertwist belts come in. A gear head only has the motor belt to change, usually less of a problem, but they do not like crashes etc as much.
Pierre
 
Your much braver than most a link belt would look pretty attractive when you first look at it.. Ray
 
Oh yeah - for sure! That Fenner setup sounded like a miracle when I first looked at things.
Then remembered my oil loss though, so... that was out.

But, after I looked at it a few more times realized it was just a time consumer more than anything.
I'm a mechanic along with other things, so it really wasn't that different from one shaft of a manual trans (with no synchro's!).

Looks like the seals are another day out, so I'll have to go fetch them mid day tuesday.
Oh well... give me a chance to make my back splash, and start to rig the DRO.
 
I have a Enco lathe that has the main spindle going through the belt . I have thought about a link belt, Have them on Tablesaw and Shaper because they do not vibrate as much at start up. But they are easy to change. The belt on lathe has a worn place on it that causes a noise and vibration . I will replace with a regular "V" belt only because the previous owner already purchased it. Not looking forward to it , baeause of having to pull spindle. But I feel this is a more robust option than the link belt.
 
Hotbluechips said:
I have a Enco lathe that has the main spindle going through the belt . I have thought about a link belt, Have them on Tablesaw and Shaper because they do not vibrate as much at start up. But they are easy to change. The belt on lathe has a worn place on it that causes a noise and vibration . I will replace with a regular "V" belt only because the previous owner already purchased it. Not looking forward to it , baeause of having to pull spindle. But I feel this is a more robust option than the link belt.
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I dont know I have a link belt on my lathe that is 20yrs old and still runs and looks like new I would not be affraid to use another one.. Ray
 
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Fenner Powertwist don't fail like some would have you think. I am running on a 3 hp cabinet table saw, 8 hp snowblower, and at the workshop a 15 ton stamping press, BP mills, wire drawing machine, etc etc. No problems from me. I use them and continue to use them.
Pierre
 
Re: Belts... and why nobody (wants to) change them. :/

New seals in hand! Yay... Now assuming they're all correct (!!), I should be sort of up and running in an hour or so.

I say sort of, since I'm not lubing it back up at this point.
My hammertone paint is arriving tomorrow, and I of course want it still all dry and oil free.

I don't think I've ever had it this clean though! Looks pretty good, even with it's 25+ year old paint job.
(bear in mind it's only been mine for the last dozen, was beaten on before I got it, and I had the roof in my shop collapse on it during a rain storm!)
 
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