Flat Belt Lacing Woe...

Eddyde

Eddyde

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Hi All,

I need to lace a 1" flat belt for my newly acquired 10" South Bend Lathe. I have the Alligator brand hammer on lacing and have done it before, but found it kind of difficult to get everything lined up correctly. I was wondering if anyone had a trick or tip to getting it done easier?

Many Thanks,

Eddy
 
They used to use a tool that held all the staples in the right location and then you just squeezed it in a vise cause it was hinged. Here's a photo of the tool.
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Eddy---I just taper the ends on a belt sander to overlap some and glue them ---this makes a much quieter belt---Dave
 
I know is not what you asked and I don't know the difficulty of removing the spindle on that lathe ... but one word ... serpentine belt (ok two words). I put one on my Logan and oh what a difference.
 
Regarding squaring the ends, can they be trimmed with a paper cutter? Mine regularly cuts aluminum and brass sheet metal.
 
Dave Smith said:
Eddy---I just taper the ends on a belt sander to overlap some and glue them ---this makes a much quieter belt---Dave
Click to expand...

I thought of going that route but after 30 years having steel lacing on my 9" SB I think I'd miss hearing the clack... clack... clack...
 
Dave Smith said:
Eddy---I just taper the ends on a belt sander to overlap some and glue them ---this makes a much quieter belt---Dave
Click to expand...
I used to do this (I dislike the whap, whap, whap) . I made a simple channel
with sides to the thickness of the belting (scrap wood) ,scived the ends to over
lap about the width of the belt, using a patent shoemaker's flexible glue in place
in the channel. Clamp according to glue directions. Should last forever. ..........BLJHB.
 
I squared the ends and drilled holes on each piece that lined up. About 5 holes for a 1" belt. Then,I cut grooves on the FLESH side of the leather(which runs against the pulley. Do not disturb the HAIR side-that is where all the strength is. Lace the belt together with heavy gauge copper wire. Make sure that on the underside of the belt,the wire lays in the grooves. This keeps the belt from going clack every time it goes around,because the wires do not touch the belt. Just twist the ends together so that they do not touch the pulley and clack. Lightly hammer the lacing a bit when done,to seat the copper in the grooves well. Don't beat it to death.

Old timers also sometimes glued the belts together by skiving long,mating angles on each side of the belt. They glued the belts together with a mixture of TANNIN and hide glue,which came close to being the same stuff the belts were made of. I don't think the tannin is really necessary. I'd recommend liquid hide glue as it is more flexible than hot hide glue.

Belts stretch so much,I really recommend lacing them with the copper wire. Then,you can more easily cut the belt shorter and re lace when needed.

The man made belting will be less trouble. Rubber impregnated with fabric will not stretch like real leather. It can be laced the same way.
 
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