# flat belt replacement recommendation for southbend 9



## eweissman

picked up this 9in southbend off craigslist about 7 months back, leather belt that was with it failed shortly after purchase.  i purchased a replacement synthetic belt from 
hit & miss enterprises a while back, and it kinda doesnt work very well.  the alligator lacing they installed for me is crooked and the belt falls off unless i keep it in the 
slowest of the three pulley combinations.  and i think supposedly the belt is meant to be a little narrower than the pulley flat, but this one is actually a full inch wide.  
i know that i can get a real leather belt from mcmaster carr and try to glue it or figure out how to lace it properly, but i was 
kinda hoping to just get one with some kind of alligator type lacing so as to not have to cut it or disassemble the spindle to get it off.  
thanks all.  
-eian


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## OldMachinist

If you search "south bend lathe belt" on ebay you'll find the leather belts with the clips so you can replace it without removing the spindle.


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## pjf134

It sounds like you need to adjust the counter shaft to make it run true. I use a link belt on my SB9A horiz. drive and had to play with it to get it to run true and once done your set. Mine has been on for about 2 years and shows no wear and could change it in 2 minutes if need be and also it is quiet. I do not know if the link belt will work on a under mount type. Pic is before I redid the lathe.
Paul


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## ranch23

If that doesn't work there is a place, I believe in Denver, that has made me a couple of belts. I have the info in the shop.


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## macrnr

I have a South Bend 10K and I replaced the belt with one the belts from the Validus Group on E Bay and it works perfectly
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement...667?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf977cd7b


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## chipmaker51

I've heard of people using serpentine belts normally used to drive the accessories on the front of a car motor.  I read how they did it.  Apparently the right belt length and width would work.  I think that the right glue adhesive played a major role in the success of the endeavor.


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## eweissman

thanks for the advice folks.  i like that link belt idea.  i did recheck the alignment of the pulleys and they do appear to be slightly off.  
should play around with that and see if it makes it better.  i still have a lot to learn, this is my first lathe.


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## WillieP

When I purchased my SB9, it had a continuous automotive type belt on it with no splices! Appartently, the previous owner had removed the spindle to put it on. I cut it to be able to move the lathe in pieces. The replacement belt I got came from Baltimore Belting. They have been around since 1902 and know a thing or two about belting:

http://www.baltimorebelting.com/

I called and told them what I wanted, gave a credit card number and got my belt in a few days. Due to the higher cost of a leather belt, I chose to go with a synthetic composite layered belt with lacing staples on each end. The "pin" supplied is just a length of insulated single strand wire which holds it very securely. You will need the length of the belt when you order. I set the belt adjustment somewhere in the middle of its travel leaving myself room to tighten and measured with a tape measeure (tailors type, not metal which will not accurately measure around the pulleys). Alternately, you can use a wire or cord to go around the pulleys and then measure that.

I had fairly accurately lined up the drive and driven pulleys edge to edge prior to doing all this and used a 1 inch belt which runs true.
However, I have been told that a narrower, 3/4 inch belt is actually correct. Also, it is better for a (slight) misalignment problem. Because the flat belt rides the crown of the pulley, it often needs some side to side space to find a happy medium. If the pulleys are misaligned, remember that the belt wants to "climb" the pulley and movement of one pulley relative to the other when trying to align them may produce a belt movement that seems counter intuitive until you realize that.
Good luck


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## macrnr

I can't understand why you would want to lace a belt up, when there are such more modern and better alternatives out there.  Old style doesn't necessarily mean better. Just my opinion...........


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## randyjaco

I am with Mac. Go with the serpentine belt. Way better than leather or leather substitutes. Much less slip even with oil on the sheave. And you don't get that annoying slapping sound from the splice or lacing.

Randy


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## eweissman

well. thanks very much for chiming in everyone, i appreciate all the ideas.  i had heard that baltimore belting was good.  i need to try just aligning the countershaft assembly better and seeing if that helps.  that clacking of the belt really doesnt bother me much honestly.  i did spend about 30 on this belt so i figure i should at least try a little harder to get it working right before spending anything else.  i do have one of those link belts, but had it set up on the bandsaw, should maybe try that thing on the lathe and see how it works flipped over on the flat side of the belt.


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## WillieP

I am not trying to be a nay-sayer. But, I happen to like the rhythmic slapping/ticking of the belt. When we have the whole overhead belting system running, it is like music to my ears:

http://www.tuckahoesteam.org/collectionspages/collectionsmachine.html

Having just one old fashioned belt drive at home keeps a connection to an earlier time.

Regards.


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## cbtrek

I found this place when looking for belt for my Lewis mill.


http://www.leatherdrivebelts.com/


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Custom-made leather drive beltsMade with pride in the U.S.A. with American-made oak-tanned leather. 

We specialize in custom-made flat leather drive belts. Single-ply, 11/64" thick, up to 4 inches wide, in any length to fit your application. 

We charge a flat rate of 66 cents per square inch. This includes machine-installed Clipper clips, connector pin, packaging, handling etc. USPS shipping cost as printed on the USPS shipping label will be added to the final belt price. (For shipments outside the US, actual USPS postage cost will be added to the belt price.) 

All we need is the length (to the nearest 1/8"), and the width (3/4", 1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 2", 2-1/2", 3", or 4"). 

We can now provide the perforated belts used on the Barnes machinery, contact us for pricing. 

John Knox 
847-384-1146 
JOHN@LEATHERDRIVEBELTS.COM 

All our belts meet or exceed National Industrial Leather Association's 4 inch lap length specification (this exceeds what is commonly found in the industry today by 100-200%). 

Endless belts and special widths can also be provided. See Pricing page for more details. 

See Belt Care; FAQ for information on caring for your belt, and for answers to frequently asked questions. 

We are located one mile north of Chicago.

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*Pricing


1. STANDARD BELT (has set of clips on each end). We cut the leather to the width & length you specify, machine-install Clipper belt clips onto each end, and provide a pin for connecting the ends together. Your total price is 66 cents per square inch of belting (actual USPS postage charge will be added to the final belt price). Stock widths (3/4", 1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 2", 2-1/2", 3", 4") are generally shipped within one business day. 


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