# HELP!  Fouled my Rubberized Leather belt with oil?



## itsme_Bernie (Jun 24, 2013)

I have searched around here and elsewhere to resolve this, but I'm not sure I am comfortable with what I am finding.

I have a really great rubberized belt.  Nice enough that I left the lathe in one pice moving it.

It has been a really good and sticky belt up to this week.  It is not totally slipping, but noticeably more likely to slip.  I am thinking I fouled the belt with spindle oil dripping or something.  

Anyone have any advice on how to clean this belt without destroying it?  I don't thinkm i'm into the belt dressing idea,  but I am all ears.


Bernie


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## RandyM (Jun 25, 2013)

Start light and work up. What I mean is, start with regular soap and water and then work up through de-greasers, and solvents. Checking first you'll not be making a bigger mess. Good luck.


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## Walt (Jun 25, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> I have searched around here and elsewhere to resolve this, but I'm not sure I am comfortable with what I am finding.
> 
> I have a really great rubberized belt.  Nice enough that I left the lathe in one pice moving it.
> 
> ...



I have no experience with this, but it seems like a waterless hand cleaner should be safe for the belt. It will probably make the belt slip on the pulleys until you clean it off completely though.

Walt


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## PIKEMAN (Jun 25, 2013)

I would try just placing it under a pile of oil dry before trying soap or solvents.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks guys

I have to put a little less oil in the GITS from now on it appears 


Bernie


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2013)

I got oil in the belts for my lathe the other day and I rubbed them with saw dust from my table saw.
Absorbed all the oil and were as good as new.

Gary


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## orphan auto (Jun 25, 2013)

I've used clay kitty litter on the garage floor to get rid of oil spots,
maybe packing the belt in that would work?
It would dry out the oil

Mike


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## Todd (Jun 27, 2013)

my belt is constantly getting oil on it.  i use denatured alcohol to clean it.  works really well to cut the grease, but also evaporates quickly so i doubt it is doing any harm.  denatured is usually pretty friendly to any material i have tried it on, as opposed to a laquer thinner or something.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jun 27, 2013)

Thanks again guys- 

So far I have not applied anything to the belt.  What I HAVE done is rubbed the hell out of the gripping side of belt with one of those auto-window-microfibre cloths.  

These cloths do wonders in the shop, and clean parts of oil and water like crazy!  So I gave it a try.
I then totally degreased the pulleys.

Anyone try this two parts lard and one part cod liver oil mix?


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## george wilson (Jun 28, 2013)

Never use the term "used kitty litter" in the same sentence!!

I spray Belt Traction on my belts when they slip. As soon as it dries,the belts grip like crazy. You must be sure to spray it evenly on both sides of the gripping surface. I don't have flat belts,but use it on automotive type V belts in my machines.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jun 28, 2013)

clean it off with gasoline...outside of coarse


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## cascao (Jun 30, 2013)

If everything fail...try to put the belt in boiling water.....


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## itsme_Bernie (Aug 27, 2013)

george wilson said:


> Never use the term "used kitty litter" in the same sentence!!
> 
> I spray Belt Traction on my belts when they slip. As soon as it dries,the belts grip like crazy. You must be sure to spray it evenly on both sides of the gripping surface. I don't have flat belts,but use it on automotive type V belts in my machines.




Thanks George- I somehow missed your reply here a few months ago.

It turns out I don't really have an oil fouled belt, but just dried up.  The cod-liver oil -- lard mixture that was suggested to me was supposedly to make it grip- maybe just by making the belt less dry and more supple.  I want it to GRIP.  I am past the beginner stage where I want the belt to slip for safety reasons.  

Sadly, I cannot find Beltraction for sale anywhere.  The only thing I find is some CRC Belt Grip, but still cannot find a place to actually purchase it!  I am destined to have slipping belts forever!  


Bernie


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## george wilson (Aug 27, 2013)

Can you get some rosin,even violin rosin,and powder it up. Then spread it on the belt.


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## itsme_Bernie (Aug 27, 2013)

george wilson said:


> Can you get some rosin,even violin rosin,and powder it up. Then spread it on the belt.



I'll give that a try!  


Bernie


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## itsme_Bernie (Aug 27, 2013)

george wilson said:


> Can you get some rosin,even violin rosin,and powder it up. Then spread it on the belt.



I wonder if I should treat the belt another way first to deal with it being dry?  I'll get some resin tonight 



Bernie


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## DAN_IN_MN (Aug 27, 2013)

How much is this thing slipping?  How tight are you running it?


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## itsme_Bernie (Aug 28, 2013)

Hey Dan

It is not as tight as possible, but I can hear it slipping dry, and when it gets loose, it is effortlessly slipping. 

I don't want to run it crazy tight because of slip, and run the bearings down.  

I found a violin shop a few miles away to get some resin.  I am a little concerned it will be squealing.  But I have to do something!  

Bernie


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## DAN_IN_MN (Aug 28, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> Hey Dan
> 
> It is not as tight as possible, but I can hear it slipping dry, and when it gets loose, it is effortlessly slipping.
> 
> ...



Bernie

Knowing how long you've had this and your experiences with flat belts might help.  Did you just get this lathe?  Had the belts performance recently decreased?

The resin should help with some grip.

I have a small SB lathe that I'm not using because it needs a flat belt.  Not having the correct tools to join a belt makes it tough.


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## itsme_Bernie (Aug 28, 2013)

DAN_IN_MN said:


> Bernie
> 
> Knowing how long you've had this and your experiences with flat belts might help.  Did you just get this lathe?  Had the belts performance recently decreased?
> 
> ...




I would say this lathe is quite new to me.  It is in wonderful shape, but was NOT used right up to the day I got it, but sat around a lot, probably drying up, for quite a few years before I purchased it.  No rust, but not lubed, but not rusted either.
I have only had it a few months.  The belt is urethane backed, and seemed pretty sticky when I first picked it up, but the velvety contact side of the belt may have still had some texture to it, but been dry.  I thought I fouled it with oil, and it did get some oil on it.  But degreasing seems to have removed all stickiness completely.  It should be able to handle more tightening than a non-urethane backed belt, but I don't want to set everything to wear prematurely just because I don't handle this correctly.

I had (have) another 10L I am now parting out.  It was used hard and well in it's day, and also sat for a while before I got it, so same thing- dry belt.

So I cannot say I have a lot of experience with a "healthy" leather belt.  I cannot say for sure that I would know one if I saw one!  hah hah hah!    Hence all my ignorance.  


Bernie


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## drs23 (Aug 28, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> Thanks George- I somehow missed your reply here a few months ago.
> 
> It turns out I don't really have an oil fouled belt, but just dried up.  The cod-liver oil -- lard mixture that was suggested to me was supposedly to make it grip- maybe just by making the belt less dry and more supple.  I want it to GRIP.  I am past the beginner stage where I want the belt to slip for safety reasons.
> 
> ...



Bernie,

I use that exact same product on my air compressor. It came from O'reilley's, delivered! It worked wonders. No more slipping AT ALL.

If the rosin doesn't do it check with O'reilley's.


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## TOOLMASTER (Aug 28, 2013)

2x cat litter


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## GK1918 (Aug 28, 2013)

Coffee can full of gas agitate hang up to dry just like my colthes.  Wipe pulleys with gas soaked paper  towels.  air dry  sorry Nazi safty patrol ,

this is S.O.P.  "standard  orperating proceedures"  .  . . too bad,,,, lack..thinner,   but too expensive.  

Why oil soaked, simple , its me missing all the oil points. think thats bad see me pouring coffee in the am --


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