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How well do the spliced type v belts work?

dale71

Aluminum
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Location
indiana USA
I've seen a V belt that can be put together or spliced together. I have an Atlas 12 lathe that needs the belt replaced. Problem is the whole spindle has to be removed which is a pita! Anyone use one of these? I think it is a loop type belt made by Wirther.
 
Link-type V-belts have been around for decades, and obviously work. I have found them on lathes where the spindle is a lot harder to remove than on an Atlas. There are several makes out there. I have seen them in woodworking tool catalogs and HF sells them. Look up a power transmission (belt, chain and gear) store in your yellow pages if you want a true industrial quality belt.

Larry
 
i replaced both of my belts on my Atlas with link belts. Not only do they not slip, but they also seem to have smoothed out the vibration caused by the motor bouncing quite a bit.
 
I have an Atlas/Craftsman 12" lathe and put a linked type V-belt on the drive from the motor to the machine. It made such a big improvement in vibration that I cut the spindle belt and put one on the spindle too. It worked wonders!! The machine is so smooth now that I can hardly believe the difference. Not sure what brand the belt is, it has red colored links and seems to be popular with woodworkers. I definitely say do it!

Randy
 
Well, my mileage did vary...

I used Fenner Nu-T-Link belting, with the overlapping link pieces punched out of orange conveyor belting, which then slot directly into each other in a staggered daisy-chain layout.

It may be that my experience of belt slip would not apply to the metal-toggle version.

I used it (in the correct A section) to replace the final drive belt on a Myford Super , and was careful to install it the correct way round.

I found I had to put so much tension on it to provide sufficient drive for large diameter work that I was concerned for my spindle bearings. It was also a bit of a fiddle changing speeds, because it is much deeper and there's not a lot of spare throw, or clearance on this particular headstock.

It lasted a couple of weeks before I put it away for spare and installed a premium cog-style V belt (ex Germany) with ground sides. The improvement (in respect of the issues mentioned above) was quite dramatic.
And it was just as smooth (cog belts share the "multi-hinged" character of link belts, which seems to prevent the rhythmical oscillations on the slack return side which you get with traditional V belts.)

I don't pretend to understand why my experience is so different from that of others. I like the concept, and was confident it would work for me. I perservered longer than I otherwise would have, in view of this, hoping it would stop stretching and settle down ....
 
The Fenner Link belts are at least as durable as the very best of the best industrial belts. I have a large fan (5 foot diameter) that runs 24/7 all summer long. One these belts lasted for over 4 years before it had to be replaced.
 
D Rennie has it right! I use Fenner on my surface grinders and OD grinder. They last forever and are balanced better than the best V belt. You can't beat them.

Ray
 
Troup's comments notwithstanding (Troup, perhaps you can tell us a bit more that might help to explain your negative experience), I believe link belting is excellent. I have used it for years for DP and mill power transmission. Quiet, no slip, easy on/off, adjustable. It is pricey, but there is an economy, and convenience, to be realized in the fact that you can buy a length of it and make your own belts in varying sizes as you need them, rather than having to stock many individual v-belts, some of which will never get used and some of which you might run out of.
 
I use the red Fenner link belt on my table saw and on the motor of my Logan lathe. They're wonderful- plenty of torque and low vibration. Oddly enough you can even run the ID of the belt, with all its tabs, on the big Logan flat pulley with no problem. Troup, you've got to have something amiss, maybe the size of the belt for the pulleys or something. I think there are 3 sizes of v-belts. I wanted to put one on my mill/drill, but that needs a larger size belt that I've yet to buy.
 
Thanks for your concern, guys

I really don't know what else to tell you. I mistyped the lathe, it's a Myford Super 7, which takes an A section V belt on the final drive (four-step cone pulleys, back gear available down to 25 rpm, ungeared up to 2050 rpm)

The belt is definitely the right size; it rides slightly proud of the cast iron cone pulleys, but then so does a conventional A section belt.

They initially sent a B section by mistake, which was completely out of the question in terms of fitting.

The only thing I could think of is that I do ask quite a lot of the lathe sometimes - I've bolted it to a solid slab of heavy plate weighing more than the lathe (in fact, more than me, although that's not saying much), which has transformed a very floppy lathe into a moderately stiff one, and I've developed ruses for peeling off material which possibly were not in the minds of whoever specified the drive.

However, as I say, the "Continental" cog-belt is well able to cope.

I'd be interested to know how many of the posters here are using the traditional link-belt with the metal pegs, and how many are using the slotted item where there is only one type of component, punched from reinforced belting material, which bayonets into another identical piece ad infinitum.

When I say it lasted a couple of weeks, I don't mean it wore out, it's just that my patience wore out.
 
I'm successfully using the orange Fenner urethane belts on several machines although they don't have enough time on them to be able to judge the durability compared to conventional belts. Like Marty said, I really like the convenience of being able to make up a belt to length right on the spot.

Only time I've ever had a problem was when I tried to use one on a generator drive that by far exceeded the HP rating of the belt.
 
I've seen a V belt that can be put together or spliced together. I have an Atlas 12 lathe that needs the belt replaced. Problem is the whole spindle has to be removed which is a pita! Anyone use one of these? I think it is a loop type belt made by Wirther.

Well I got my Fenner Power twist v belt today. Put it on my Craftsman Atlas 12" and WOW! I can't believe how much less the machine vibrates or shakes. It's sooo quiet now. The torque of my lathe feels like it's twice what it was. I am really impressed with their product!
 
I say again, I'd be interested to know which of the posters here are using the traditional link-belt with the metal pegs, and who is using the slotted item where there is only one type of component, punched from reinforced belting material, which bayonets into another identical piece ad infinitum.

The colour or material of the belt doesn't convey this essential detail.

Any info on this gratefully received !
 
I was recommending the punched red colored fabric/resin type belt with each link identical to the next. No metal pegs (whatever those are, never seen that type). Just twist the ends together with pliers, but it takes some patience. The belt works great! Really smooth.

Randy
 
I say again, I'd be interested to know which of the posters here are using the traditional link-belt with the metal pegs, and who is using the slotted item where there is only one type of component, punched from reinforced belting material, which bayonets into another identical piece ad infinitum.

The colour or material of the belt doesn't convey this essential detail.

Any info on this gratefully received !

Hi, this is an all composite belt, no metal. Has slotted holes in the links and can be added or removed, at any time and when making up the lenth. Just like RHOWARD mentions.
 
Belt Info that might be useful

Fenner Drives Belts:
http://www.fennerdrives.com/high_performance_composite_vbelts/hpc_vbelts.asp

http://www.fennerdrives.com/high_pe...ist_home.asp?gclid=CL6q2Pux4p0CFZla2godEHCH5w

http://www.fennerdrives.com/assets/hpctech_imp.pdf

Jason Accu-Link Adjustable V-belt as sold by Harbor Freight:
http://www.jasonindustrial.com/Products/index.cfm?ID=23&Type=Product

Read page 23. Note they also make a solid open-end v-belting that uses a fastener of some type.
http://www.jasonindustrial.com/pdfs/catalogs/catalog_19.pdf

Jason Accu-Link as sold by Harbor Freight. HF stocks the 5’ package.
http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=accu-link+belt&Submit=Go
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43771

A supplier of Jason Accu-Link belting other than Harbor Freight:
http://www.beltpower.com/Accu-LinkBelts.htm

Anyone have info on the best sources & prices?

Noticed "Tony Lathe UK" sells the Fenner belts and has some thoughts on these belts.
 
I say again, I'd be interested to know which of the posters here are using the traditional link-belt with the metal pegs, and who is using the slotted item where there is only one type of component, punched from reinforced belting material, which bayonets into another identical piece ad infinitum.

I'm using three types of link belts, and can make a few comparisons. First, all types of belt may stretch a bit at first -- mainly as the slack between links is taken up. After that initial stretch, some will stretch further.

1) I have had both the regular Fenner link belts and the metal peg ones on a table saw for many years. In my experience, the metal peg ones are stiffer (less stretch over time, too) and have proven very durable and positive in their drive. However, they want a decent sized pulley to wrap around or will be somewhat prone to slip. McMaster sells the metal pin types, FYI.

2) I have the red Fenner link belts on half a dozen machines - sanders, small radial drill press, etc. - and have had only one complaint -- they stretch and often need to have a link or two taken out over time. They do cut vibration. They will wrap around a small pulley -- as small as 2" in one buffer. Reliability has been pretty good, though the failure mode is more "now it's broken" than "look how frayed it is" as with regular V-belts. I haven't done a controlled test, but it did seem they slipped a bit more than the metal pin type when I tried them on the table saw. My heaviest current application for these is on a 20" Powermatic 2hp wood lathe -- where they slip (which is OK for me) on heavy very low speed cuts. McMaster carries these as well.

3) I've also bought some of the green Fenner type clones, which are apparently US made but a bit cheaper. Can't remember if I got them from Grizzly or Harbor Freight. The link material is a bit stiffer, and they work OK. These are probably the Jason belts, noted above. However, I'd choose the genuine red Fenner ones over them. The Fenner belts seem more conformable to the pulley and just a bit better made.
 








 
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