10K Lathe Link Belt

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Mar 25, 2017

• #1

So I have been rebuilding a 10K. I tried a few belt options and have been using a link belt flipped upside down using the flat profile.

I am using a variable speed D.C. Motor so I only need to use the high speed pulley to the left side of the headstock. However I found that the belt tends to ride left and slips off the lower drive in the cabinet.

I bought a 2-1/4" collar at Grainger and clamped it around the pulley cone. This keeps the belt from moving and provides a nice notch for the belt to operate. I did have to turn down the face of the clamp to a width of 5/8 from 3/4.

 

L

lectrician1

Hot Rolled

Joined

Mar 6, 2012

Location

Las Vegas

• Mar 26, 2017

• #2

Is that link bely noisy?
Ive used them before and i found them to make a lot of noise.

What is your experience?

Thanks

Rich

 

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Mar 26, 2017

• #3

I don't think the belt is noisy. But this the only one I have and can't really provide a comparison. With the belt upside down, the locking tabs protrude along the outside. They tend to hit on the casting initially on my underdrive headstock. It is slight and with proper tension it is minimized.

All considered, I would presume that a glued serpentine belt is quite smooth. But I like the links for assembly.

 

T

traditional-tools

Diamond

Joined

Aug 10, 2007

Location

West Coast

• Mar 26, 2017

• #4

I've used my 9A like that and it's ok. Slips under tension, when you put a better belt on it you can tell a huge difference. I think a good compromise is the al bino belts.

Any size flat drive belts by Al Bino Industrial Belting | Machine belts supplier

BTW, the linky belt is convenient, but expensive. Works better as intended, as a v-belt.

 

B

Blob

Hot Rolled

Joined

Apr 7, 2007

Location

Scotts Valley, CA

• Mar 26, 2017

• #5

The Al Bino belts are very good quality, but they don't like oil. I have one that I had to quit using because it got soaked with oil and no matter what I tried I couldn't make it quit slipping off the pulleys. Using a laced serpentine belt now, and am very happy with it.

 

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Mar 27, 2017

• #6

The link belts can be crazy expensive. I got a 5L style that is about 5/8 to 3/4 wide. Grainger had a clearance sale for $50 delivered to my door. Decided to try it.

 

W

weedy64

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 12, 2005

Location

Langley, B.C.

• Mar 28, 2017

• #7

Would you consider cutting the correct V groove into one of the larger cones and running the belt the right way around? Is there enough material in the cones for that?

I have a VS drive like you but I have the V groove spindle pulley setup with 1/2" link belt.

 

D

Dobermann

Hot Rolled

Joined

Jan 2, 2014

Location

North Carolina

• Mar 28, 2017

• #8

One of the hallmarks of the South Bend flat belt drive system is smoothness. It seems to me that the link belt defeats this because it does not provide a smooth and continuous surface contact. I would not be surprised to see the "lumps" show up in a fine finish you're trying to make. I'd strongly recommend you dump that belt and use a laced serpentine belt instead. The lacing is not difficult although it might take you a couple of tries to get it right. I've had a laced serpentine belt on my 10L for 5 years now and it's still going strong. A hint which might help you is to punch the lace holes through the belt instead of drilling them. Drilled holes through the belt fabric have a tendency to tear out.

 

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Mar 30, 2017

• #9

I would think the cone is too thin to cut an actual v belt groove.

 

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Mar 30, 2017

• #10

I do have a serpentine belt that I laced. I may try that again to compare. I have had some slipping with the link belt and would like to see what differences are possible. I don't want to overtighten the belt and put undue pressure on the spindle. The serp belt may provide a better coupling.

 

lazz

Stainless

Joined

Feb 12, 2012

Location

The warm desert of Phoenix Arizona

• Mar 30, 2017

• #11

I have tried several workarounds. And to tell the truth I gave up on them.

A serpentine belt is about $20. If you do find the correct length it can be a pain to install it.

Stitching a serpentine belt is a pain. And the stitches seem to tear out.

Gluing never worked for me for long. It always seemed to be the best method, then the next morning or a week later I was doing it again.

So after a search on Ebay I found the stuff to do make flat belts. It did cost me around $100.
The belt vise was $40
The clips I found a couple open boxes for right at $20
The belt was harder to find. A year or two ago at a junk shop I found a 6" X 1/4" roll I have been making into everything.


I figure flat belts cost me less than $5 to make. Heck I cant buy a V-belt for that.

Your call, spend $30 on a single link belt or spend about 3 times that on a whole bunch of flat belts...

 

W

weedy64

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 12, 2005

Location

Langley, B.C.

• Apr 6, 2017

• #12

AKJOHN62 said:

I would think the cone is too thin to cut an actual v belt groove.

Click to expand...

I don't know for sure as I don't have my hands on one. But from pictures I thought the largest step looks to have room, your call.

 

J

johansen

Stainless

Joined

Aug 16, 2014

Location

silverdale wa

• Apr 6, 2017

• #13

concerning serpentine belts, i sewed mine after using barge rubber cement to glue it, and this has worked so far because i only have about 3/4th" by 1.5" of surface area to glue the belt with, and glue alone was not holding because it was ripping the rubber out of the belt. (the glue doesn't stick to the kevlar, just the rubber). I then put more glue on it so that the dental floss (yeah, i know) is locked into the joint. yeah, its 30$ for a whole quart of glue but since i bought the can its extended the life of my shoes by at least the same $$.

 

A

AKJOHN62

Plastic

Joined

Jan 5, 2017

• Apr 7, 2017

• #14

I cut some 1" strips of adhesive backed anti slip tape. The stuff you buy to put on stair treads or RV steps. Then I applied this to the pulleys under the link belt. Works really well. I don't get any slip now and it runs quite smooth. This grips the backside of that belt much better than a smooth pulley and is not as susceptible to a bit of oil.