Thread: Flat belting

I scanned the relevant pages from two of my Grandfather's books, in case they're of any use to somebody.

The first is from The Brown & Sharpe Handbook: A Guide for Young Machinists (1938):

http://www.users.on.net/~acatford/bsh1.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/~acatford/bsh2.jpg

The second is from Machine Tool Operation: Part 1 (1919):

http://www.users.on.net/~acatford/mto1.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/~acatford/mto2.jpg

Thanks for the scans guys.

Hi Phil,
Yes I think I recall your thoughts on scarf joints. There is no tension adjustment on my camel back but it has a scarf joint........ though I'm sure they knew more about making scraf joints than I do lol. Laced it is..... if I ever get around to it........ still at least I feel clever for not throwing the old one out.

Stuart

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Thanks for the scans guys.

Hi Phil,
Yes I think I recall your thoughts on scarf joints. There is no tension adjustment on my camel back but it has a scarf joint........ though I'm sure they knew more about making scraf joints than I do lol. Laced it is..... if I ever get around to it........ still at least I feel clever for not throwing the old one out.

Stuart

Hi Stuart,
I have some brand new belts at work that have been scarfed just to get the length required. I will cut them to length and lace them when I use them. Very clever not throwing the old belt out. I needed a set of bellows for the forge and the only one available had leather that was so dry and hard the bellows wouldn't open. We had a tin of 'leather belt dressing' (thats what it said on the label) and I used nearly a litre on the leather alone.When I finished you would have thought it had brand new leather on it. Needless to say we don't have anymore so the boss is trying to find some. But, seeing as they don't seem to exist anymore and we must have shares in the company that makes Lanotec, we will see what their product is like. We already use their wire rope lubricant for the winches and floor oil and timber rejuvinator and of course all the engines are covered in the preserver and so far it is turning out very well. I will let you know what we come up with to restore your original belt.

Phil

Originally Posted by shedhappens

Phil, some of those old belts are pretty long end to end, cows must be a lot smaller these days

How do they skin the beast to get those long belts ?

Instead of skinning them do they cut the belt from around the beast in a spiral fashion ?

Difficult to get a reasonable photo, but here's a scarfed joint in a piece of 1" x 1/4" brand new leather belting straight off the roll. There were several joints it the roll. You can see the thickening of the leather at the joint. Although new, the belting had been in stock for quite a long time, and it took a while for some GeWy leather dressing to soften it to the point that it did not "bump" when going round the small headstock pulleys on the short centre drive on the small lathe.

The lathe originally used 3/16" belting which was a bit more flexible, but the 1/4" was on hand and the price was right. The new belt was joined using Lilbro metal belt lacing - not as authentic on vintage belting, but quicker, easier and more practical, though I doubt Steamwhisperer will agree with this!

Frank.

Found this. It might be helpful.

Phil

Phil
I would just like to have an old machine fitted with a fast & loose pulley, with a laced flat leather belt fitted.
Then I could just sit & watch it operate.
Perhaps another 'Therapy" group could be formed for the Flat Belt Fraternity.
regards
Bruce
ps There is something great about flat belts.

Originally Posted by Abratool

There is something great about flat belts.

A flat belt on a shaper, you wouldnt know where to look

Originally Posted by Stustoys

A flat belt on a shaper, you wouldnt know where to look

Now there's some serious therapy right there

Phil

Phil
A bit more on flat belts.......
I once got hardened press bars ground quite frequently at a nearby workshop.
The bloke had a vertical "Blanchard" type surface grinder with a magnetic table about 36" dia.
The grinding head was driven by a thick leather belt about 6" wide.
Occasionally the belt would slip under the grinding load, particularly as the grinding segments glazed.
He would then stop the machine & mop on the pulleys & some of the contact side if the belt, good old plain ordinary Molasses.
This fixed the problem & prevented further belt slip.
I wondered if you had heard of this method ?
regards
Bruce

Hi Bruce,
I hadn't heard that one but it could be worth a try. About the only thing I use molasses for is to remove rust. I did a casting about 15 years ago and none of it has produced rust. that includes the steel studs as well.

Phil

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Hi Bruce,
I hadn't heard that one but it could be worth a try. About the only thing I use molasses for is to remove rust. I did a casting about 15 years ago and none of it has produced rust. that includes the steel studs as well.

Phil

Yes Phil. I have not started on old engine restoration, as I have too many interests at the moment, & the days seem to get shorter. However I have read about molasses being used for effective rust removal.
Getting back to the flat belt drive & molasses, after it was applied & the machine started up, a loud crackling sound came from the belt as the molasses took effect.
The results were truly amazing, very good traction, & no belt slip.
regards
Bruce

Yes, Molasses was popular in the past, probably because it was cheap and available, but any thickish sugar based goo works well, Treacle, golden syrup, honey, even heard of raspberry jam in a pinch!. Can lead to dust buildup on belts, but that applies to most belt grip products.
Most powertrans and belt suppliers will have spraycans of belt dressing which are suitable for most belt materials, don't seem to build up on belts and are convenient. .Compare prices before buying, some are expensive for what you get. Combustor..

At the moment we use resin. We have a large container of the stuff and just crush it up and sprinkle it on.

Phil

Back in my youth Dad had a stick of belt dressing that was some black sticky stuff in a cardbpard wrapped tube...you just jammed it against the offending pulley and got instant traction.

Apparently the old timers used bar soap in a pinch. That seems counterintuitive, but Dad swore by it. Maybe it didn't ever rain on the old timer's flat belts?

Greg, flush from yeaterday's trip to the Kowloon Bearing Sales Co. where the SKF labels hardly smudge at all and everything in ths store is P4 or better.