Thread: Flat Belts

The reference to the american coy Alisam I gave in sharpening lathe tools they have a flat belt joining tool, may give you a lead in they also have an Aussie agent in Melbourne.

Peter

How is the one thats annoying you joined? Old man's Southbend has a flat belt joined by what appears to be steel tie wire stitches about .5 to .7mm diameter interleaved on each end of the belt with a pin through the stitches as the joiner. He ran it for 40 years or more with the same belt and joiner set without it inducing any vibration into the system. Was well impregnated with dressing when he bought it 72, and is still on it now. As a guess it might be about 3/16 thick.

The other possibility that I have heard of in the past is to scarf joint the leather strip and and join with a flexible glue similar to rubber cement. Thats how the round leather belts for treadle and industrial sewing machines were done.

It shouldn't be difficult to get a leather strap from a leather worker or leatherwork supplies place.

You could try Tasman Belts in Silverwater.

http://www.tasmanbelting.com.au/

79b Egerton Street, Silverwater. - (02) 9647 1811

They sell Habasit flat belting. There used to be a Habasait belt which could be joined in-situ. It was a scarfed joint which was glued and heated in a small fixture. Maybe a domestic iron would provide the heat?

Cheers,

Findlay.

Hi Fossil...

I have read recently on the U.S. forums of people using automotive serpentine belts (micro-vee belts. an Australian invention, apparently)

Being rubber they apparently grip better than a same sized leather belt. They are run with the vees against the flat pulley. On Practical Machinist south Bend forum there is a long thread about joining them in place with a scarf joint using a variety of glues. No mechanical joiners required, but if stitching is desired, it can be done in the grooves and will not be felt by the pulley.

Regards

Greg

edit: here's a link to the discussion concerned:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...d.php?t=157227

You can also run toothed belts inside out, and there are a good selection of those at any industrial power outlet, bearing suppliers also sell them. Usually pretty cheap also.

By the way properly set up flat belts vibrate less than normal deep section V belts which is why lathes have stuck with them so long...

Never thought of using these multi vees, most impressed I do not have any details now but there are custom manufacturers who will make to your exact length. Automotive suppliers have a great number and variety of them for my purpose at the time i scored the right length one at Super Cheap.
Peter

How is the one thats annoying you joined? Old man's Southbend has a flat belt joined by what appears to be steel tie wire stitches about .5 to .7mm diameter interleaved on each end of the belt with a pin through the stitches as the joiner.

Yep, that's what I have got at the moment. That little tick tick tick sound you here when the join runs over the pulley introduces a significant vibration down to the lathe bed. Yesterday I did a little experiment with some rubber 3/16" tick strip that I have had laying around for years. I scarfed and glued it together with a backing piece covering the scarf. I used contact cement. This belt gave no vibrations at all.... It really was a chalk and cheese result. Of course the rubber stretched as soon as it warmed up, so was not suitable.... But I knew that would happen. It was just an experiment. I went to Lathes.co.uk to see how much they were selling flat belts for. I had read of excellent results there many years ago. They charge something like $86.00 delivered. Hence my original question.

Thank you all for posting replies. I will have a look for one of those serpentine belts Greg. A trip to super cheap for me on Tuesday Peter.

I have some new Habisat belting laying around Fossil. I could send some up but its not joined and requires a special high heat joiner the correct size. I can join it at work though, next week, if you want it.

I guess you would need a belt with as little stretch as possible is that right?

Scott.

Used to be able to get custom made 1 piece flat belts from "Bearing Services"

Any reason why linked belts can't be used?

One last thought I remember seeing a lathes flat belt wheels turned in the middle with a shallowish groove that allowed full use of conventional Vee beltswith perfect success also one lathe with only one pulley grooved that was great also.
When I was 15 yrs old in 1951 I commenced an apprenticeship as a printing engineer with the Govt Printing Office in Canberra. Everything in the huge building ran on flat belting run off massive shafts,one task of our area was to make belts up from leather up to 10 inches or more across using primitive joiners and pins.The sound was horrendous to a kid and engagement was by a wooden or metal paddle moving from free to engage onto continual shafting, some of the machines were monsters as well.
Was a heavy smoker and the only place to smoke tolerated was in the gents that was to me so horrid when the final signatures came up to the indenture at six months I grabbed the oportunity to leave and go to Sydney on my own to learn radio techniques.
Unable to access tech studies to qualify came back home to become a licenced Electrician. The Printing Office was locked in at 7.30 am and only opened for emergencies in between lunch time and knock off. One minute even late docked 1/2 hr pay.
I am quite amused at the reaction of anyone today to lead as the LinoType machines used molten lead to produce type all handled no protection into frames for use in the presses, when a missfunction called a squirt occurred molten lead had to be chipped off by the operators and us,glad I gave that a miss.
Little was known of the dangers of smoking however gave that up in 1962, nothing more boring than a reformed smoker or drinker I guess.
Next month married for 53 yrs so have served my time in many ways.

Peter