Changing that belt

[Eigenvector]

Any tips on how to get the belt over that pulley! You know what I mean, that replacement belt that is exactly the minimum size necessary to fit over the pulleys without bending the motor axle. For now my jointer is sitting idle in the shop, dripping blood and sweat as I break my body against it trying to get that belt over the pulley lip.

I was thinking of using a thin crowbar to leverage the belt over the top of the pulley, but it's putting far too much pressure on the cutter axle.

Ah well, really I didn't expect a slew of responses, more just venting aggrevation at the moron who sized the belt for my jointer.

[John Grossbohlin]

Doesn't the motor attach to the jointer in slotted holes, or attach to a plate with slotted holes, such that you can loosen some bolts and the motor pivots allowing you to adjust the belt tension?

John

[Morris Dovey]

I understand your frustration - and suggest that it'd be a good idea to ensure that your /next/ jointer have some means of adjusting belt tension. (It makes this job a lot easier)

[spaco]

There HAS to be a method for adjusting tension since no two belts are exactly the same length nor do they remain exactly the same length as they age. Locate that mechanism and use it. You;d need to adjust the tension anyway since you are replacing the belt.

Pete Stanaitis

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Eigenvector wrote:

[fallen.morgan (at) gmail.com]

Another thing to try is maybe the pulley is attached to the motor shaft with a set screw. Unscrew the set screw, pull the pulley off the shaft and put the belt on, and try (firmly but gently) to put the pulley (now with the belt on it) over the motor shaft.

Al who isn't so good at stuff

[Eigenvector]

I appreciate the moral support. I did figure it out. No the motor mounts wouldn't adjust any further - otherwise this would have been simple.

The only way I could do it was unbolt the bed and tip it sideways to lower the pulley - then I just used that big cast iron mass to leverage it back into place. Like I said, the belt is the absolute minimum size necessary to work. I'll never get a belt from them again. That said, the jointer is purring like a kitten now, all fresh and clean.

[Eigenvector]

Well that goes without saying. My jointer is a real basic model, I rarely use it so at the time I couldn't justify spending more than about 600 bucks. If I had my druthers I'd have gotten a Powermatic, but it would have been wasted on me. But belt tension is something that doesn't happen all that often, funny thing is, I've seen this on more than one tool before. I think the manufacturers go cheap thinking the belt won't ever wear out anyway.

[David G. Nagel]

Most motors have adjustment slots in the base that can be used to takeup the slack in drive belts. If you don't have these slots then just loosen the motor enough to slip the belt over the pully. Be carefull not to drop the motor on your toe.

Dave Nagel

[Doug Miller]

If there truly is no mechanism for adjusting the belt tension -- and I bet there is; check the manual -- then next time, get a link belt.

[Morris Dovey]

I'm not very knowledgeable about this kind of stuff, but would it work to use a longer belt and cobble together an adjustable idler pulley?

[Leon]

Unbolt the motor, slip on the belt and reattach the motor. OR, remove the pulley slip the belt on and then reinstall the pulley. If you "make the belt fit" by forcing it with this tight of an install you will probably damage the belt, it won't show up right away, but life expectancy will be shortened considerably.

[Leon]

Yeah that is not right. A lot of equipment had matched sets of belts. Cabinet saws typically use 3 belts exactly the same length.

[David G. Nagel]

Leon;

Yes, matched belts do exist but they are expensive compared to individual belts.

Dave N

[Phisherman]

There should be slotted motor mounts you can release. If you have one (or borrow one from a car mechanic) use a cricket gauge to adjust the tension per manufacture recommendation.

[Leon]

It does make sense that 3 belts or 2 belts would be more expensive than 1 belt. But yes, those belts are typically a higher quality also, automotive quality as opposed to industrial.

[mac davis]

two words:

link belt

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Frank Boettcher]

What do you mean by "matched sets". Just belts that are made to the same high quality specifications. Most machinery manufacturers who offer quality products offer the same belt whether it is one or three.

A better design would be a single flat serpentine that would give you another 3/8" depth of cut. (prototype happily working away for about ten years in Planterviles MS.)

Frank

[Leon]

Back in my old automotive days GM sold "matched sets" of belts because some of the Frigidare AC compressors used 2 belts side by side. They had to be exactly the same length so thay they could be tightened evenly. I was once told that the belts were all cut from a wider molded belt. Matched sets were those that were cut next to each other rather than cut and mixed with others from the larger belt. Sorta like keeping veneer slices stacked correctly. Apparently the large belt that all the smaller belts were cut from was a bit smaller in diameter on one end than the other end.

Totally agreed, the automotive industry has been using this type belt since the early 80's. They offer much more contact area with out the heat build up and can be bent so that the back side of the belt can drive a pulley. They are better balanced and typically do not hold a shape when stopped for periods of time. Actually a regular automotive belt works as a good replacement for the industrial belts that come with power tools. They can with stand much higher speeds, loads, and are better balanced.

[dpb]

More than that -- particularly length precisely matched within tolerances tighter than normal manufacturing.

...

Only (relatively) recently -- in the 60s or so one selected multi-sheave drive belts by a complex set of numbers if the equipment vendor didn't provide that as part of the service.

Not quite--they were simply selected to be within tolerances and coded.

See

?brochure=1265&location_id=559for discussion from Gates perspective.

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[Virgle]

Frank I was told by a Browning belt rep that matched belts come from the same run in production. He stated that when you reset the machinery for the same belt later it was near impossible to get the same length. He said all belts for a run had the same match mark. The place I worked had up to 220hp electrical motors running 10 belts which had to be matched or you would destroy the fabric in the shorter belts before the others were tight. We had one fan that had 2 200hp motors. I found I could get both motors to pull close to the same amp load by tweaking the belt adjustment.

Virgle