Where do I get a belt like this?

[StinkBug]

It's the drive belt for my 1930's south bend lathe. It doesn't really need to be exactly the same, but it does need to have the split in it in order to install it, otherwise I'd just find the right length serpentine belt.

[suprdave737]

Either go here and ask these guys: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=38

Or do a search on yahoo groups, I think there is a group there for southbend lathes.

[Wicked_S10]

Why to people keep sending MT newbies to the PM site? Those guys are like the pirate4x4 of the machinist world. The guys at the home shop machinist board are a lot more friendly (google the name, I cant recall the exact link).

As for the belt, I recently saw on the HSM board a similar discusion. The answer was a unanimous "serpantine belt" You can cut and rejoin w/ belt clips. Some guys also reported good results with sewing it w/ wire or fishing line. There was also the resident genius who showed up with his belt glueing jig he built to cut and glue the belts. I can probably dig up the thread if you can't find it yourself.

Later,
Jason

[suprdave737]

He has an old american made lathe- therefore hes good to go as far as the PM guys.

If it was a chinese made machine tool then you should go directly to the home machinist site, dont ask on Practical Machinist.

And no the PM site is not like Pirate, I dont think there is anything on the web like pirate.


http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/forumdisplay.php?f=3

[Wicked_S10]

Ha, so do I, and I went there asking questions at first. Colechester/Clausing 15x60, I asked a few simple questions, and got told flat out that they weren't the group I was looking for. Someone on there told me about HSM, and I have never looked back. All in all, hsm is geared much more closely to the home shop guys, not career machinists, and they are happy to help answer even simple questions. I still visit PM occasionally, but it is very rare that I post there. Everything has to be a big debate, and ends up being a huge waste of time IMO.

Later,
Jason

[billybob_81067]

If I remember correctly there's a guy on e-bay that sells leather belts like that. Any length, and includes the lacing and directions on how to lace it.

[StinkBug]

I actually managed to open up the little claw like clips, cut about 1/2" off the torn up end and smashed the clips back in. I think the lathe has enough adjustment to run the belt again, hopefully it'll hold. I had thought about the serpentine belt, but wasn't sure how to lace it together. Think simply using thin safety wire would work? Any links to clips designed for this? I'd love to be able to use something off the shelf. I actually just got the motor drive belt from Kragen today...used the lathe for the first time ever, then broke this belt :(

I've had this lathe at least 3 years, and this is the first time it's been functional.

[StinkBug]

FIXED!!!!

I did a little searching on the HSM site and decided to try a serpentine belt. Got one a little long, cut it between the ribs, then laced it back together with safety wire. Works awesome. Now I just need some tooling :) Thanks for the info guys.

[Backncardr]

If it slips-FLIP that belt upside down. Looks great.

[Wicked_S10]

If it slips-FLIP that belt upside down. Looks great.

You can't flip the belt if it is clipped or sewn. You keep the wire in the grooves as he has shown-- prevents it from fuckin' up the sheaves. A rubber belt, even with the ribs down has much more traction that the original leather belt, even w/ the reduced surface area...

[Backncardr]

Then using that logic the sheaves should be fucked up from the original belt and clips over the last 70 years. Also that much more traction you speak of can mean trouble if any clothing finds its way into the spinning work or chuck. At least the leather belt will slip and save a body part from getting pulled in-or off. Saw that happen to a newbie on a South Bend in 1964. Lucky for his left arm it wasn't a gear driven Logan instead.

[Wicked_S10]

The leather belt clips are like staples, the small folded ends are all that are on the inside of the belt. The leather also has a lot more ability to conform around the clips than a belted serp belt does. On top of all of that, do you see the large lump from twisting the safety wire?

As for slip and traction, you are the one who brought it up. If you are relying on the drive slipping to save your life, then you don't belong on the end of a drill motor, let alone a real machine tool. I highly doubt that in most cases even a leather belt would save an appendage, or your life. You should always know where the parts of your machine are in relation to the parts of your body and clothing. Relying on luck is not the way to prevent accidents. If you don't know what you are doing, then educate yourself before you ever put power to the machine.

That said, it is important to have a positive transfer of torque to the machine spindle. There is a reason that we don't see leather drives anymore. The less slip there is in the drive train, the better the machine will preform.

Regardless, my point was that he will not have a problem running on the ribbed side of the belt, and it is, in fact, the correct method according to many people who know much more than you or I.

Later,
Jason

[Backncardr]

Yer preaching to the choir here, but I expect just preaching out yer hiney for all the good you think it will do.

[cabletech]

I have a '37 South Bend 13" with the leather belt. Previous owner of my lathe bought the belt on ebay, it works just fine.

I have found it useful though, like when I do something stupid and leave the back gear engaged while the bull gear is locked, and turn the lathe on. The belt slips instead of chucking gear teeth. I've done that I think twice now. Oops.

[Toddy]

The little clips are just belt splicing. You can get that done at any place that deals in belts for equipment. Hell for that matter you can buy the clips and do it your self. When you get the clips they are open and you slide it on the end of the belt. We had a tool the was just a set of rollers the go from side to side that you clamped it in and rolled then into the belt.

Here is what I am talking about.
http://www.flexco.com/products/clipper_wire_hooks

Toddy

[guy,sxj]

FIXED!!!!

I did a little searching on the HSM site and decided to try a serpentine belt. Got one a little long, cut it between the ribs, then laced it back together with safety wire. Works awesome. Now I just need some tooling :) Thanks for the info guys.

Thats a great idea!
But if that doesn't last go to www.mcmaster.com the leather belts are on page 1020 ( I prefer the ones with the nylon core) and the lacing is on pages 1034 and 1222.