Link belt experience.

[superhawk996]

Carlos probably posted about them when he made the switch, but nobody should trust a fucking EV fan so now the gearhead is chiming in.  Amazing how smoothly a cheap HF band saw runs when you eliminate the normal V-belt.  I've been thinking about buying it for the band saw and drill press for a long time but kept putting it off.  The lathe needs new belts and using normal belts requires some disassembly that I don't want to do so I finally splurged, $60 for 10 feet which will do all three machines with some left over.

 

In fairness, the belt on the band saw was way over due so it had a crazy amount of vibration, but I'm 90% sure it didn't run this smoothly when it was new.  I think it added a whir, like a fan type noise, but maybe it's just that I couldn't hear the motor and bearing noises before because the v belt was so shitty.

 

Did I mention how much I'm liking that I get to drive the EV every day while Ashley's in Germany?

[TOXXIC]

I may need links or more context. My brain is trying to keep up…tired and a couple drinks onboard. You are putting a HF belt on your EV or EV belts on your band saw? 😀 Pics, links? 
 

I suspect with Ashley in Germany you are staying busy rallying the EV around town. 

[blackhawkxx]

3 hours ago, TOXXIC said:

I may need links or more context. My brain is trying to keep up…tired and a couple drinks onboard. You are putting a HF belt on your EV or EV belts on your band saw? 😀 Pics, links? 
 

I suspect with Ashley in Germany you are staying busy rallying the EV around town. 

It was confusing but I think he is putting this:

On this:

😀

Edited November 26 by blackhawkxx

[blackhawkxx]

Or this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/vibration-free-link-belt-43771.html

 

[SwampNut]

2 hours ago, blackhawkxx said:

It was confusing but I think he is putting this:

On this:

😀

 

 

Ohh, that's gonna by noisy.

 

But yeah, the link belts are on all of my belt machines.  V-belts should be a war crime.

 

9 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

I'm 90% sure it didn't run this smoothly when it was new. 

 

Every machine starts life with a belt that has already taken a set, from being shipped and stored.  It doesn't get fixed with usage unless you start running it a lot, and it still will never be right.

 

[rockmeupto125]

That's an item that never goes on sale. 

Now I know what to buy when there's an X% off anything.

[SwampNut]

3 minutes ago, rockmeupto125 said:

That's an item that never goes on sale. 

 

Not true, I've bought hundreds of rounds of linked BMG on sale.  People hate the links so it goes on sale all the time.  I did a video on how to quickly unlink them.

 

I know, a Real Man would just buy the correct rifle to rapidly unlink them loudly.

 

[TOXXIC]

5 hours ago, blackhawkxx said:

It was confusing but I think he is putting this:

On this:

😀

 

 

Funny, when I saw the title I had hoped this thread was about belt fed machine guns!

[xrated]

This is the first I've ever seen of the Accu-Link...Link Belt.  I have a bench grinder on a workbench that was my Dad's and he passed away in 1976.  The belt on that is literally going to let go anytime now and I was looking at it the other day.  The pulley is in the middle, between the two grinding wheels so disassembly of the grinder would be required to put a new belt on.  Not terrible, but hey, why make it harder than it needs to be.  I'm going to buy one of the Link Belts at Harbor Freight and just cut the old belt off. 

[superhawk996]

Another option to HF is Amazon.  They have the green Accu-link like HF does and some red ones.  I have no idea if there's a quality difference, but buying 10' of the red on Amazon was cheaper.  And from what I saw, HF only carries a bigger size than I needed, I think it's 1/2" and I needed 3/8".  The lathe would actually do better with one a bit narrower and if it looks like it'll be a problem I'll try to shave it.

[superhawk996]

18 hours ago, TOXXIC said:

I suspect with Ashley in Germany you are staying busy rallying the EV around town. 

I haven't driven anything else since she left.

[superhawk996]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y8SRV21?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

[xrated]

2 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

Another option to HF is Amazon.  They have the green Accu-link like HF does and some red ones.  I have no idea if there's a quality difference, but buying 10' of the red on Amazon was cheaper.  And from what I saw, HF only carries a bigger size than I needed, I think it's 1/2" and I needed 3/8".  The lathe would actually do better with one a bit narrower and if it looks like it'll be a problem I'll try to shave it.

Harbor Freight carries the 1/2 size and that is what I need for the bench grinder, plus HF is in town.  I'll have to check my drill press too, before I order anything.  Basically the same scenario.......it was my Dad's and he passed away in 1976 and I have never changed a belt on either item...so the drill press may be in need also.  If that's the case, and it's 1/2 also, then a 10' piece would be a better option.

[blackhawkxx]

9 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y8SRV21?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I'll be curious to hear if they last as long as a standard belt.

[tomek]

 Would it work in wood chipper? Asking because I'm tired of replacing belts on friend's machine. Something like 7-8 hp.

Edited November 27 by tomek

[rockmeupto125]

I've used them on water pumps...on cars. Yes, cars used to have v-belts....back in the day 

[superhawk996]

3 hours ago, blackhawkxx said:

I'll be curious to hear if they last as long as a standard belt.

 

1 hour ago, tomek said:

 Would it work in wood chipper? Asking because I'm tired of replacing belts on friend's machine. Something like 7-8 hp.

No clue.  Some people love them, some hate them.  Most of what I've read was positive, but on one thread it was around 90% negative; noisy, slippy, fast stretching, made their kids turn gay, etc.

 

The grip area is much smaller and some say that they need much more tension to not slip, others say that they grip as well or better than normal belts.  Lots of people say they're not good with high power applications, but there's probably a guy happily running them in his twin turbo 1953 combine that would disagree.

 

I haven't put my band saw to use since installing it, I'll try to remember to test it later and see what I think of the grip.

 

The wood chipper- are they wearing out or is shit getting onto them and damaging them?

[xrated]

18 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y8SRV21?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I checked the drill press this morning and the belt on it isn't quite as bad as the bench grinder belt, but still needs to be replaced.  It's the same width as the bench grinder so I went to the Amazon link you provided and found the 1/2 wide belting and ordered a 10' piece of it.  That will be more than enough for both items and I should have a bit leftover.  Both items have tension adjustment capability, so hopefully, there will be no issue with either.  The belt piece should be here on Tuesday next week.  Thanks for the link Oscar!  

[SwampNut]

I haven't seen any odd behavior or anything special about using these.  Same normal tension, and zero wear (because it's just a home shop after all).  I can't truly remember when I bought the belts, but it was at a previous house so 20 years?

[tomek]

11 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

 

No clue.  Some people love them, some hate them.  Most of what I've read was positive, but on one thread it was around 90% negative; noisy, slippy, fast stretching, made their kids turn gay, etc.

 

The grip area is much smaller and some say that they need much more tension to not slip, others say that they grip as well or better than normal belts.  Lots of people say they're not good with high power applications, but there's probably a guy happily running them in his twin turbo 1953 combine that would disagree.

 

I haven't put my band saw to use since installing it, I'll try to remember to test it later and see what I think of the grip.

 

The wood chipper- are they wearing out or is shit getting onto them and damaging them?

Wearing. The person who does chipping,  a chick, is absolutely obsessed with that process, and can run it non stop for two hrs. Probably out of the design envelope of poor chipper. Lol. 

[superhawk996]

I finally tested the bandsaw.  The belt required more tension to keep from slipping, but the saw seemed to be working harder than usual.  Hmmm-?

 

Then the blade snapped which has never happened before so apparently I was working it harder.  Then I remembered that with the old belt it would either slip or shake violently on a hard cut so I'd take pressure off the blade by lifting a bit on the arm, since it was so smooth I let it have the full weight of the arm and just put some tension on the belt to make it stop slipping.  Just a crappy ass Starrett blade, that's probably what caused it!  Or maybe the high grade 1/4" steel I was trying to power through.

[superhawk996]

6 minutes ago, tomek said:

Wearing. The person who does chipping,  a chick, is absolutely obsessed with that process, and can run it non stop for two hrs. Probably out of the design envelope of poor chipper. Lol. 

I've never seen or heard of a chick using one, enjoying it is nutty.  I think I like her.

[The Krypt Keeper]

I didn't know what was happening, thought you were getting an excavator. https://en.lbxco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/750x4-1600x900.jpg

[superhawk996]

7 hours ago, The Krypt Keeper said:

I didn't know what was happening, thought you were getting an excavator. https://en.lbxco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/750x4-1600x900.jpg

That is useful after you use up

on people you don't like.

[blackhawkxx]

I bet Krypt is the guy for clean up .  😀