Link belts, Best place to purchase.

[Dave Lehnert]

Who has the best price on link belts?

Any tips on the their use? Plan to replace the three belts on my JET Cabinet saw.

[Cary Falk]

Dave,
I don't know where the best deal is. I got mine at Wastern Tool. My HF has them also and there are 20% coupons every week almost. Have you tried Amazon? I have read a lot of threads that said that you would be better off with cogged belts on a cabinet saw. I don't know about the jet but I heard that the link belts rub on the bottom of the table on a Unisaw.

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave,
I don't know where the best deal is. I got mine at Wastern Tool. My HF has them also and there are 20% coupons every week almost. Have you tried Amazon? I have read a lot of threads that said that you would be better off with cogged belts on a cabinet saw. I don't know about the jet but I heard that the link belts rub on the bottom of the table on a Unisaw.

Thanks for the info. I will do a little research.

I noticed Harbor Freight belts are green. What is the difference over the red belts?

[Cary Falk]

I believe 1 is 1/2" and the other is 3/8". I don't know which is which but I "think the green is 1/2" All I have are the red ones.

[Cary Falk]

I was wrong. I just measured some extra I have on a hook in the garage and the Red is 1/2". HF website says their Green one is 1/2. Western Tool has a 3/8 and 1/2 in red. I have no clue what the color means

[Dell Littlefield]

I had a little problem with link belts on my planer. The 1/2 inch belt I got from HF rode too high on the pulleys and dragged on the shield. They worked great on my band saw and contractor's saw where there was more room.

[Dave Sweeney]

I believe the primary difference between the red and the green is that they are made by two different companies. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same.

[Andy Sowers]

Thanks for the post Dave, I've been wondering the same thing!

I've been thinking about purchasing a link belt for an old walker turner DP I purchased... I don't think there's a concern of the belt rubbing anywhere, so the HF version seems like it would work...

Anyone else have experience using these link belts from HF (I'm always a bit leary buying stuff there)? The price seems to be right, if they work well.

Thanks
Andy

[Dave Sweeney]

Double check the pulley size on your drill press. When I wanted to put these belts on my drill press I had to go with the red 3/8" sized ones as the HF green belts are only available in the 1/2" size.

[Larry Lukens]

I put 1/2" name brand (Poly Twist?) on my Delta drill press. It really did reduce vibration. I'll work my way around the shop as funds permit.

[Mike Cruz]

If you are talking about Powertwist belts, I posted a thread in Deal and Discounts a little while back with an email address from the guy that I have gotten all mine from. Found him on Ebay. Great prices. Fast shipping. Great person to deal with. Here is the thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=118342

[Rod Sheridan]

I know that link belts are thought to be the cats whiskers, however I've never had an issue with flat or v belts either at home or at work. (Industrial).

My General 650 has 2 v belts on it. The saw is vibration free.

I also notice that my General shaper uses a V belt, and that my Hammer A3-31 planer doesn't have a link belt either.

Makes me wonder why those companies aren't smart enough to put a link belt on their machines?

I guess the point of this rather long post is.....What sort of a problem are you having with V belts that you want to cure by changing the design?

Perhaps you just need a new set of belts?

Regards, Rod.

[Mike Cruz]

Good point. Maybe all you do need is another set of V belts. But the issue is that sometimes the ones you get from the manufacturers is junk. In a car, the belts are so tight, you don't have to worry about crimps in them (from the manufacturer, or shipping...whatever)....they stretch out. But on WW machines, they usually aren't tight enough to get rid of the memory.

When you have a machine that requires multiple belts next to each other (like my Unisaw, or a larger planer) you NEED them all the same length...exactly the same, otherwise one is getting more tension and wear than the others. Powertwist belts allow you to get exactly the same lengths.

That said, I ordered new belts for my Woodtek planer from Woodcraft, and the sent me a SET of 3 belts. They were perfect. The planer runs very smoothly. The set that was on the planer (planer was used) were horrible...2 very close to the same and one obviously longer than the other two.

Its not that you can't get good/great qualily from V belts, you just have to spend extra $ to get really good belts. Therefore, if you are spending extra anyway, why not get Powertwists.

[Dave Lehnert]

Like Mike said.

My JET saw has three belts. They all seem to be a different size. One can have a lot of play and the other be very tight.
Why does a saw use more than one belt?

Just thought I would try a link belt for a change.

[Loren Hedahl]

I don't know the best place to purchase them, but I love them on my drill press. It is so much easier to change from pulley to pulley for making speed changes now.

Even though vibration isn't much of an issue in this application, the speed change convenience is well worth the expense.

[Mike Cruz]

I don't know why they put so many on there, but there must be a reason.

Dave, seriously, check out this guy's prices. They were the best I could find. He told me that if we contact him through his email he can likely give even a better deal that what he offers on Ebay.

I have ordered twice from him without a snag.

[Simon Dupay]

I wouldn't waste money on link belts, high quality v-belts are better and a lot cheaper-link belts are a gimmick.

[Dave Lehnert]

I wouldn't waste money on link belts, high quality v-belts are better and a lot cheaper-link belts are a gimmick.

If I walk into a store and ask for a "High quality belt" They are just going to sell me the best "they" have. May be lower quality than I have now.
How do I know a good belt vs bad?

[Mike Cruz]

Good luck....

[Chris Barnett]

Had vibration problems with my new Grizzly. Thought about the link belts and found similar comments regarding the link belts being a fad. New belts manufactured by Gates resolved the vibration problem, along with a new chuck/arbor, and a new motor pulley, both of which had significant runout. Objective was no objectionable vibration, which is how it ended up. I can set a beer can on the table and it will not fall over :D. Could have before too but that is more believable than the nickel test.

[Danny Burns]

Fenner who makes PowerTwist belts are Red, and I don't know who makes the Green ones.

I've read that the green are cheaper, but I have only bought the Red PowerTwist belts, and have been happy with them.

http://www.fennerdrives.com/high_performance_composite_vbelts/powertwist_home.asp

Okay found the Green ones.

http://www.jasonindustrial.com/Products/DisplayProduct.cfm?type=product&id=6

[Rich Greinert]

This link connects to some information you might find useful about the difference between these belts.
http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/link_belts/

[Darrell Bade]

More than one belt is used to carry the required load. If one belt will transmitt a certain amount of horsepower then 2 belts will double that.

Multiple belt drives should have belts that are bought together and matched so that the belt length of the multiple belts is very close. Browning has a code that you specify when you order belts to specify that the belt length is matched for the set and they should all be replaced at the same time.

The way a link belt is made, I cannot imagine the belt length in a multiple belt system being more closely matched than a set of matched v-belts.

[Mike Cruz]

Powertwists are remarkably accurate. I used them on my TS (3 belt system) and when you count out X number of links, and hold them side by side (ends linked in a loop or just as a straight line) they are exact.

I'm not saying that they are the only way to go. I'm not saying they are the best thing since sliced bread. I am saying that they are remarkably smooth, that they have no "memory", and that they beat the heck out of most stock V belts... IMHO.