Link belt with 3hp, 3 belt grizzly g1023z?

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Has anyone used the link type belts in a multi-belt situation like with the g1023z where three belts are transferring the power?

I have a little vibration which is still present with the blade removed that I am going to assume and hope is just the belts (I will take them off just to confirm). I have the link belts on all my other tools but those are all single belt jobs...any issues with making up 3 link belts for this saw?

Thx

[David Kumm]

Link belts will probably stretch about the same for all three but aren't the best at transmitting power. Great when you can't get a belt on but I would try Optibelts. Made in UK I believe and supposedly exact enough in size that matched belts are not necessary.

[Bill Geibe]

A little speculation here: Your Grizzly 1023 is based on the Unisaw, IIRC. I haven't tried link belts on mine, but I have read reports from others that link belts on a Unisaw can hit the underneath of the table when the blade is all the way up. Apparently the link belts ride high on the pulleys.

Then again, your 1023 uses a smaller cross-section belt than a Unisaw so you may be okay. It just would be something to check.

Bill

[david brum]

There are a few guys here who've had bad luck with link belts on cabinet saws. I must be lucky though; I've been using a set on my Shop Fox cabinet saw (same as yours) for several years and they've worked great. I get much less vibration than with the original stock belts. It would be interesting to try some higher quality, regular belts but these are working too well to mess with.

You do have to be aware that link belts come in different widths. The commonly available width is 1/2", which is too wide for that application. The 1/2" is what you'd find at HF or Rockler. That's fine for a contractor saw, but you need a 3/8" belt for your saw. They are a little harder to find, but probably available from Amazon or similar.

[Curt Harms]

I've run link belts on my 1023 for years. They work fine and don't stick above the sheave. I don't cut thick hardwood so don't stress the motor or belts. I went with them because

They were the hot ticket thing at the time :p
My saw may sit for weeks without being turned on. I figured belts that didn't take a set might be worthwhile

A nice alternative might be AX belts. Conventional wisdom says modern manufacturing is repeatable enough that matched sets are no longer critical and AX belts are not prone or are less prone to taking a set.

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Will a tri-power ax belt be of any benefit?

[Mike Cruz]

I have linkbelts on almost all my machines...love 'em. On my Delta/Rockwell 1958 Band Saw, it takes dual belts (next to each other, side by side, working together...however you want to put it :D) from the motor to the lower wheel. I have linkbelts on them and have had no issues. Tension is the same on both.

[Van Huskey]

Since we are going farther afield with the question one place multiple link belts will probably not work is in a twin belt "pinch" system like on the PM66.