Replacing non-standard drill press belts

[James Biddle]

So, I want to replace the belts on my two DP's, one a 17" GI and the other a 15" Jet. I was pulling the chuck from each today and the belt set on both made it difficult to pull the chuck. After rotating the chuck to expose the tang, the set would rotate it again before I could insert the arbor key. The GI has an A27 and an A28 belt. The Jet has an A24 and an A29.5 belt. Really, it says A-29.5 on it.

The cost difference between an OK belt and a great belt is not enough to make me think twice. They say the AX cogged belt is a lot smoother. My thoughts were to buy a Gates or Goodyear belt and be done.

McMaster-Carr has everything in a cogged Gates (I think) belt, except the 29.5". Whats a good belt to install and do I really need to order a custom belt?

[Phillip Gregory]

I use standard non-cogged Gates belts on my drill press, as that is what was originally specified, 3 A24s and an A45 to be exact. It seems at least as smooth as other presses I have used.

Look at the tension mechanisms on your units. See how much adjustability there is, and whether 1/4" shorter or longer (half of 1/2") will work.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might consider link belts. You add or subtract links to make the belt longer or shorter. So you can easily configure it as any non-standard length you want.

[Wayne Lomman]

Link belts are a possibility but I have not found them to be any more than a desperation solution when nothing else will work.
29.5" is 750mm so try using the metric nomenclature when talking to suppliers. Go for the most flexible option. Basic A-section belts are a bit stiff for a drill press. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

Link belts are a possibility but I have not found them to be any more than a desperation solution when nothing else will work.

Hi Wayne,
I've had link belts on mine for several years. It works fine, as far as I've noticed. I put them on to reduce vibration from belt set and they did. I also have one on my tablesaw. Am I missing a negative or downside, something important?

Thanks,
Fred

[Larry Edgerton]

http://www.optibelt-usa.com/media-catalogs.html

[Phillip Gregory]

Hi Wayne,
I've had link belts on mine for several years. It works fine, as far as I've noticed. I put them on to reduce vibration from belt set and they did. I also have one on my tablesaw. Am I missing a negative or downside, something important?

Thanks,
Fred

They do not have nearly as much ability to transfer torque as a standard V-belt. You are more likely to stall a large bit or cutter with link belts than V-belts. Depending on what you do, that may or may never be an issue. If it is, a gearhead press has NO slip and that is why the metalworkers using large drills and cutters at very low speeds use gearhead presses instead of a belt driven press.

[Wayne Lomman]

Fred, my experience is similar to Philip's. Not much torque transfer. As far as belt set is concerned, that is related to belt quality. Precision machine belts are different to standard belts and much more resistant to set.
Link belts are really for use when it requires major mechanical work to change the belt and time isn't available. I have used them on heavy diesel engines where we couldn't afford the time to do a full strip down for a few weeks. But if they work, there is no reason not to give one a go. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks guys!

[glenn bradley]

No issue with link belts here. I run large Forstners, circle cutters and the usual array of other bits common in furniture making. Certainly the way you use your DP will vary your satisfaction with your belts. I have run link belts on my 1/2HP machine since it got assembled with no problems doing the things I do in a wood shop with a DP.

[James Biddle]

I ordered two cogged belts for the GI from McMaster-Carr to try out. I'll let you know who actually makes them. They don't carry any 29.5 size though, so I'll look elsewhere for the Jet belts.

Larry, which model of the Optibelt do you use (they have a lot)?

I've used link belts in the past and they were OK at best, but I'd prefer not to use them on something like a DP where I'll be taking them off and putting them on so often.

[Larry Edgerton]

Larry, which model of the Optibelt do you use (they have a lot)?




It is confusing, so I just call and rely on their recommendation. They always have what I need, even in Euro machines with odd sizes and matched sets.

My DP has a Reeves drive with a matched set of three to the head so probably never have to replace.

On the chuck thing, if you run across a deal on a Jacobs Superchuck don't be afraid to try one, mine has never slipped a bit and is accurate to 0001.

[Phillip Gregory]

Make sure it is an older Made in the USA Superchuck as the newer Chinese ones are reported to have more run-out. I have a USA 16N Superchuck that is great.

[Lee Schierer]

Your belts may possibly be metric sizes. Gates makes a XPA750 Metric-Power V-Belt, XPA Section, 13mm Width, 10mm Height, 750mm Length which would match your 29.5" belt.

[Dave Lehnert]

You most likely have tried this already but have you called JET for a replacement belt?

[James Biddle]

You most likely have tried this already but have you called JET for a replacement belt?

No, because this machine has very low hours on it (less the 25?) and the belts developed such a set that it was very difficult to get the chuck out without that third arm to align the spindle.

[James Biddle]

So I got it backwards, the A27 and A28 are for the Jet, not the GI. I have those cogged belts in now and will install and report back tomorrow. BTW, McMaster-Carr carries the Gates as their in-house brand.

[James Biddle]

So, I tried to install the new belts. I thought if the old belt is an A27 and the new one is an AX27, they should be the same length belt, right? NO! Well then the old one should be longer than the new because it stretched, right? NO! Both new ones are longer than the old, to the point where they can't be tightened. The old ones had to be fought to get on the pulleys. So, I looked at the Jet parts list thinking something must be wrong. AHA! The parts list had a different belt listed than was installed. The parts list called for one of the belts to be a little longer that the one installed, right? NO! The parts list calls for an A26 and an A28, not the A27 and A28 on the machine which are a little snug, but which are much shorter than the AX27 and AX28 that I bought.

My thought is to order an AX26 and hope it pairs with one of the other two.

Can someone educate me on v-belts? Is the A designation not the cross-sectional size and the number not the diameter in inches? Is the diameter measured at the inside, outside or at some other point?

[James Biddle]

More info...I read that with an A series v-belt, you add 2" to the number after the A to get the outside circumference. So, a A27 belt should have a circumference of 29" and a A28 should have a circumference of 30". My old Jet belts are 28" and 29" or 1" short on each. My new Gates belts are 29-/12" and 30-1/2" or 1/2" long on each. Just for grins, I measured the belts on the General International DP and the A24 and A29.5 measured 25-1/4" and 30-3/4", or 3/4" short on each. Unfortunately, GI just lists a part number for the belts, not the size.

[Ed Edwards]

I have had great success using belts from VBelt supply. Some are imported, but still are great. And, you can't beat the service and various styles of belts.
Account Manager Mr. Robert (Bobby) Bartell 888-335-9598 X 102 is very personal !
VbeltSupply.Com
I have no interest in this company, it's just nice to be able to offer a good company and product, Ed

[James Biddle]

I have had great success using belts from VBelt supply. Some are imported, but still are great. And, you can't beat the service and various styles of belts.
Account Manager Mr. Robert (Bobby) Bartell 888-335-9598 X 102 is very personal !
VbeltSupply.Com
I have no interest in this company, it's just nice to be able to offer a good company and product, Ed

Have you measured the belts relative to the spec? How close are they?

[James Biddle]

So, I finally got the new Gates cogged belts (McMaster-Carr) installed on the DP today. There is noticeably MORE vibration with the new belts then with the old. I put them in the same spots on the pulleys, tightened until the least amounts of noise/vibration, and they did not appear to be overtightened.

My questions are: Do new belts need a break-in period? If so, how long? Or do my new belts just suck?

[Larry Edgerton]

I gave you the answer in post #6. Your new belts suck.

[James Biddle]

I gave you the answer in post #6. Your new belts suck.

Talked to someone at Optibelt today. He recommended the HVAC v-belts instead of cogged belts. I'm waiting to hear back from the local distributor.