Need size of belt for ShopSmith Mark 5

[Ed Aumiller]

My grandson has an older ShopSmith Mark5 ser 358532 and want to replace the belt...
Intend to put a PowerTwist on it so he does not have to disassemble the unit...

Can anyone please advise the width of the belt 3/8" or 1/2"
and the length of it so I can order it ???

He does not live close by, so unable to measure it in person...

Any help very much appreciated...

Thanks,
Ed Aumiller

[Paul F Franklin]

I'm not sure a powerTwist will work with the variable diameter sheaves the SS uses to change speeds. In any case, I don't believe you need to disassemble the unit to replace the belt, although there is a fair amount of fiddling.

Here are the instructions for changing the Mark V belt from the shopsmith web site: https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/productmanuals/DriveBelt_Replacement.pdf

Their web site has exploded drawings and parts lists for everything. They may tell you what size belt it uses, although I didn't see that info with a quick check.

[Bill Space]

You might also check out this guy’s store. He sells the belts you need.

https://jacobs-repair-shop.myshopify.com/

He also has a lot of instructional YouTube videos worth a look.

Bill

[Larry Frank]

Jacobs Repair Shop is great with the videos. He also does great repair work. I shipped him my Mark V head a year ago and he completely rebuilt it. I am very pleased with his work.

[Ed Aumiller]

Thank you for replies...

Do not know why a PowerTwist belt would not work.. same as a regular v-belt..
Has anyone done this ??

[David Dockstader]

Thank you for replies...

Do not know why a PowerTwist belt would not work.. same as a regular v-belt..
Has anyone done this ??

The PowerTwist belt is really NOT the same as the regular v-belt. The sheaves in the Shopsmith speed control (a Reeves drive) depends on the angled sides of the v-belt to move up and down against the angled sides of the sheaves to change speeds. PowerTwist belts are great for drives that use single pulley, but I wouldn't put them on a Reeves drive like the Shopsmith or the old Delta or Powermatic 45/90. Granted, I have not tried it, but I've owned two Shopsmiths and worked on their speed controls a bunch. I don't see how it could possibly work. And changing the belts is about a 5 - 10 minute exercise, following the instructions from Shopsmith.

[Eric Danstrom]

...And changing the belts is about a 5 - 10 minute exercise, following the instructions from Shopsmith.
10 minutes would be increadibly fast for the v belt. Replacing the gilmer/poly v belt requires pulling the main arbor. 10 minutes would be spectacular for both. By the time I go to the trouble of replacing worn belts it's been 30 years so I do all the bearings too.