Link belt question

[James Boster]

I'm sure this has been covered here before but I missed it. Everyone says the link style belts will reduce vibration. Has anyone here used them and what are your feelings. Are they worth the money. I'm looking to put them on my drill press, scrollsaw and lathe. thanks.

[tod evans]

james, i use the fenner (link) belts on all of my single belt drives, so yes i think they are worth the money..02 tod

[Steve Clardy]

Yes. Table saw, lathe.

[Matt Tawes]

I have them on my tablesaw and bandsaw, seemed like a significant difference in my opinion.

[Doug Shepard]

I put a link belt on my previous saw (a Craftsman Contractor) but also upgraded to machined pulleys at the same. So I can't tell you how much was attributable to each upgrade, but there was a very noticable improvement in reducing vibration. There also seemed to be a little increase in cutting power. I'm thinking that was probably just the belt upgrade due to decreased slippage on the pulleys, but ...? For the pretty low cost I think it's probably a worthwhile investment.
Haven't really felt the need to put them on my PM66. Maybe one of these days ...

[Jim Becker]

I had them on my previous jointer and bandsaw and was very, very pleased with the results. I have them on my current cabinet saw with equal affection.

One thing you need to know about these belts is that they will stretch a bit at first and you will need to re-tension a few times over the course of a few months. After that, they will require no attention, based on my experience.

[tod evans]

doug, fenner drives who manufactures the link belts does not advise using them on multiple belt set-ups. .02 tod

[Russ Massery]

Though, I've and many have used the with no problems........;)

[Steve Clardy]

Though, I've and many have used the with no problems........;)

Not feener brand, but have them on my 3-belt grizzly.

[Jim Dunn]

Put them on my crftsmn saw and had an immediate reduction in vibration. Won't fit on my little 8" bench top drill press.

[Jim DeLaney]

Bandsaw, drill press, jointer, contractors saw, back when I had one... Made a noticeable improvement on every one of them.

Use only the Fenner-Manheim belts. Accept no substitutes.

[Ken Shoemaker]

I use it on a Delta Contractor Tablesaw. I'll never have a saw without them. Further, I intend to have them on EVERY machine I can get them on.

Bottom line... You buy'em, if you don't like it I'll gladly buy them from you... Trust me.... You'll love'em...

Good luck.... Ken

[lou sansone]

Well I hate to be the party pooper , but I have used them and don't like them. They are expensive compared to other belts. They stretch and have to be re-tensioned. I have seen them self destruct when really loaded, where a conventional v belt would not. The only reason we ever used them, and I think the original reason they were developed, was for 24/7 operations where you blew a belt and did not have the right ones in stock ( Some of the high hp drives I have worked on have 4 belts running together ). You could get going again with these guys, but the moment you got the right belt in, those link belts were history. I have stated this before and will state it again. I think that fenner has done a great job of marketing this band-aid v belt to the mass market and folks seem to just jump right in and buy them. For years I have designed, built and maintained lots of different types of industrial machines, from the steel industry to rubber plants to super high tech fiber optic sensor mfgs. We never have used them as a primary design power transmission method. If you want a decent low vibration belt go for a cog style belt ( sometimes called a cx type ). No disrespect is intended for all of you who do seem to like them. This is one of those opinion questions and to be fair I wanted to state mine.
Personally I thing that one of the reasons they seem so popular today and why folks are having vibrations problems is with the basic sheave design that engineers are using now days. If you take a look at a woods book or other belt book you will see minimum diameter for driving sheaves. often it seems like the designer just goes for the minimum he/she can get away with and therefore puts real a tight radius on the belt system. when they sit idle the belts take a set on the very small diameter pulley and that is where the majority of the power transmission vibration comes from. I believe that the improvement that you seem to be noticing is from this reduction in set. The cog belt is very flexible and will not take that same set as other traditional v belts. But it does have the good features of the continuous reinforcement in the belt as opposed to having to depend on the hook and loop type connection of the link belt.
check out cog belts and I think you will find what you are looking for.

lou

[Corey Hallagan]

Yup, definitely worth the money. Put one on my Delta Contractors Saw and it made a HUGE difference in vibration and performance. I have a drill press but just don't have any problems with that unit and the original belts. Not sure if it should be done on a drill press. On the CS, I had to retension once and then that was it, still in it's orginal position and no problem.

Corey

[Jim Becker]

doug, fenner drives who manufactures the link belts does not advise using them on multiple belt set-ups. .02 tod

Absolutely true. Of coures...some of us break a rule once in awhile and I got lucky with the Jet LT Cabinet Saw...it just purrs with the Fenner belts on it.

[Wes Billups]

I actually work for a belt manufacturer and have tried a link belt. They do as most people are saying and reduce the vibration when compared to the cheap envelope v-belts that come on most of our equipment. Before I started with this company I actually bought a link belt and installed it on my jointer. It did reduce vibration but at a cost of $6.00/ft. To reiterate what Lou is saying, most of us would be better off going to a industrial supply house or even some automotive supply stores and buying a name brand envelope or better yet cut-edge v-belt. You'll pay less than half of what a link belt costs and get better performance. Link belts definetly have a place when you have a drive that needs to be disassembled to install the belt. But if you want a cheaper and in my opinion better option purchase a good cut-edge style v-belt.

Wes Billups

[lou sansone]

Tod did bring up the other limitation concerning link belts. when multiple pulley drives are being considered you should be looking for belts that are made for them. Years ago they were know as matched set belts, but I think now the industry standards have made it so that HP type belts ( 3L -5L) are made for single pulley systems. Belts made for multiple pulley systems are in the A B C and AX BX and CX designations ( cog belts = raw edge = AX BX and CX ). I think due to the nature of the link belt they are just not going to have the same match-ness as a true matched set of belts.

So what is the big deal? Folks seem to run them on multiple pulley systems without any problem. I would have to say that in that case 1 belt is really doing all the work and the other is going along for the ride. I guess in most situations many of us are not coming close to red line on motor HP so it probably does not matter. Where you would probably first see a problem is not a cabinet saw, but on applications like planing and wide belt sanding. there you do often just go up to the limit on the motor HP.

Lou

[Jim Becker]

Oh, I don't know, Lou. I have done some pretty heavy cutting of thick rough material on my saw with the triple link belt and it didn't blink. I haven't had the impression that it was only "hitting on one belt" at any time. But I also have it tensioned pretty tight. I would never represent it is as good as (or even close to) a truly matched set of v-belts, however. But it's a lot better than the original belts and I got rid of the "big bang" on startup once I switched.

[Joe Johnson]

Everyone is referring to "Fenner Mannheim belts". Is this the brand that is carried at most woodworking stores like Rockler. If not, where can I buy them.
Thanks
Joe

[Mike Henderson]

I'll add my two cents. When I first started woodworking, someone gave me an old Craftsman 10 inch tablesaw with a dead motor. After I got a new motor, the saw had lots of vibration. I bought two machined pulleys and the link belt and it really quieted it down. I could stand a nickel on edge on the saw top while the saw was running (with a blade installed) and the nickel would not fall over. While the pulleys made some difference, the biggest improvement came with the link belt.

Mike

[John Cavanaugh]

About a month ago I upgraded all of my tools to link belts.

Made an improvement in the startup whip noise on my tablesaw. But my TS already passed the nickel test so not a major improvement here.

Definitely helped on my jointer but I was hoping for more on the noise reduction, but I need to put some of the vibration dampening sheets on the base, which I think will make a big improvement.

On my drill press the improvement was significant in that it turned my drill press into a near silent item. Nice to have but it didnt really impact performance.


--
John Cavanaugh

[lou sansone]

Oh, I don't know, Lou. I have done some pretty heavy cutting of thick rough material on my saw with the triple link belt and it didn't blink. I haven't had the impression that it was only "hitting on one belt" at any time. But I also have it tensioned pretty tight. I would never represent it is as good as (or even close to) a truly matched set of v-belts, however. But it's a lot better than the original belts and I got rid of the "big bang" on startup once I switched.

Hi Jim
I believe you on this. I think you could bend the rules, like you have said, for machines like the table saw. But I still stand by saying that for heavy plaining and wide belt type sanders that one should really think about the raw edge cog belt.

I guess I could turn the question around and ask the commuinty why not simply use cog belts?

regards
lou

[tod evans]

lou, i use cogs on everything with more than one belt except my d/c and the only reason i use links on it is i don`t want to repour the babbits untill it`s necessary. tod

[James Boster]

lou, I too use x-belts or "cog" belts on most everything. I posted this question to see if anyone thought the links were an improvement over the cog belts. Not sure if i'm going to spring for the $5 plus per foot for them, just trying to get input. I definatley agree that the notched type belts are more flexible and will reduce vibration over a solid one. Just trying to "tweek" my new RAM drill.

[Steve Clardy]

I too would rather use cog belts.
I worked in the irrigation, and over the road trucking industry for 25 years.
Great belts.
But I have found that keeing a few lenghts of fenner type belts around in my shop keep me going. It's a 25 mile trip to town one way just for 1 belt. And maybe they won't have it in stock. Thus the need for link belts.
And these 3hp table saws, belts are easier to change tha the standard belts.

[lou sansone]

lou, I too use x-belts or "cog" belts on most everything. I posted this question to see if anyone thought the links were an improvement over the cog belts. Not sure if I'm going to spring for the $5 plus per foot for them, just trying to get input. I definatley agree that the notched type belts are more flexible and will reduce vibration over a solid one. Just trying to "tweek" my new RAM drill.

Hi james
In fact that is one of the places I tried the link belts and I thought that they performed pretty poorly. I agree with the general comments from others here on this thread that they do have their place in certain situations.

I am glad to hear that some other folks can vouch for the cog type belt and I hope that some here who are reading and thinking about plunking down $$ will consider saving their money and purchase less expensive and I believe a far superior power belt.

Lou

[Brian King]

I like the Fenner over the use of a cog on applications where it is very difficult to replace a standard belt. They do not take a "set" so vibration will be less at startup. A cog belt will usually smooth out after running for a few minutes. After this if you still have vibration problems you may have worn sheaves or bent shafts. I would check the sheaves for wear and check with a dial indicator for runout.
This being said a good cog belt will carry a heavier load. No doubt about it. I have an old 1952 Unisaw. The sheaves definately have some wear and I will take them to work and true them up when I gat a chance. It has a set of 3 matched belts. Even without perfect pulleys it will pass the nickel test. But a machine with less vibration dampening mass would vibrate more with those same pulleys.
In the end I think it is just personal preference. A Fenner will work for most applications and will help reduce vibration coming form pulleys, shafts and out of balance parts. The standard belts will last longer and carry more load.
My approach is to make sure the drive system is as good as possible first.
Ok now I'm tired of hearing myself think.
Good day' gents.

[Ken McColly]

Hi Jim
I believe you on this. I think you could bend the rules, like you have said, for machines like the table saw. But I still stand by saying that for heavy plaining and wide belt type sanders that one should really think about the raw edge cog belt.

I guess I could turn the question around and ask the commuinty why not simply use cog belts?

regards
lou
Lou - When you speak of cog belts are you referring to Vee-cog belts or the flat gear belts? It seems to me that the latter would be ideal regarding flexibility and reducing vibration.

Ken