Link belt on Reeves drive?

[Sam E Miller]

I have a Powermatic 90 with a Reeves drive. Wondering if anyone has any experience with putting a link belt on the reeves pulley and what the results were. Quieter? Smoother?

-Sam

[Zachary Hoyt]

My experience of Reeves drives is limited but so far it appears that a special belt is needed, one that is wider and flatter. A regular V belt doesn't work properly so I don't think a link belt that is designed to replace a V belt would either.

[Curt Harms]

I have a Powermatic 90 with a Reeves drive. Wondering if anyone has any experience with putting a link belt on the reeves pulley and what the results were. Quieter? Smoother?

-Sam

No experience. I've read that link belt material is harder than regular V belting and can cause more wear on the pulleys as a result. It does seem like the links on a link belt are harder and could possibly be more abrasive. Excessive wear on Reeves drive pulleys is just about the last thing I'd want. My machine with a link belt (drill press) doesn't run much at all so I can't say yea or nay to excessive pulley wear.

[Mike Henderson]

I don't have any experience, but I don't think a link-belt would work well on a Reeves drive.

Mike

[Edward Weber]

I've been using link belts on reeves drives for well over 10 years, they work great and don't spall off rubber that gums up the movement of the pulleys.
Keep in mind that link belts are directional, make sure to install properly.

[Sam E Miller]

Thank you Edward.
Other than not having the issue with rubber spalling, are there other benefits that you see?


If anyone has a recommendation for sourcing link belts, I’d be happy to hear it.

-Sam

[Edward Weber]

The other benefits are that you usually don't have to take anything apart to install a link belt, and they just don't wear out.
I'm sure they do fail eventually, since they do take more abuse on a reeves drive than standard pulleys, but they seem to last forever.

[Bob Vavricka]

It has been a long time since I worked on a Powermatic 90 lathe. But if I remember correctly the belt was fairly wide and I wonder if you will find a suitable link belt to work with it.

[Edward Weber]

They come in many sizes.
Many people are only used to the "standard" 1/2" or sometimes the 3/8"

https://www.fennerdrives.com/powertwist-drive/