Is my bandsaw losing power?

[David Kumm]

Probabaly a VX belt but it depends on how different the pulley diameters are and the distance between them. I have a motor shop that sells Optibelts and they give me advice. Dave

[Lee Schierer]

Keep in mind a link belt is a fractional HP belt so your application isn't ideal for the long term. Glad you got it sorted out and it ended up being a cheap and easy fix. Dave

Not necessarily. I have a link belt on my 1-1/2Hp saw and it has been working just fine for 20+ years. Link belts are commonly used to replace any similar sized v-belt in industrial settings.

[lee cox]

I had a problem on my Minimax 4500mm 18 inch where the motor belt was rubbing the large bottom wheel just slightly. It was enough to cause the motor to run hot. I added washers to the motor to push out the motor so it would not rub. What a difference now. My motor runs much cooler and the saw cuts better.

[David Kumm]

Anyone feel free to correct me as I'm wrong a lot, but my understanding with link belts is that in order to transmit higher torque applications, they need higher belt tension than V type belts. That puts more load on the bearings. Not a big deal on the slow moving wheel side but more so on the motor bearings. Machines now run fairly small lighter load bearings so that may or may not be an issue. They do mute vibration or alignment issues and are often easier to install but I've never heard of them as a superior choice for my type of machines ( although I do sometimes use them ). Dave

[Edwin Santos]

Not necessarily. I have a link belt on my 1-1/2Hp saw and it has been working just fine for 20+ years. Link belts are commonly used to replace any similar sized v-belt in industrial settings.

Lee,
After you first installed your link belt, did you have to come back and tighten it due to break in stretching?

[Lee Schierer]

Lee,
After you first installed your link belt, did you have to come back and tighten it due to break in stretching?

My link belt is on my table saw and the motor weight provides the tension. Link belts do relax a little after they have run for a bit, so it is a good idea to re-tension them after a few hours of running.

[Edwin Santos]

My link belt is on my table saw and the motor weight provides the tension. Link belts do relax a little after they have run for a bit, so it is a good idea to re-tension them after a few hours of running.

Lee, indeed after a couple of day, it seemed to me that the link belt relaxed some so I moved the motor and re-tightened it. The saw seems to have regained all it's lost power so my experience is similar to yours. Time will tell how the link belt does for durability.

Edwin

[glenn bradley]

Dave,
Thank you for educating me on this. I had no idea. Now that I've I.D'd the problem, I'll have to go out and get a conventional V-belt when I get a moment. Do you have an opinion about cogged vs. conventional type v-belts for this application? Why are link belts so heavily promoted in woodworking circles?
Edwin

I run link belts on my bandsaw and other tools since day one. Many of them of been in service for over a decade with no problems. I’m not sure where the bad rap on these belts comes from. They are used in industrial settings under very harsh conditions. However, we all have our opinions based on our experiences and these very :-).

[Edwin Santos]

I run link belts on my bandsaw and other tools since day one. Many of them of been in service for over a decade with no problems. I’m not sure where the bad rap on these belts comes from. They are used in industrial settings under very harsh conditions. However, we all have our opinions based on our experiences and these very :-).

Glenn, I've been impressed with the link belt I installed a few days ago. Contrary to my other message, I'm going to leave well enough alone, and see what happens over time. All I can say is my power is back and the vibration is reduced, so I don't seem to have a problem to solve. It's helpful to hear others' experiences, thanks

[Curt Harms]

Probabaly a VX belt but it depends on how different the pulley diameters are and the distance between them. I have a motor shop that sells Optibelts and they give me advice. Dave

My understanding is that VX (notched) belts don't take a set like the link belts at a lower cost and may run quieter if that matters. One place the link belts shine is they're easy to adjust the length.

[Lee Schierer]

My understanding is that VX (notched) belts don't take a set like the link belts at a lower cost and may run quieter if that matters. One place the link belts shine is they're easy to adjust the length.

Link belts reduce vibration because they don't take a set like conventional v-blets. The VX belts are also a good choice.