Dore Westbury Milling Machine

[Adrian DixonParticipant @adriandixon92675]

Drive Belt……help required!

[Adrian DixonParticipant @adriandixon92675]

I am having problems with the drive belt on a MkII D/W (i.e. with belt guard). The supplied round fabric reinforced belt is a shade too long (possibly stratched slightly over time) and I cannot get sufficient tension before the motor pulleys move too far back and foul the guard.

I am currenlty using 6mm green round belting but it is limited how much tension / loading the welded joint will take before it fails – I know I’ve done it! I have reduced the tension to the point that the joint survives but this limits the cut before slippage occurs (and the motor then gradually gets a covering of green dust off the belt!).

Does anyone have a solution, preferably know a supplier of a shorter 1/4″ dia round fabric type belt?

Adrian

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Hi Adrian,

Watch out for that green dust. Even if its not carcinogenic, it will still do you no good to breath it, or ANY other dust. Use a mask, including when you`ve finished and sweeping up.

John.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Sounds to me that 1/4″ is too small a size for even the smallest mill, I use the 1/4″ stuff on my Super Adept with a 180 watt motor. You should’nt have that sort of slip, and you’ll get it what ever sort of belt I imagine. Are the pullies a U section or a V? Ian S C

[,Participant @nousername29627]

Hi Adrian,

Try Tony Griffiths in Buxton (lathes.co.uk). He does a huge range of sizes of round belting in both leather and plastic and is almost certain to be able to help you

Phil

[BogstandardParticipant @bogstandard]

Belting – how to do it

 

 

Bogs

Edited By Bogstandard on 29/06/2011 21:17:04

[Adrian DixonParticipant @adriandixon92675]

Thanks for the responses. Yes it is 1/4″ to transmit 1/3HP if I recall correctly. The existing belt is to most intents ‘unbreakable’ and one thought is to fit a jockey pulley to lose some length, but it would have to be supported off the bottom plate of the belt guard (an alloy casting) and would still potentially leave a problem in future when (if?) the belt ultimately fails.

I am currently using 6mm green belt bought at Harrogate last year, I think it is Swiss made. It runs in semi-circular grooved pulleys but the weak point seems to be the heat welded join, though I have managed to get a satisfactory result that has lasted several months now providing I don’t try and take more than a light cut. It is a light machine but is capable of more than I dare subject the belt too.

The hollow belt with fasteners is an option but will the join cause noise and vibration? The smallest pulleys are quite small, maybe 1.5″ – leather with fasteners is not preferred for the same reason.

I have seen it stated that the original belts were by a firm called Dawsons and that they no longer have the moulds. Re-machining to suit Poly-V belt (say only 3 wide) may be an option. Anybody tried that route?

Adrian

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Wasn’t the Dore Westbury a kit? I had a Mk 1 (bought secondhand finished) and remember the belting being standard V belt.

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

I use these people a lot for belts and bearings.

http://www.fiveways-bearings.co.uk/

[RedpiperbobParticipant @redpiperbob16487]

Hi All My Dore Westbury kit had a round fabric type belt never stretched in all the time I had the mill. Model Engineer Services was the company I bought mine from. But I believe Ivan Law the owner has retired.

Bob

 

[AndyfParticipant @andyf]

Posted by Chris Trice on 29/06/2011 23:38:56:

Wasn’t the Dore Westbury a kit? I had a Mk 1 (bought secondhand finished) and remember the belting being standard V belt.

 

I have a Mk I and use a car fan belt on its 3-step pulleys. But I think the Mk II pulleys are 5-step, with narrower grooves to take a round belt. See third pic down here: http://www.lathes.co.uk/dore%20westbury/page2.html

 

Andy

 

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