Lathe belt broken

[ROBERT BLACKSHAWParticipant @robertblackshaw40066]

I have again broken a belt on the lathe, Gates 710 is the size. Has anybody know of a distributor of these belts, I have been paying around £23.00 for them, and its getting rather expensive.

Thanks for any replies

[ROBERT BLACKSHAWParticipant @robertblackshaw40066]

Gates 710 belt for a 9×20 lathe

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

I presume that it is from a 920 lathe? If so, Chester Machine Tools wll be able to assist although I don't know their current price. Apparently these belts come from the US but even so the price is outrageous.

Mick

I have just found a 5M710 (920 lathe) at http://www.bearingshopuk.co.uk/5m710-gates-polyflex-belt/ for about £16 and there are some on EBay, from Denmark at around a tenner.

Edited By mick H on 24/05/2016 18:26:43

Edited By mick H on 24/05/2016 18:27:14

Edited By mick H on 24/05/2016 18:33:27

[Chris SheltonParticipant @chrisshelton11794]

Hi

Quality bearings online have a Gates Z710 for £4.76 inc vat.

HTH

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I have used bearingshopuk as above for a spare for my lathe, seemed about the best price for the 5M series polyflex belts.

Question is why do your skeep breaking?

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

The Quality Bearings belt is a remarkable low price!

Robert,

To stop breaking the belt reduce the tension on that massive spring. I put 1" loop made from 1/8" welding rod between the fixing point and the end of the spring. Haven't broken a belt since.

Roger

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Robert,

You have a private message..

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

The belt for my lathe cost me £150 to get made up a couple of yrs ago, [a flat belt for a colchester student,] it's a real good quality triple laminated one so it'll see me out, & I hinged the motor platform & made a rise & fall mechanism similar to a traction engine reverse lever to create a clutch [a real colchester failing not to have a clutch] my old edgwick had a similar mechanism fitted.

Graham.

[ROBERT BLACKSHAWParticipant @robertblackshaw40066]

The reason I am breaking the belt is that I get so involved in what Im doing that I forget to move the lever, I shall try the 1nch loop from Roger, thanks.

[John WeightParticipant @johnweight34532]

Hi Robert,

Bearingboys also do them but including postage they still work out at over £ 21 ea. Whilst I am on here, the trouble I have on the 918 lathe is that, on the lowest speed the belt turns over in its v groove when the lathe is running and then eventually becomes very misshapen, any one any suggestions?

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

Sounds like the pulleys are out of alignment.

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Robert,

The 'inbox' icon at the top of the page will be flashing indicating you have a new message, click on it to view

[John ReeseParticipant @johnreese12848]

Anything sold as a repair part has an outrageous markup. If you can buy from a vendor that deals in belts, pulleys, bearings, etc. you will probably get a better price.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I had a 9×20 lathe for a few years. I bought a spare belt from Chester at what I thought at the time was an excessive price but never had to use it. For such a thin belt they are remarkably robust if used correctly. Sorry the spare belt went with the lathe when it was sold.

Russell.

[AeronutParticipant @aeronut]

Hi Robert, don't know where you're at but I got mine from city seals and bearings in Rotherham some years ago £12 for 2. for the 5m type this was for a warco 918 which I believe is a similar machine.

Regards Lee

[BOB BLACKSHAW 1Participant @bobblackshaw1]

Old thread but still splitting the belt.

I have put a three phase on the machine two years ago and in that time I have gone through three belts, so its not the sudden start off of the motor.

When changing the belt I push off the belt on to the other pully and its quite tight so its not loose. I don't use the tensioner at all as all the pully positions are a good belt tension.

The pulleys are all lined up, as I used a straight edge when setting up the three phase.

The only problem I see is changing to another pully, its pushing the belt over the pully wheel which could be damaging the belt over a period of time. If I left the belt on one pully I'm

sure it would last.

The belt turns over on its self on the pully, and that's when it cracks up .

Any suggestions please, as I've gone trough a number of belts since I had the lathe.

Thanks Bob

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This [from the horse’s mouth] might help, Bob : **LINK**

https://www.gatestechzone.com/en/problem-diagnosis/synchronous-drive-system

MichaelG.

[BOB BLACKSHAW 1Participant @bobblackshaw1]

Thanks Michael,

Ive looked at the photos and its non of those, mine has a complete split.

The photo is rubbish , cant get close for a good photo.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Bob,

Have you tried searching for vee belt rolling on google?

Your pushing the belt off under tension might be damaging that tiny belt an A section would not allow changing pulley under proper tension..

Pulleys might have been made to Chinese guide lines and may not have the correct angle for that belt, or the belt may be bottoming.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by BOB BLACKSHAW on 19/11/2019 11:16:22:

Thanks Michael,

Ive looked at the photos and its non of those, mine has a complete split.

The photo is rubbish , cant get close for a good photo.

.

My apologies, Bob

… at the price quoted, I wrongly assumed that it was a Gates timing belt you were breaking.

Please ignore my input.

MichaelG.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by BOB BLACKSHAW on 19/11/2019 10:01:01:

………………….

When changing the belt I push off the belt on to the other pully and its quite tight so its not loose. I don't use the tensioner at all as all the pully positions are a good belt tension.

The pulleys are all lined up, as I used a straight edge when setting up the three phase.

The only problem I see is changing to another pully, its pushing the belt over the pully wheel which could be damaging the belt over a period of time. If I left the belt on one pully I'm sure it would last.

The belt turns over on its self on the pully, and that's when it cracks up .

Any suggestions please, as I've gone trough a number of belts since I had the lathe.

Thanks Bob

Bob, I might be missing the blindingly obvious, since I've never used one of these lathes; surely the whole purpose of the belt tensioner is to release the tension, in order to change speeds.

Isn't it a spring loaded idler?
See Page 20 of this pdf.

Apologies if I'm sucking eggs up the wrong tree, or something like that.

Bill

[BOB BLACKSHAW 1Participant @bobblackshaw1]

To answer Bill`s question, when I got the 9×20 lathe the belt was tight on 3 off the pullies so when changing over to another pully it was a thumb push to get the belt off. The tensioner in my opinion gave even more strain on the belt and I didn't use it until the belt came looser or changing to the other three pullies which didn't have the tension and the tensioner was needed. Now its on a inverter only three pullies are used and they are tight on all three so the tensioner is not used.

If I remember a Myford lathe the tensioner was used to slacken the belt to change pullies, the 9×20 as I've said the belt is tight even when the tensioner is off.

The Gates belts are suppose to be the best and are used with cam shaft drives on cars, so changing over on other pullies must be damaging the belt. Is this a design fault? are there any other 9×20 users having this problem.

Bob.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Bob why are you not using the belt tensioner as Bill says that's what it is there for. I have the Warco 918 and the belt I use is 5M but the 730 not the 710 so is a little longer. Belt changing to a different pulley size is a doddle, push the tension lever back, belt becomes slack change belt position release the tension lever and that's it quick, easy with no stress to the belt.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Hi bob,

There should be about 1/2" of slack if you press on the longest length with your thumb.

Sounds like the belt could be over tensioned

[BOB BLACKSHAW 1Participant @bobblackshaw1]

Actually I have just been thinking this, Ive always used a 710 belt as that was the belt supplied with the machine, so I will try a 730.

Thanks Bob.

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