Cheap link belts

18 months ago I bought some 'cheap' link belting for my Boxford AUD lathe. Unfortunately I don't remember the supplier, but what I have is 110% rubbish. I seem to have to remove a link every 3 months or so, but I can do this now in about 15 mins.

1) Undo 3 x cap screws to release the end of the counter shaft.
2) Remove the inspection cover plate on top of the headstock
3) Slip the belt off the counter shaft and tie a piece of string to the belt
4) Pull the belt up through the inspection plate aperture.
5) Bend the belt back in on itself and with a small flat screwdriver winkle the rivet out of a link.
6) Repeat for the next link or so.
7) Slip the first rivet back into a slotted link
8) Winkle the last rivet into the end of the link with the screwdriver
9) Slip the belt back over the counter shaft, remove the string
10) Replace the countershaft bearing bracket - use a screwdriver in the mounting holes to help get the cap screws back in.
11) Replace inspection cover - job done.

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I can never understand the attraction of link belts. Folks say that they're an improvement, but they're usually comparing them with a belt that just fell apart due to age/wear.

I bought some Brammer T-link belt on my ML7 about 15 years ago but got rid of it after a few months because it was nowhere near as good as new V belts...

Bit like LED fluorescent tube replacements, they're brighter than a claped out tube, but usually only 1/2-2/3 as bright as a new one.

Bah Humbug!

Well Speedy you don' say where you got yours, but mine wasn't particularly cheap bought from lathes.co and not from El Cheapo on Fleabay and was supposed to be the dog's doo-dahs, but like you it seems to require regular attention. By the way I believe that there are special pliers for easier working on these belts. This is on my Boxford which has new pulleys, so they aren't causing the slip.

Mark I tend to agree with that sentiment, I fitted my Boxford LOO with T link and the only redeeming feature appears to be the ability to change its length. The primary drive through the variable speed pulleys by flat rubber belt never slips, but when doing some heavy turning these linked belts do not seem to be able to transmit the power unless they are set up inordinately tight, which is not good for the bearings.

Trevor.

The link belt on my Boxford VSL is too loose, it's about thirty years old, so no doubt well past its best before date.

There is no way to adjust thebelt tension on these machines and I wonder how to set the tension of a new belt that I guess is the answer to the problem.

Belt the rightway around? They have a proper direction of travel.

Namely? I have been wondering about this myself.

Cheap may say it all. Buy cheap, buy twice. My 2HP compressor has had the same link belt for over thirty years now ( I bought the compressor second hand from a farm sale). I don’t think I have ever removed a link in that time. It is a slow speed cast iron two stage pump, so that may have helped (largish pulleys).