920 and its Drive belt

Hello All

I hope this is the correct section. Iv just upgraded from the Chester Conquest 7x14 to a 920. Secondhad of course and a air buy at just over £400 Althought Iv been cleaning for the last few days and am finaly get there. . Now I can see what im working with I can see what bits need to be put right. The main I think the previous owner overused oil its everywhere and in the back its swiming in the stuff. Thats where I found my first and most urgent need . That is the Thin 5M710 drive belt It is cracked and has lumps missing although still doing its job it needs a replacement one quick. I also think its prudent to completly strip the backend and give it a good clean. and check seals and beraings, I rang Chester for the belt, Then after picking myself up off the floor Nearly £20 for that little thing. Anyway iv done some serching but I cannot find anywhere else in the UK. Can anyone else suggest a place here in the UK?

That said Iv found one for under £8 in the US and £3 postage But its just te time its going to take.incase mine breaks LOL.

The lathe has had a tunbler reverse fitted at sometime however does not seam very substantial and needs looking into. I will post photos when im stripping it down to see if anyone recognices the upgrades. It looks like its had a switch failure at one time or another as some non standard switch has been fitted .So will be looking for one of those emergency stop buttons in the near future. Then the other things are cosmetic as far as I can see namly the paint flakeing and chipped It would be nice if we could get some touch up paint of the same colour.

But the drive belt is my No 1 priority at the moment.

It would be nice to eventually update it to a vairiable speed lathe like my conquest but thats way in the future.

Regs Andy

I've got a DB8 chester lathe, it sounds like the same type of drive belt. I had no luck at all with Chester, eventually got one from the USA, can't remember where exept Baton Rouge, very helpful chap, same sort of price you quoted. I bought two, same postage, but expect GPO "handling charges".

Hi Andy,

I know the feeling!. I got a brand new 920 a few years ago and the first thing I did was to snap that little drive belt.

I bit the bullet and ordered two replacements from Warco, (they definately weren't cheap!) thinking that they were going to be an often replaced item, but even after 5 years use I have never broken another one. so still have a spare.

The code number on mine says 5M710 its from "Polymax", but all the other info is in Chinese, may help if you want to do another google search.

Good Luck, Peter

Hi Again

Well iv had 2 more quotes and one was a firm in Derbyshire in the hills But was just over £38 delivered . (And I thought £18 was bad. Best part about it was the guy said they had just sold out LOL) I once heard a saying "A fool and his money is parted"

How true that is if they are sold out . The other was from a Gates outlet at Milton Keynes and was a litttle over £17 all in. So at least I know I have options..

The other thing I was on about was the tumbler reverse mod thats been done to the lathe Here are a few photos.

So if anyone recognises this mod can you please let me know what it is So I can go through to see if it is set up correct.Because when you engaage it it keeps throwing back out again?

Regs Andy

Andy;

My Emco Compact-8 has a belt like that, a 5M690, if I remember. I just got the gates ones, two of them, and they were about what you quoted. The last one I purchased was in the early 1990s, so if you think of it, that's "chump change". It replaced the one that was on the lathe when I got it; replaced about a decade ago.

Yes, it seems funny that such a little thing could cost so much. But, compare it to the couple of brand new end mills I plowed into material on my CNC mill, and the belts pale in comparison! (smile)

Mine were ordered from a local store here in Canada; took 24 hours to come in, and I had to drive down (10 mins) and pick them up. Better than shipping charges.

Another JohnS

Edited By John Alexander Stewart on 22/08/2012 02:43:36

Hi Andy,
The tumbler mod could be a variation on Steve Bedair's design.
Steve Bedair's tumbler design.

Les.

Have you tried Davall? 01707 265432 Usually very helpful. 5mm pitch 710 long = 142 teeth Part no. A 6R25M 142 x belt width. Belt widths 6, 9 & 15mm

Edited By KWIL on 22/08/2012 11:19:32

Also try Grizzly tooling (USA) for information, downloadable manuals & spares, they call it a 9x19 lathe. **LINK**

The Steve Bedair website is dedicated to various mods for these lathes, the four point compound slide mount is vital if yours hasnt one already... this improves rigidity no end !

I bought my lathe used and it came with a spare belt. The initial belt is also very warn, but never slips or gives trouble.

del.

Thanksw Kwil and Del will have a look on Davall site and The lathe still only has the two bolt compound at the moment. But iv also come across another problem with the belt The 710 which it has on now works perfect on the top pully but when trying on the bottom it is to tight and drives even without using the clutch .Which would suggest the 730 but i dont think the 730 would work on the top pully as it would be to loose?

So have to try n work that one out.

I am missing just the turn of a knob to change the speed though the Conquest was variable speed. I might look into trying to change this to variable as it would be a lot better i think..

regs Andy

Hi,

I bought my 920 in 1990, a Taiwanese version but it has been ok. Bought a spare belt as a precaution and have never actually used it. Due to the speed change/clutch mechanism it is easy to swap so if you got a replacement or two swapping them every couple of months would probably make them last forever. Incidentally the 920 yahoo group has an excellent file, Rebuilding the asian 9X20 Lathe, by Cletus L Berkeley, which tells you all you need to know abouit setting this lathe up right first off. I wish I'd had it in 1990. Would have saved a lot of hassles. I have the Pitkin Donut Topslide mod which is really solid compared to the standard 2 bolt one. Again on the Yahoo site.

Enjoy it

Andries

Andy, telephone Davall, their website is OK but nothing beats a helpful human voice on the other end.

Done all the stipping and rebuilding and used a decent greace rather than old engine oil which it looked like the previous owner had used. Cleand all the swarf from all the places I can now get to with the back end down (Could reerly do with some touch up paint was thinking about knocking of a chip and taking it too gt it matched LOL) anywat now all built back up but still got the Which belt proben 930 or 910, Manual says 930 it came with a 910 The 910 will work right on the top set of pullys but not on the lower and the 930 will work ok on the bottom set but not on the top set Doh. (another reason for looking for vari drive ) Iv not touched the motor or the pullys at all so its NOT ME .. So at this moment in time im going to need both the 5m710 and 5m730. Other tahn this now all rebuilt all gibs set up right and hand wheels set to the acceptable backlash . all gears fitted and backlash also set as close as i can. and everything greaced and oild up right . On power on "with old belt" It sounds a different beast No ckuncking or tinny gear meshing sound just the usual wire of the back gears and the leade screw turning , even with it all turning is sounds nice and smooth and what with the smoothness of all the slides and sadle workings is spot on. So its been well worth the couple of days sorting it out. and somthing which may not have been as ths had the m/c got a fully useable drive belt so possibly a blessing in one way.

regs Andy

Kwil

Have you used one of those belts fron Davall?

Regs Andy

Hi Andy,

Have you looked at the adjustments that can be made on the motor and "countershaft" pulleys.

They are both adjustable on my 920, but very awkward to get to. The motor will slide vertically on its mounting and the countershaft has a small radial slot which it can slide in. Its a bit of a juggle to get them both in a position that the belt will engage all the pulleys easily, but it can be done.

Hope that helps

Peter

Andy, I have bought smaller belts from Davall and used on other jobs. They are made by Gates amongst others so no problems with quality. As I said give them a call, excellent advise and service.

K

The drive belt on mine appears quite loose on the top pulley, till the tensioner takes up the slack, and does also appear tight on the bottom pulleys (like it doesnt need tensioning), but it does work ok. These models are sometimes prone to slipping in the highest ratio speeds, so the belt does need to be quite tight.

ta

del.

Hi

Yes I think I can lift the motor up and slide the other out which will help But not help me that iv ordered the 710 belt from the US lol

Never mind..