New band saw belt

[Tom from Clayton]

It's time to replace the belt on my 19 year old Jet 14 inch band saw and seeing as belts are yet another topic that I'm not too informed on I was hoping for a little guidance on getting a new one. I have eliminated the fancy power twist belts based on price alone even though I know they will reduce vibration. They must have platinum woven in them! The belt is VB-A50 and I wonder if going to an auto store is a good idea or maybe Fastenal or Grainger? My saw has developed a vibration that persists even when I changed blades. It is still perfectly usable but it makes sense to replace the original belt to see how much it contributes to the vibration. Thanks.

 

[Mike Davis]

I would check all screws, bolts, pulley, and bearing for loose fit as well.
If you have changed the belt and the recently acquired vibration is still present then something else may be causing it.

 

[CDPeters]

A50 belts are pretty common, most auto parts stores should have it.

Having said that, I'm with Mike, first check both the drive (motor) and load (saw) pulleys to be sure nothing has worn or come loose, check motor and saw bearings for slop, and be sure all mounting bolts are still tight.

 

[ehpoole]

You can get vibration with a new belt at both the seam and any areas that were sharply bent in packaging storage, but the seam can especially generate vibration if it is not perfectly smooth and/or aligned where the sides ride within the pulleys.

I did ultimately go the route of using PowerTwist link belts for several pieces of equipment, including my bandsaw, where vibration had been problematic. They are expensive versus ordinary cheap V-belts, but then how often does one really need to replace a belt? One generally gets many years of runtime out of a good belt, so the price per year of use is not all that great in the end. There are, however, some cheaper link belts out there other than PowerTwist (but stick with the double linkage type).

 

[Jeff]

Geez, nickel and diming to save a few bucks. Why not buy the PowerTwist belt and be done with that vibration for a long time? If the saw still vibrates then move on to plan B as others have suggested with the PT belt? Do you still have the original PowerTwist belt for reference?

Like this?

http://www.rockler.com/1-2-power-twist-plus-link-v-belt

http://go.rockler.com/tech/RTD10000507AA.pdf

 

[Tom from Clayton]

Ethan and Jeff. You guys are killing me! Nickle and dimes - I think 70 or 80 bucks is more than nickles and dimes for this old geezer. I was hoping for some insight into standard belt material and sources. I have one of the segmented belts on my lath and it works fine so I'm not unfamiliar with them - just don't want to spend the money. Maybe I'll save it for my retirement <G>.

 

[Jeff]

Sorry Tom, I thought that you were 50 years old and gainfully employed, not an old geezer on SS benefits. What's the OD circumference of the V-belt that you want to replace?

https://www.grainger.com/category/s...sion-belts/power-transmission/ecatalog/N-1dv5

 

[Tom from Clayton]

Now we're talking. 11 bucks for my 1/2 inch 52 inch OD belt.

 

[Chris C]

https://m.harborfreight.com/vibration-free-link-belt-43771.html

1/2 x 5' for $32.99....... No personal experience with it.

 

[bob vaughan]

Remove the blade and run the saw. If the vibration signature (frequency) is still there, then the belt could be a suspect as well as a wallowed or bent pulley.
While the saw is running, look at the tire. If it was not a glued on tire, then it may have lost its tension and be flopping around on the wheel.

The best industrial belts I've found are the Gates Hi-Power II belts. They can be a little stiff at first and will run hot for a few hours, but once broken in, they are smooth as silk. I've not had good luck with auto parts store belts except the green Gates belts (which are the same as the Hi-Power II belts.).

 

[Dee2]

https://m.harborfreight.com/vibration-free-link-belt-43771.html

1/2 x 5' for $32.99....... No personal experience with it.

I use them on everything but the unisaw. No failures in 12 years.

 

[junquecol]

Ditto on the green twist belts from HF. They are made in America. Don't forget your 20% off coupon

 

[woodworker2000]

I use them on everything but the unisaw. No failures in 12 years.

Even less when you apply the ever-present 20% off coupon.

 

[bob vaughan]

Using link belts isn't without risk. That hard plastic can be pretty rough on aluminum pulleys.

 

[Mike Wilkins]

The last Unisaw that I had, I went to the auto parts store with the only 'good' belt that came with the pre-owned saw and got what I needed. Worked well for lots of years before I sold the machine.