The parts list I found on OWM lists an 11/32 x 30 inch belt. The belts that were on the lathe measure more like 1 inch wide. Anybody else have a J-line. I don't want to buy the wrong link belt as it can be expensive. I found link belt that would be used for the 11/32 type belt replacement but not sure why they had a much wider belt on. My guess is somebody replaced it with an incorrect belt as some point. Thanks!
Hello, John.
I do not have a J line, but I can offer a couple of things that might be useful. About 30 years ago I got a second hand table saw that was belt driven, by two belts. Two belts were good, but when one broke the saw ran poorly and the remaining belt broke quickly.
I could not find a belt for it as it was some kind of branded saw. But I took the belts to an auto parts place and they were able to cross reference the numbers on the belt to a belt they had in stock. I kept the tag and was happy with it buying Gates belts from the auto parts store the next time I needed them.
Another friend of mine had a large Delta industrial saw that ran the blade with one large belt. We could find nothing at the auto parts store, and the Delta people would not sell straight to us at that time. You had to be a licensed repair shop. So we were up against it.
We took the belt to a (you guessed it) a belt store. They actually specialized in heavy machinery belts (as in diesel for 18 wheelers, road machinery, etc.) for big machines. They did not know anything about the belt and did not care.
The guy behind the counter produced a gauge that measured the length. He produced another that measured the angle of sides, and the width of the interior of the belt.
He explained to us that the only thing that mattered on most belts were the angle of the sides, the width of the bottom, and the length. Thickness, or what stuck out of the pulley, didn't matter unless there was clearance problems. As a matter of fact, he told us that many folks preferred the biggest belt that was practical that would get all the traction they could from a pulley.
That may be what happened in your situation. If the belt sits square and flush in the bottom of the pulleys and the side angles are correct, I wouldn't worry about the width of the belt.
Knowing that whatever sticks out a pulley doesn't gain any traction, there are those that opine that the additional rubber and reinforcement that sticks out of a pulley will add to belt life. Makes sense to me.
With that in mind, if it works well and runs smooth, I wouldn't worry that much about the drive belt.
Robert
.......... That may be what happened in your situation. If the belt sits square
Robert,
Most of that information is correct. I would like to add couple of comments.
Regards
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