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Subw00er
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 Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:05 am Post subject: belt sander belt tightness |
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How do I know how tight a belt sander belt should be? Should it err on the
side of tight or loose? I know that too loose and it will come off, but mine
seems to wander less if it is sort of tight.When its tight (like tight
enough to "twang"), it cuts sharper too.. Just wondering what you guys do.
I'm using a circa '75 Rockwell btw. |
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Unisaw A100
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 3:33 pm Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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Subw00er wrote:
| Quote: |
How do I know how tight a belt sander belt should be? Should it err on the
side of tight or loose? I know that too loose and it will come off, but mine
seems to wander less if it is sort of tight.When its tight (like tight
enough to "twang"), it cuts sharper too.. Just wondering what you guys do.
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Reach in between the belt (below the platen and give it a
little downward push. It should deflect by about 1/2" at
the most. Also, you'll want it to be tighter towards the
inside (towards the casting) by a wee bit but this is a
function of the tracking mechanism.
| Quote: |
I'm using a circa '75 Rockwell btw.
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The Rockwell Internationals I've had the pleasure of knowing
weren't good trackers. Try running a strip of tape around
the idler drum to give it a crown.
UA100 |
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George
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:11 pm Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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Crown helps align the belt, does it?
LMAO
"Unisaw A100" <UnisawA100@wi.rr.com> wrote in message
news:jjlm20h7gunegkgcv83012mgcnjfaapod4@4ax.com...
| Quote: |
The Rockwell Internationals I've had the pleasure of knowing
weren't good trackers. Try running a strip of tape around
the idler drum to give it a crown.
UA100 |
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Unisaw A100
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:59 am Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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George wrote:
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Crown helps align the belt, does it?
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No. It helps with tracking.
UA100 |
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Subw00er
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:10 am Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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Ua100, do you mean it should deflect less than 1/2" in between the rollers?
It does seem to wander a bit when I first turn it on but then it stays where
I set it. This is why I was thinking maybe I was setting the belt tension
wrong.I think perhaps mine is set tighter than 1/2" deflection.
ps- thanks for the recommendation on the pulley (Browning), its great and
definitely worth the extra $7.
"Unisaw A100" <UnisawA100@wi.rr.com> wrote in message
news:jjlm20h7gunegkgcv83012mgcnjfaapod4@4ax.com...
| Quote: |
Subw00er wrote:
How do I know how tight a belt sander belt should be? Should it err on
the
side of tight or loose? I know that too loose and it will come off, but
mine
seems to wander less if it is sort of tight.When its tight (like tight
enough to "twang"), it cuts sharper too.. Just wondering what you guys
do.
Reach in between the belt (below the platen and give it a
little downward push. It should deflect by about 1/2" at
the most. Also, you'll want it to be tighter towards the
inside (towards the casting) by a wee bit but this is a
function of the tracking mechanism.
I'm using a circa '75 Rockwell btw.
The Rockwell Internationals I've had the pleasure of knowing
weren't good trackers. Try running a strip of tape around
the idler drum to give it a crown.
UA100 |
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Unisaw A100
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:56 am Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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Subw00er wrote:
| Quote: |
Ua100, do you mean it should deflect less than 1/2" in between the rollers?
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I meant that when you reach in between the underside of the
platen and the belt, you should be able to push down the
back side of the belt a 1/2" or so with moderate pressure.
| Quote: |
It does seem to wander a bit when I first turn it on but then it stays where
I set it. This is why I was thinking maybe I was setting the belt tension
wrong.I think perhaps mine is set tighter than 1/2" deflection.
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Always bump start when you load a new belt. After it looks
as though all is well back off (loosen) the faucet knob to
unlock the tracking adjustment. You should be able to turn
the tracking adjustment (the large flat thumb screw) and
give it a slight turn. You should be able to track the belt
in and out without danger of cutting into the machine if you
don't get too carried away.
Play with it for a while. After seven years of daily using
the machine for 3-4 hours at a stretch you'll be able to set
the belt tension and track it without even turning it on.
Don't Ask Me How I Know This.
| Quote: |
ps- thanks for the recommendation on the pulley (Browning), its great and
definitely worth the extra $7.
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Not a prob.
UA100 |
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Unisaw A100
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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By the way Subw00er, did I read that you'd had your machine
taken apart all the way up and down? If yes, what did you
run into when you got into the machine drive shaft? Reason
I'm asking is, my '48 6" X 48" is squealing a bit and I
really should attend to it. Trouble with that is, in for a
penny, in for a pound so it'll mean a full bore restoration.
sigh...
Anyways (notaword tm Racine Tony), anything else that you
found difficult/strange?
UA100 |
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Subw00er
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: belt sander belt tightness |
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I didnt take apart the shaft - just reoiled what I could. The only
funny thing I came across was the double nut holding on the top roller
- if I tightened it too much (which was barely holding it on) it would
compress the bearing and add friction. I had to find the right spot
for the first nut, then clamp it in place by securing the second nut.
Unisaw A100 <UnisawA100@wi.rr.com> wrote in message news:<vutr20paddpmlsc3bau4q3uh0gt7kaao3s@4ax.com>...
| Quote: |
By the way Subw00er, did I read that you'd had your machine
taken apart all the way up and down? If yes, what did you
run into when you got into the machine drive shaft? Reason
I'm asking is, my '48 6" X 48" is squealing a bit and I
really should attend to it. Trouble with that is, in for a
penny, in for a pound so it'll mean a full bore restoration.
sigh...
Anyways (notaword tm Racine Tony), anything else that you
found difficult/strange?
UA100 |
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