[AT] Flat Belt Implements 101

[Herb Metz]

Al,
If you have done much belt work you will already be doing the below.
Once you get a good alignment of your tractor/mill (belt stays on good), 
suggest you establish a point on right front of your tractor near the inside 
of the pulley.  Temporarily place a 1" rod or stake at that point.  Measure 
and record distance to two closest corners of your mill.  Next time you 
setup at home or shows, temporarily drive that rod or stake at measured 
dimensions. Likewise sight down tractor center, or side, as to angular 
orientation with mill.
Happy Grinding.
Herb

-----Original Message----- 
From: rlgoss at twc.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 11:52 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Flat Belt Implements 101
Alligator is right on the brand, John. I had a whole box of those strips 
that I picked up at the Arden tractor show in 2010.  I sold the whole box 
along with a 1/4' X 6" solid leather belt 24 feet long to a Hit 'n Miss 
collector at Thresherman's Park last year.
Larry

---- jtchall at nc.rr.com wrote:
> If the belt is too slack you can and will throw it off.  I don't like to 
> see
them start waving either.
We use dressing sometimes if the belt is under heavy load and running on
steel faced pulleys.
I like longer belts myself. Ask around if anyone in your club has a Clipper
belt lacer. Lacing comes in 2 styles that I am aware of. The first is for
use in a Clipper belt lacer. The lacing comes in various sizes, we normally
use 3, 4 and 5. There is also a style that you hammer together (I believe
one of the brands was Alligator). I've never put in any of that style, got a
couple sticks here somewhere that were for repairing the belts on a Hawk
tobacco looper I think. I don't think it is quite as preferred for high
speed applications.
Some applications require you to twist the belt to get the machine turning
in the right direction.
If you want to get fancy, google a mobious (I think that is the right term)
strip and put your belt together this way--it wears all sides of the
belt---we never have.
I've only got one endless belt, we use it to pull the thresher or silage
cutter.
It’s a heck of a lot more fun listening to a tractor engine under full load
on the belt than in a tractor pull.
John Hall

-----Original Message----- 
From: Al Jones
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 9:41 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Flat Belt Implements 101
I recently acquired a #6 IH hammer mill in pretty good shape.
These mills are driven by a long, flat belt. I"ve never run anything with a
belt pulley before, so I"d like some input from those who have been there
and done that. My plan is to demonstrate it at shows. Here"s what I "think"
I know:
1. Long belts stay on better if they run slack
2. Everything has to be lined up just right.
3. You have to put belt dressing on the belt
4. It is cooler than heck watching a belt driven machine run.
That"s about it. It looks like (I have not measured the pulley) I need a 6"
wide belt. Looks like there are plenty of different lengths on Ebay. How
long a belt should I look for? Basically, I need a "belts for dummies"
lesson.
I plan on running it with a smaller tractor like a Farmall Super A. (I don"t
plan to crowd it too much) Does the size tractor I use help determine the
length/type of belt?
Any help appreciated...
Al