# drill press belts



## airrat (Nov 11, 2006)

Where do you reccommend buying belts for drill press.
Here is a couple pictures of the belt and drill press manufacturer plate.  The 2nd belt says M 26 on it.  I am unsure if these are the correct belts for this press.  I can only get it to do 2 speeds due to the belts slipping on other settings.  I believe they are stretched out.


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## les-smith (Nov 11, 2006)

Go to NAPA.  Take the belt, they will measure and find one that will work.  Let them know you need it a little smaller.


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## Firefyter-emt (Nov 11, 2006)

Better yet, go here http://www.owwm.com/Math/BeltLength.asp after measuring the outside edges of your pulleys and then place the motor somewhere in the front half of tension and measure the centers. Type that info in there and you know what belt to get.

Or you could buy a power twist link belt (Heartwell tools has them on sale) for close to the same cost, not worry about the size and greatly improve the smoothness of your press. []


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## ctEaglesc (Nov 11, 2006)

They may be strched but are you sure the tavel on the tension adjustment is moving all the way.


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## airrat (Nov 11, 2006)

emt you meen hartville tool right?


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## Geo in Winnipeg (Nov 11, 2006)

I use power twist link belts on my DP with 2 pluses - much smoother running and I no longer get black fingers changing speeds []


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## Rifleman1776 (Nov 11, 2006)

Don't try the link belts on a Reeves drive. The toughest belts anywhere are on industrial air conditioning compressors.


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## loglugger (Nov 11, 2006)

I use HF link belts on my drill press, you can make them any length and they are cheap.
Bob


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## Randy_ (Nov 12, 2006)

> _Originally posted by ctEaglesc_
> <br />They may be strched but are you sure the tavel on the tension adjustment is moving all the way.



Drill press belts don't really get much of a workout in the average home workshop so, unless your DP is 20 years old or runs 8 hours a day for the past five years, eagle's suggestion would be the first thing to check out.

According to the plate on your DP, it is a 16 speed model.  Most of those have two small belts and are a size unlikely to be found at an auto parts store.  You ought to try just in case you luck out; but I think a more likely source would a local tool repair service located through the Yellow Pages or search the Internet for a belt seller.


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## Randy_ (Nov 12, 2006)

Just looked at my DP and the belts on it are an M-24 and an M-25 so yours are in the ballpark.  Only way to know if the belts on yours are correct would be to measure around the pulleys or check the owners manual which presumably you do not have.  Do you have some reason to suspect the belts might not be correct?  Did you buy the DP new or is it a used unit?  How old is it??  Am I reading the plate correctly...does it say the date of manufacture is 1990??


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## airrat (Nov 12, 2006)

Eagle sorry I missed your post earlier.  Yeah I tried to extend it all the way and they still slipped.

Randy I am not sure if the belts are correct, but they are showing wear and tear along the top there is now a lip.  I bought it used not sure how old it is, plate does say 1990.  I have tried to find the owners manuel online but no luck on it or info of the manufacture.

I went ahead and ordered some powertwist link belts.  Will try them out.


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## Randy_ (Nov 12, 2006)

May I ask who you ordered from and how much it cost.  I have been told that stuff is pretty expensive.  HF has a 5" length for $20; but I question if the quality would be as good as what might be available from other sources??  Thanks.


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## Randy_ (Nov 12, 2006)

I just had another thought on your belt problem.  The "M" designation puzzled me as I don't think I have ever seen that before.  I measured up my "M" belt this morning and found out it is a 3/8" belt.  Most belts you see are 1/2" belts and the two or three Internet sources which I checked are only selling 1/2" link belts.  I don't know what sort of problem this size difference might cause, if any; but you may want to investigate this issue a little further, even to the point of emailing the mfg. of the link belts.  As I recall, the most popular brand, given that there is more than one which may not be true, is located in England.  I chatted with them several years ago about Reeves drive applications.  Sorry.....I do not have the address or link.

When you get those new belts installed, be sure to post a follow-up and let us know how this problem shakes out.  Thanks.


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## Firefyter-emt (Nov 13, 2006)

There is a guy who sells on e-bay all the time and had great prices. He has the 1/2" and 3/8" belts (plus band saw tires) He sells the real stuff too, not a HF knock off... If you need longer than the auction size, he will sell extra per the inch (comes out to $6.00 a foot which is pretty normal)

Sulphur Grove Tool -&gt; on e-bay

http://stores.ebay.com/SULPHUR-GROVE-TOOL_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm


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## airrat (Nov 18, 2006)

well got the powertwist in.  They are 1/2 belts and are too big for my drives.  Didnt even look at that.   My old belts are 3/8".   I went to the auto store near me and they dont sell anything this small.  

I got the power twist belts from harvilletools.com.  They were 19.95 Randy for 4 feet.


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## loglugger (Nov 18, 2006)

Tom, Grizzly has link belts G3639 3L   3/8â€ x 4â€™ for 23.95.
Bob


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