replacing lower Mark 5 belt with common automotive belt

[hawaii five-0]

I need to replace the lower belt on my shopsmith. Being a cheapskate and impatient, I figured I might be able to go to a local lawnmower shop and pick a belt up without waiting for shipping, or paying 19.95 plus shipping for it. I'm sure others have done/attempted this. Any advise against it? Anyone know the size? Thanks in advance.

[JPG]

I need to replace the lower belt on my shopsmith. Being a cheapskate and impatient, I figured I might be able to go to a local lawnmower shop and pick a belt up without waiting for shipping, or paying 19.95 plus shipping for it. I'm sure others have done/attempted this. Any advise against it? Anyone know the size? Thanks in advance.

9/16" WIDE, 25.5" LONG. Make that 26.5

Doubt you will find one.

Get one from the mother ship.

[dusty]

Use a link belt. Others have done that and report quieter operation and less vibration. Let us know if it works.

[dsinsley]

Use a link belt. Others have done that and report quieter operation and less vibration. Let us know if it works.

Umm are you serious? I assume you are. Now is there something I am missing. The link belts I am familiar with are flat. For example I am looking at replacing the v belt system on my table saw with a link belt system and it includes new pullies. I assume this was because of the flat belt.Am I screwed up? Will a flat link belt work directly in place of a v belt? If so I can see going this route because I need to replace my drive belt.

[fitzhugh]

No, they do make v-belts that are link belts, or link belts that are v-belts. 35 links is the number I found stated by Bill Mayo and a couple others, but I don't recall if they were the green or the orange belts - I think they have different length links (that's a tongue twiser!).

edit: I'd read that while both work - the green belts sold by harbor frieght and others and the orange powertwist belts - the powertwist are generally better and longer lasting. I don't have any experience with this, but I found powertwist belts for less, rather than the usual more, from zoro tools. They sell on ebay and directly. I think they only have 5 foot lengths so it was probably just cheaper because I needed enough for at least two.
Type A belts are what you want, as I recall, though you may want to confirm this.

[dsinsley]

No, they do make v-belts that are link belts, or link belts that are v-belts. 35 links is the number I found stated by Bill Mayo and a couple others, but I don't recall if they were the green or the orange belts - I think they have different length links (that's a tongue twiser!).

Ok that makes more sense

[fitzhugh]

one last...
Watch the video posted on the manufacturer's site showing how to connect and disconnect the links to change length shows a no longer young woman's hands with nail polish to match the belts EASILY adding and removing links. I KNOW they did that to keep people from publicly admitting that it's hard to do. It is. Not so much I'd avoid them but I know I can't do it that well:

http://www.fennerdrives.com/videos/
"PowerTwist Plus Step-by-Step Installation Instructions
PowerTwist Plus V-Belts offer fast and easy installation!"
um, yeah... no.

[dsinsley]

Suppliers for this belt?

[dsinsley]

All over Ebay so what size/width?

[JPG]

1/2 ". Realize they tend to increase wear on the sheaves.

Ideally a 9/16" belt is needed. A slight shift in speed range occurs with a belt narrower then 9/16". Ditto a length not = to 25.5".

Having spent some months getting(trying various lengths etc.) the correct belt for my Mark VII, I again recommend the mother ship(or a correct used one from e=bay).

Problem is, most '1/2"' belts are 12mm(less than 1/2") even though belt manufacturers state they are 13mm or more. They lie!!!!!!!!!

I am sure SS has to get a 'special' order to get the correct size. They tried 'typical' belts a while back with disastrous results. A few forum members can attest to that!

I think the Bandsawtirewarehouse belt on e-bay is 'correct'. 'HE' also makes a good poly-v belt FWIW.