Where to buy the gilmer belt?

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:23 pm

I have been trying to keep one of each of the SS belts on hand but I have not looked lately. Maybe I should go check and order more. Right now I only have the Frankensmith that is running a Gilmer. The SS that I gave my son uses a Gilmer but I may swap the headstock on that one out for one with a poly V (and the bigger motor) since that is his only table saw. He tends to be less patient with lower HP than I am.

I do squirrel back any used belt that I change in fixing one up if it still looks good. I have no idea where they are but I have them squirreled back...

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:40 pm

bucksaw wrote:If you can post the part number, it would be helpful. I've ordered at least 10 different belts from different manufacturers and have never found a belt that matched a SS branded drive belt exactly. SS has substituted other belts from time to time when they ran out of SS branded belts but they have never been an exact match. They will work but your speed range will be off some.

The 1/2" wide auto V-belt could be used but you will not get a full range of speed dial changes. In fact, the 26" long auto V-belt is at least or more than 1/2" shorter than the Shopsmith one. Shopsmith did sell a 1/2" wide 26" long auto type V-belt last year while they waited on a new order of their 26 1/2" belts. They had to replace a few of them as some customers were not happy with the performance of the shorter belt.

I find that I have to stay about 3 letters away from SLOW and FAST position as the shorter belt is being forced into the one set of sheaves more deeper to where the belt is trying to slip past the tips of the sheaves. I find that the shorter belt will make a very noticeable noise when trying to force the belt too deep into the sheaves. You can only hear the noise at the SLOW end where you can also damage the Speed Control quadrant by forcing the Speed Control Dial to SLOW. It is present at the high end too but that is controlled by the motor spring.

The other problem is that most 1/2" auto type V-belts are not 1/2" in width either. The narrower belt can slip past the tips of the sheaves once worn and jam the sheave. I had to cut these non-Shopsmith belts in pieces to get it out on a few that did jam. I believe Shopsmith recommends replacing the motor belt when it wears down to a width that is equal to the width of many new auto type V-belts. There were many good reasons for this replacement recommendation by Shopsmith, only some which I listed above.

Regardless of which or what V-belt is used, I would recommend stopping the Shopsmith Speed Dial around 3 letters from SLOW when turning the Shopsmith off at night or for long periods of times to reduce the sheave pressure on the V-belt. At the SLOW or slower position, the V-belt can fuse to the sheaves if not operated for several months. I stay about 3 letters from SLOW or FAST for any new V-belt when first installed.

petik · Post by **petik** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:24 pm

Bill, that is great to know. I saw 26.5" belts from both Gates and Dayton but thought them to be too long. I'll try picking up a 26.5" and see how it stacks up. I haven't had a chance to look at the Dayton one, but Grainger carries it and they have a store right by my work so I might swing by to check it out. I have taken the Gates one and measured and it does indeed measure full 1/2" wide. Both belts are 5/16" thick, by the way.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:56 am

petik wrote:Bill, that is great to know. I saw 26.5" belts from both Gates and Dayton but thought them to be too long. I'll try picking up a 26.5" and see how it stacks up. I haven't had a chance to look at the Dayton one, but Grainger carries it and they have a store right by my work so I might swing by to check it out. I have taken the Gates one and measured and it does indeed measure full 1/2" wide. Both belts are 5/16" thick, by the way.

FWIW A new 504193 measures 9/16" across the top, almost 7/16" across the bottom and 5/16" thick. The sides are not smooth, but appear to have been 'sliced' to shape thus leaving a cord exposed edge. There are no splice 'bumps' except for a very thin overlap on the inside(bottom) surface.

I concur with Bill Mayo re using a 1/2" belt. Speed range is affected negatively. The high speed (stop) adjustment is affected by the difference in belt 'fatness'. Using a 1/2" belt is not too much different from using an old worn down belt. I do not recommend using a belt that is too 'skinny'.

Been There, Done That!

ShopSmith seems to have procurement problems with this item. Since it is a non-typical width that is understandable. Sorry Tim but mine was 'Hecho En Mexico'! I am just tickled to even have gotten one when I did earlier this year!:)

Use a 1/2" belt Temporarily until a SS replacement can be obtained, but heed Bill's advice above!;)

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:10 am

Grainger 4GKR6 = DAYCO 17265 IS WIDER THAN 1/2"(.53) AND 26.5" LONG. That MAY be a better choice. Industry standard number is 13A0675.

petik · Post by **petik** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:14 pm

I finally got around to picking up the belts from Grainger this past week. I picked up the 26.5" delco as JPG mentioned. This one is definitely the right length - compared to the shopsmith brand belt I have (ever so slightly smaller, but the shopsmith is used). The width is, mentioned .53" at the top (caliper measured .526"), the top is flat across and segmented along.

Comparing this to the Gates TruFlex 2260 which is what I used before this belt is longer (the truflex was only 26", this one is 26.5") and wider a bit as well.

Installed and runs smooth and the speed range is noticeable improved from the gates as well as from the used shopsmith (but it was used). Question now is how well will it wear...

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:26 am

petik wrote:I finally got around to picking up the belts from Grainger this past week. I picked up the 26.5" delco as JPG mentioned. This one is definitely the right length - compared to the shopsmith brand belt I have (ever so slightly smaller, but the shopsmith is used). The width is, mentioned .53" at the top (caliper measured .526"), the top is flat across and segmented along.

Comparing this to the Gates TruFlex 2260 which is what I used before this belt is longer (the truflex was only 26", this one is 26.5") and wider a bit as well.

Installed and runs smooth and the speed range is noticeable improved from the gates as well as from the used shopsmith (but it was used). Question now is how well will it wear...

This belt problem is reoccurring and I think the search for replacements has consistently been only marginally successful. View this thread for additional stories.

It is my opinion that this sort of parts availability problem is "by design". Shopsmith chose these parts and in some cases arranged with the manufacturer to be procurable only through Shopsmith. The Mark V motors are good examples. The motor vendors will not even provide data sheets for their specific product.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:13 pm

dusty wrote:...It is my opinion that this sort of parts availability problem is "by design". Shopsmith chose these parts and in some cases arranged with the manufacturer to be procurable only through Shopsmith. The Mark V motors are good examples. The motor vendors will not even provide data sheets for their specific product.

It is knot just your opinion]principle[/B] that you bring up here, Dusty. I.e., ShopSmith likes to have proprietary parts so they can be assured that they will maintain a customer base, and like you say, the vendors will supply little information concerning items they sell to ShopSmith. That leads me to believe that there are contractual obligations at play. This agreement between the vendors and ShopSmith is both understandable and legal; however, it seems to be biting them in the a-- right now, as in some instances, SS is knot able to supply the needed parts to their customers in a timely manner. In some cases, even though SS no longer buys certain items from previous vendors, those vendors still do knot help us get what we need. As an example, Jacobs chuck, for the longest time, wood knot even ackowledge to me that they USED TO supply chucks to SS. At first, when I gave them the physical description, they claimed they NEVER made such a chuck, and only after I gave them their own part number, did they agree that they had indeed made that chuck, but no longer do or will.

As a final thought on this, even though SS maintains a proprietary parts system, I do knot believe that they ever intended it wood be difficult to procure those parts, it has just worked out that way!