1109 Making Any Size Drive Belts

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Don't forget that you can buy my books and materials for your own experiments including our conductive inks at secure.workingink.co.uk/worki... - and for the many who have asked, yes, you can also donate to further our work, again through the shop.

[@averagejoe9040]

you are an absolute life saver. never in a million years did I expect something like this to help so much.

[@jarosawkus1976]

Very useful, just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I'll be attempting shortening my V belts on my sewing machine

[@spacecase0]

Yet another fantastic idea. Had not thought to do that with belts

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome mate

[@ferdousazamkhan9840]

Honorable, Even such tiny tips are immensely valuable. May among us already know many. These saves lots of frustrating hour and money for those who still didn't find a suitable one. Thank you so much to document essential workhop tips for the generations to come, or even for some idiot older like me too. Love you man. God bless you.

[@prestonsheffield7437]

I cannot express my gratitude for this information. You cannot imagine how may times Ive bit the bullet and just added another tensioner or random pulley to use up the slack. Thank you...

[@stevetobias4890]

Another way is a V joint, cut to cloth on both sides then cut cloth out of other end then glue and put in the vise for 30-60 mins. Extremely strong joint. Great video once more Rob

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice tip mate cheers

[@xdxdxdunix]

Been 3 years, but can you elaborate what you mean?

[@phillipbuttery7789]

i used to do this at work with bandsaw blades for cutting steel and alloys, superb system ,shown to me by an old friend and tutor ,

[@jsmxwll]

I've been making joins like this since I was taught it back in the 90s. In low tempenvironments, contact cement works very well. If they belt is going around tight bends back and forth, CA glue can break down over time. Both CA glue and contact cement will fail if they get too warm. High temp silicone works well for high speed high temp situations. As usual, match the adhesive to the task and you'll be fine.

[@lv_woodturner3899]

I have a scarf joint on the flat belt used on my Southbend lathe. A lot quieter than the old lacing method. For V belts I often use link belts these days. Not cheap, but easy to change the length if needed. I purchased a replacement V belt for my milling machine and found the new belt with the same code as the old one was longer. Drat I broke down and got link belt and finally got the belt to fit. Dave.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome - nice story and tip mate - cheers

[@marksampanes5166]

Just wanted to say this got right to the point and was simple to understand Thank you it will save me $ and time.

[@enoswashe]

I don't just the way you think or present things here but i also like what you've just done... life saver for me.

[@matermangros]

What an awesome timely video subject... belts ARE hard to find especially on older equipment... thank you!!👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Glad it was helpful!

[@breezer1788]

Handy doesn’t say it. Excellent work. Thank you sir.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome cheers mate

[@AndreaDingbatt]

Thank you so much, your enthusiasm is contagious, and you explain everything so well! A lot of other people, have ideas that I become baffled by, as they go on in such technical and dry ways, my brain wanders off, and plays outside!! But you have such an engaging way of explaining these things, that I can take in what you say!! Grateful Thanks. Ax.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

that's really good to know mate - thanks for taking the time to say it

[@AndreaDingbatt]

@@ThinkingandTinkering, Thank You. 😊.

[@AdrianP247]

You've just solved my problem with a drive belt for my Homemade Leslie upper/"treble" spinning speaker cone. I've sourced some Bus fan belts from the workshop at my workplace , but they were all too long. Width was OK for my re-purposed wheel/pulley, but belts were way too long for the distance between the drive motor (old drill motor) and the wheel/pulley on the rotating speaker cones. Brilliant!. Thanks Robert!

[@benniedonald]

So keep your old belts and splice in the good parts. Awesome

[@l0I0I0I0]

I've been watching your vids for years. Love what your doing and what you have done. TY!!!!!!!

[@jdsr7423]

That's going to come in handy especially for riding mower belts thanks 🤠

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

You bet

[@michaelchernoff9033]

Thank you for this. I included a reference to your tutorial in an instructable I made on joining GT3 timing belts

[@ericdemeo5249]

Great video! Thank you very much I just ordered a direct replacement belt for my mini lathe and of course it’s too big. This video saved me!!!

[@RonnyOlufsen]

Fantastic! You always come up with really useful stuff! Thank you!

[@theaccidentalmechanics]

amazing idea, never thought of this, thanks again Robert

[@solarguy6043]

Great content and always straight to the point. This is the good stuff.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@ziyaadganief8030]

I had a problem this week with a really small belt and I tried finding a video like this and some how it's the best I found so far , I am goof with many other stuff but dryers or washing machines but ill try this tip and see if it works

[@TarzanHedgepeth]

And I HIGHLY resonate with your Channel’s “About” section. What an excellent mission and belief.

[@MidwestOptimist]

Thank you for the great lesson. Amazing channel. Please keep up the great work!

[@bluefishactcl1464]

Thank you - I seen it before, long ago but had completely forgotten

[@rubartknas7075]

Wow, that is practical and for sure saves a lot of headaches, cash, workarounds or delivery time unfitting belts may cause.

[@Alex-tj1zo]

Fantastic video ! Extremely useful 👍 Thank you so much!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@azlandpilotcar4450]

Excellent resurrection of steam age technology for new age materials -- as you, especially do so well. Some sorts of staples can be used at the joints as well. Good job, and great application and tip.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

can they - nice tip mate - I was worried staples wouldn't work

[@bioswars8827]

Save money & save otherwise useless long belts. Thanks Rob for doing the research and showing others how it's done.

[@obviouslytad]

Excellent content. Thank you for sharing!

[@krkmofet4189]

Wonderful instructional video work. Thank you thank you thankyou

[@kingsamuelofficial]

Right off to make three of these :D thanks

[@jmans4928]

That was a very good tip, thanks very much.👍👍

[@niclasnordqvist]

Thank you very much sir, exactly what I was looking for!

[@richardseelye9938]

Thanks, I forgot about that type of joint. Very helpful

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Glad to help

[@nickhall8192]

One of those things that I never knew I wanted to know. 👍

[@kwaneledube7598]

Excellent idea, thank you so much

[@angelusmendez5084]

Great idea! I was thinking it would be handy to use some sort of adjustable idler "tensioner" pulleys for a multipurpose dynapod. So you don't have to change the belt when switching devices.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice idea mate I am mulling over mark III - I will add it to that - cheers

[@AlexYeomans]

Really great tip. Took your video to 1K thumbs up!

[@denismilic1878]

I watched +20 videos of belt joining and this one is the right one.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - cheers mate

[@anaussiefarminginthephilippine]

I loved your video, i was searching for ever, I ordered Belts (riding mower belts), and too long, now I'm going to try this trick,,, Thank you so much

[@dchubad]

my washing machine drive belt snapped earlier today, will be trying this, thank you

[@endeshaw1000]

Dear Mr Robert Murray-Smith, I want you to know that you are the very first person i decided to become a member on youtube at all, because I want to support what you do and thank you for that you shared so much of your knowledge so far. Even when you leave the one or other secret out in the free videos , but i get your point :). You give the chance to figure out the rest through experimenting. I Already had a ton of fun with your 1L of conductive Ink and try my selve in producing it as well because i want to build a huge battery with my little modified cell. I cant wait to see the other videos - Keep the good work up. You have true followers out there o.o/ :)

[@olanordmann7836]

Thanks! Gonna try this.

[@olanordmann7836]

It worked! Thanks man! I was really stuck on my CNC machine.

[@jonnyswalk4674]

Thank you Robert - well explained 👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Glad you liked it

[@erichfeit7779]

Thank you for your idea. Erich from New Zealand

[@ivonalivalot4035]

Brilliant!! Thank you so much! Saves hours of time try to work out a better way than trying to figure out how to bind it with repurposed wire

[@OverlandOne]

Awesome tip. Thank you.

[@chuxxsss]

Morning Rob, been pulling belt out of thing for a while now. Well Rob I learnt something today about belts. Who said this channel is not for them.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@Andymac1701A]

Brilliant. For our narrow boat, it would be hard to get a standard belt and hope it was right because there are so many possible configurations in the engine bay.

[@twentytwenty1968]

Excellent information

[@williamdewarrenne5848]

Thanks Bob,that's solved my problem.

[@zanolsen8353]

Very useful, thank you

[@kekq3525]

Thank you!

[@shutupandtakethisjab]

Thank you Rob

[@DavidD6969]

Very good info there👍

[@karlmyers6518]

That's really good to know. I was randomly buying belts for my tumbler and I can get an unlimited amount of dryer and washer belts. Cheers mate

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it is amazing how useful al little thing like bels can be mate

[@gmmo]

bycicle chain conversion.. 🤣

[@dane4890]

Good one, thank you i´ll try it out ;)

[@Golo1949]

Thanks, I was wondering if it would be strong enough and you have answered my question, I;ll be buying belt material by the meter from now on.

[@Golo1949]

Just had a test and I cannot believe how strong the joint is! Thanks.

[@Teknopottu]

That's great idea! Have you, Rob, or anyone else split wider belts with multi grooves? How do they last?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I have split belts lengthways when they have multi grooves - I can't really say how long they last as I have only been using the idea for a year or two

[@jwayne777]

Great video. Will it work on v belts for mowers?

[@JBERGALIEN]

just tried on a 2GT 6mm belt, looking for the result... Thank's for the help.

[@MortezaParkook]

Thanks, any idea where can I buy or find them?

[@zwizzi1]

thank you!

[@SirArghPirate]

For smaller timing belts (the same kind as used in 3d printers which roll on gears with small radius) I've found that glue will crack or wear off, but melting the pieces together (heat gun, solder iron) makes it incredibly strong.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I have meted them before and it works well for PU based belts - rubber belts are impossible to melt - but nice tip mate - cheers

[@michaelchernoff9033]

did you melt the glue, or did you melt the rubber making the belt?

[@SirArghPirate]

@@michaelchernoff9033 only melted the rubber. No glue, but make sure the strands overlap and embed in the rubber. 2cm overlap is plenty strong for 6mm timing belt.

[@SirArghPirate]

@@spencerm5913 That's a great idea! Is that the same as the glue that comes with bicycle tire repair sets?

[@markmetzger5430]

Brilliant Rob, great Idea and technique.....Now I just wish I had access to the resourse that our friend Karl has :) Cheers mate.

[@karlmyers6518]

Where abouts are you in the world mate ? I'd happily post a few if you pay the postage.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Karl is a star mate!

[@markmetzger5430]

@@karlmyers6518 Merica Karl, likely the postage would be outrageous :( Nebraska, zip code 68005-2449. Thanks for the kind offer.

[@karlmyers6518]

@@markmetzger5430 yes you could probably buy new ones cheaper 😉.

[@markmetzger5430]

@@karlmyers6518 It's your kindness and the thought that counts. Thanks Karl and have a great day.

[@townbell2248]

Could you make your own belts then with fabric topped with rubber cement or a type of silicon?

[@mwm2929]

great video!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@Fridelain]

My washing machine eats through the stitches. I then switched to using balling wire, tightened with pliers until it breaks, leaving a tight ring wrapped around the two sections. Now the rubber and fabric belt material breaks as the wire is pushed into it, but at leas that lasts two washes vs 1 for thick nylon thread wrapped around generously The washing machine is a top loader with a single, very aggressive spin dry speed.

[@bobcat8439]

U da man👍 gonna try it

[@elye3701]

Brilliant.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@rayg436]

Also works on conveyor belts 👍👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome

[@cristitalent8014]

Heeey! Thanks a lot for the video! Do you think this will work with a htd3 belt or is it too small?

[@express375]

thanks

[@JG-mp5nb]

Very cool.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@dippinauto56]

Would this work on a mower drive belt?

[@nevillecreativitymentor]

can you share me the Stitching method ..any link or such? Thanks for the simple straight forward video

[@oldgreybeard2507]

Thanks for that

[@evelbsstudio]

I use pu round transmitting belt, just melt it together ad its strong

[@vidvidbiker]

Is a scarth joint as strong as the belt?

[@pulesjet]

Super Glue works quite well on rubber. Cyanoacrylates.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it does indeed

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Even better than CA/superglue and contact cement is E6000 solvent-based adhesive, or Alene's "The Ultimate" adhesive. These are waterproof, permanent, and they cure flexible, just like the belt. No stiffness, and it moves over small pulleys very smoothly.

[@wmffgeorge1589]

I wonder if you ever got to try my idea on the hubless wheel, if so I'd quite like to know how it went?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

not yet mate sorry

[@wmffgeorge1589]

@@ThinkingandTinkering a well, never mind. I hope I'll get to find out how it went some day.

[@jimjackson4256]

Actually all your bits are interesting.

[@stevecummins324]

If using v belt... Look up nutlink belting.. There are other products that are similar... pretty much a stack of leather/rubber/plastic pieces. Each piece has a toggle one side, and a hole the otherside. Can join any number of pieces together to make a belt of a custom length. It brilliant for putting belts around pulleys with bearings on both sides... Think of the pavalava that's usually involved in replacing a v belt on a lathe headstock. Rather than disturbing the bearings... Just break a nutlink belt loop, feed the strip around the pulley, then reconnect into a loop.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I have seen the type you describe mate - they are a little more expensive and try ti reuse old belts as you know - but nice tip - cheers

[@TarzanHedgepeth]

I suspected. I just didn’t know about that scarf(?) joint. I’m likely going to be installing a belt on my laundry washer doing this. I kept thinking to myself, “This is just rubber and stuff… why can’t I use a solvent or glue to make this thing whole… even if just temporarily?” And cyanoacrylate was the first thing to come to mind. Indeed. Thank you sir for being resourceful and helpful; but most importantly, enabling me (whether right or wrong) to believe for a little while longer that I’m not bonkers. 👍

[@johnschiffer3756]

Thanks for "how." Sincerely better...

[@johnoddvar1967]

I have done that to, but only as temporary repairs. I didnt use glue. I saw them together. I like what you did, but what about making som holes and saw a litle to?

[@senorjp21]

Good trick

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers

[@simplyintranets]

Nice

[@_A.Trader]

Do you know if adding graphite powder to water then heating up the mixture in a microwave creates nano particles of graphene in a solution of water? If so, will the graphene become magnetic due to it's nano structure? I'm asking if this would work since you were able to make copper nano particles the same way; you always find ways to do things in the most simplistically ingenious manner.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I don't know mate - but I have my doubts - if it was me I would do a search on google scholar and see if any one has done a paper on it

[@zacharyhenderson9496]

You just said my bacon thanks guy

[@KarlBretz-sp5ni]

What kind of glue and what tool to cut the belt knife & super glue, contact cement, heat will separate .Spider wire sewing machine

[@robertsunderland9196]

I wish you had posted thar 2 weeks ago.... i was going crazy looking for a belt for a 40 year old belt sander 😨

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

my bad lol

[@ColRubyDimplesManacha]

Do you reckon a couple of staples would work in lieu of stitching? Thank you Robert!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

you could try it mate - but the staples will stiffen the belt and disturb the run - but I have always stitched - let me know if it works for you will you?

[@ColRubyDimplesManacha]

@@ThinkingandTinkering I might as well do it with stitches instead to be on the safe side. Thank you!

[@TerryGilsenan]

Normal CA glue will crack and fail because it is brittle. There are some specialized CA glues that are designed to produce a flexible joint. Search for boot-fix in the green bottle. It is designed for a flexible set, not a hard acrylic set. Also, I recommend using a setting accelerator.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@royharkins7066]

Logged , thanks mate ..

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Glad it helped

[@rogerwilson6367]

And stick your fingers to the belt. Well that's what always happens to me when I use super glue like that.