Belt issue

Sandeggo · Mar 27, 2015

On my 2x72 I have noticed an issue and I'm not sure what is causing it. I have a ceramic platen that is flat behind the belt. There's no grooves or anything. The center of the belt is lifting off the ceramic and the sides are tight. Is this caused by too much tension? I'm using a 40# strut.
Thanks,
Kevin

P.Brewster · Mar 27, 2015

I get this all the time; no cause for alarm. It helps to position the face of the platen about 0.1" proud of the platen wheels.

John Katt · Mar 27, 2015

40 lbs seems a bit excessive, I have around 10 to 12 lbs and I have never seen a crown on my platen, you have to let us know how often you break belts

This may seem like bragging but in 3 years I have never had a belt break

Sandeggo · Mar 27, 2015

P.Brewster said:
I get this all the time; no cause for alarm. It helps to position the face of the platen about 0.1" proud of the platen wheels.

I'll have to check, but I'm pretty sure it's set proud to where if I put a framing square on the platen, it does not touch the wheels.

John Katt said:
40 lbs seems a bit excessive, I have around 10 to 12 lbs and I have never seen a crown on my platen, you have to let us know how often you break belts

This may seem like bragging but in 3 years I have never had a belt break

I broke 1 belt the very first time I accidentally pressed the reverse button and the belt tracked over and cut on the work rest. It's the only one I've broke.

John Katt · Mar 27, 2015

Sandeggo said:
I broke 1 belt the very first time I accidentally pressed the reverse button and the belt tracked over and cut on the work rest. It's the only one I've broke.

That sure would do it LOL, I accidently thew my pickup in reverse one time...also not cool ;0)

Karl B. Andersen · Mar 27, 2015

The crown of your idler/tracking wheel is stretching the center of your belt.
The crown area of your wheel is the LONGEST distance your belt has to travel.
In essence, after a lot of use the center of your belt actually gets longer than the sides.
You may be running things a little too tightly, or it's the style of backing you use on your chosen belts.
Usually by the time I notice it on my belts, the grit is shot and it's time for a new belt, anyway.

Sandeggo · Mar 28, 2015

Karl B. Andersen said:
The crown of your idler/tracking wheel is stretching the center of your belt.
The crown area of your wheel is the LONGEST distance your belt has to travel.
In essence, after a lot of use the center of your belt actually gets longer than the sides.
You may be running things a little too tightly, or it's the style of backing you use on your chosen belts.
Usually by the time I notice it on my belts, the grit is shot and it's time for a new belt, anyway.

Ok, well I have an eerf grinder that I made so the crown of the tracking wheel is tensioned. It's doing it on a brand new 80 grit blaze so I guess that means I've got too much tension. It's causing smiley face grinds cause I ease in to my angle then apply pressure. I'll look at ordering lighter gas struts.

Jack O'Neill · Mar 28, 2015

also , never leave the belt under tension when you are finished , that also causes stretch