Drive belts for watch makers lathes?

[Aaron_W]

I just picked up a small watchmakers lathe, marked as Waltham Watch Tool Company. It appears to be in pretty good shape, but the thin leather belts (almost leather shoe laces) are unusable, very dry and cracked. I see a lot of people using some sort of round rubber belts on their lathes.

What are these called and where do I find some to fit my lathe?


I'll start a post for the lathe itself once I get it moved in and set up.

 

[lordbeezer]

Seen some use Vacuum cleaner belts

 

[Janderso]

Aaron, really?
You mentioned a new lathe, asked a question and we don’t even get to see it?
Oh the humanity.

 

[benmychree]

Yeah, Aaron, without pictures, it does not exist. Is it round leather belt? old sewing machines use it, can still be obtained.

 

[francist]

Search for urethane belting. It’s available in a number of diameters and is usually joined with heat (welding with a hot blade between the ends as you squeeze them together, etc).

 

[Ulma Doctor]

i have some 4mm and some 3mm stock i could donate @Aaron_W
send me a PM with your address, i'll send a Christmas package

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Search for urethane belting. It’s available in a number of diameters and is usually joined with heat (welding with a hot blade between the ends as you squeeze them together, etc).

i use a bic lighter in the field if i don't have the belt welder wand

 

[Aaron_W]

Aaron, really?
You mentioned a new lathe, asked a question and we don’t even get to see it?
Oh the humanity.

Yeah, Aaron, without pictures, it does not exist. Is it round leather belt? old sewing machines use it, can still be obtained.

I put a photo in the what did you buy today thread.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/what-did-you-buy-today.55645/page-724#post-903387

I still have to find a corner to squeeze it into and then I'll start a proper thread on it. I'm guessing the lathe itself is around 110 years old. 10 minutes away, at a good price with lots of goodies included was just too hard to resist.

i have some 4mm and some 3mm stock i could donate @Aaron_W
send me a PM with your address, i'll send a Christmas package

The leather belts look to be about 1/8" or so, but I'll measure the width of the pulley channels and send you a PM. Thanks!

 

[C-Bag]

Those urethane welded belts if done properly are wonderful. The welder we had that was like Doc probably has is like a soldering iron with a flat blade tip. The clamp was like welding vice grips with clamps to hold the urethane and you lightly clamped it to the soldering iron till the ends melted. Pull out the iron and close the gap and smoosh the ends together. When cool be sure to sand of the excess and good to go.

 

[ShagDog]

Don't know whether this will work; but, have you considered the Taig lathe or even mill belts.