New here to rec.woodworking, love all the info. Thanks to all the
regulars that field all the question. Speaking of which...
I have a Powermatic 64A Contractor type table saw that I love. It has
served me well but always had a bit of a vibration problem. After
reading a few posts on TS tune ups I decided to buy a link belt.
Folks said that was the biggest leap in reducing vibration. After
reading a few more posts and site, turns out that PowerTwist (or any
other for that matter) doesn't make a link belt for a 64A. Something
about the slope of the V and its a 3/8 belt (which in and of itself is
not the problem, the way I understand it, the slope is the problem).
I read around an found one guy that replaced his stock 64a belt with a
3/8 PT belt and had success. Then another post on PT reviews on
amazon showed the only guy that didnt like the belt was one trying to
put it on a 64A. I then called the company and they said they dont
make a PT belt for a 64A, and didnt say one way or the other as to
whether I should try their 3/8 L series belt. the way I saw it it was
50/50 one good and one bad report. I went ahead and got it and here
is what I am seeing.
1. When everything is set up just right, the belt works pretty well,
and with much less vibration.
2. If I make any adjustment (like to blade height), it seems the belt
stretches and starts to rub on one of the bolts that holds the belt
cover on making a terrible racket. I cant quite get the belt short
enough to work at max and min blade height and not rub on the belt
gaurd mounting bolt without removing what looks to be an excessive
number of links. (However, I just read somewhere that I should be
removing something like 1 link for every 24 links in a belts that is
the same size as the stock belt.)
3. Ive tried removing links, but not sure how many is too many. I
imagine that if too many links are removed, belt tension will decrease
and/or start to slip since it is the weight of the motor that is
providing belt tension. At more weight is placed on the hinge point,
less is on the belt.
I guess my questions are:
1. Anyone have any info/experience with the 64A/PT link belt
combination
2. Any I doing some obvious bone-head thing wrong.
thanks in advance to any and all that respond
Turns out it was #2 - Bone-head mistake. I had the belt running the
wrong direction. The arrows are very small and hard to read. After
looking at a few of them I figured out that the belt was going the
wrong direction.
Swap belt...run upstairs, get nickle...stand nickle on edge on main
table... on...off...on...off...nickle still standing...move nickle to
far edge of cast iron extension wing...on...off...on...off...still
standing! Also, much quieter.
When all else fails, read the directions. I am now a believer!
Link-belts all around, I'm buy'n.
Cheers,
JAM
In article <[email protected]>, jam2 says...
>
>New here to rec.woodworking, love all the info. Thanks to all the
>regulars that field all the question. Speaking of which...
>
>I have a Powermatic 64A Contractor type table saw that I love. It has
>served me well but always had a bit of a vibration problem. After
>reading a few posts on TS tune ups I decided to buy a link belt.
>Folks said that was the biggest leap in reducing vibration. After
>reading a few more posts and site, turns out that PowerTwist (or any
>other for that matter) doesn't make a link belt for a 64A. Something
>about the slope of the V and its a 3/8 belt (which in and of itself is
>not the problem, the way I understand it, the slope is the problem).
>I read around an found one guy that replaced his stock 64a belt with a
>3/8 PT belt and had success. Then another post on PT reviews on
>amazon showed the only guy that didnt like the belt was one trying to
>put it on a 64A. I then called the company and they said they dont
>make a PT belt for a 64A, and didnt say one way or the other as to
>whether I should try their 3/8 L series belt. the way I saw it it was
>50/50 one good and one bad report. I went ahead and got it and here
>is what I am seeing.
>
>1. When everything is set up just right, the belt works pretty well,
>and with much less vibration.
>
>2. If I make any adjustment (like to blade height), it seems the belt
>stretches and starts to rub on one of the bolts that holds the belt
>cover on making a terrible racket. I cant quite get the belt short
>enough to work at max and min blade height and not rub on the belt
>gaurd mounting bolt without removing what looks to be an excessive
>number of links. (However, I just read somewhere that I should be
>removing something like 1 link for every 24 links in a belts that is
>the same size as the stock belt.)
>
>3. Ive tried removing links, but not sure how many is too many. I
>imagine that if too many links are removed, belt tension will decrease
>and/or start to slip since it is the weight of the motor that is
>providing belt tension. At more weight is placed on the hinge point,
>less is on the belt.
>
>I guess my questions are:
>
>1. Anyone have any info/experience with the 64A/PT link belt
>combination
>2. Any I doing some obvious bone-head thing wrong.
>
>thanks in advance to any and all that respond
I've had the link belt on mine for 2 years. It took over a year for it to
finally quit stretching. I'd just remove a couple of links at a time, no big
deal. I did have to add a flat washer to each of the cover mounting bolts to
shift it out a bit but no other problems.
Mine passes the nickle test from startup thru shutdown every time. If you're
still having vibration problems it sounds like something else might be a little
out of wack. Make sure the pulleys are co-planer.
HTH,
Scott