Aarghhh!!!!

[Reed Gray]

The drive belt on my 16HD Laguna bandsaw needs to be changed. The only way to get the old belt off is to take the drive wheel off. Please, some one shoot the designer. It takes a 3/8 inch drive v belt on a 5 hp Baldor motor. Shoot the designer again. Link belt on order...... Tighten up the old belt a tiny bit more to get through a couple of cuts...... I really need to design and build my own resaw bandsaw....... I guess I couldn't shoot the designer then if I had any complaints......

robo hippy

[Bernie Weishapl]

Yep it sucks. I have to take the drive wheel off mine to.

[Richard Coers]

Is taking the drive wheel off difficult on that machine? Usually it just means you take out one bolt and slide the wheel off a shaft. Did you check that the link belt will handle as much hp as a standard v-belt? Unless they mount the motor a long distance from the wheel so they can get belt length, I don't see any other way to rout the belt.

[Reed Gray]

Well, the link belts are stronger and drive better than standard V belts as near as I can tell. To take the wheel off, one hex bolt in the center, and one of those snap rings. Just too much work for me, and I would worry about getting the wheel back on perfect. Just bad design work to me. Link belt will solve the problem and be easier to adjust. Found out long ago that needle nose pliers really help for putting in one more or one less link. My fingers don't have that much dexterity for that kind of detail work. Maybe with more of the "right" tools.... Problem is I had to order it. Oh, well......

robo hippy

[John Beaver]

Reed,
Is there a bandsaw where you don't have to remove the wheel to change the belt?

[Jim Underwood]

That's ridiculous. I don't even have to do that on my cheap Buffalo brand saw. And I think the belt tensioning mechanism on it is the dumbest thing I ever saw....

[ray hampton]

If you can install a new belt with the pulleys installed, the belt can be cut if you do not need it

[Harry Robinette]

Jim
How is your saw different, I've never heard of a BS that you don't have to remove the lower wheel to change the drive belt.

[David Kumm]

I would replace with a VX drive belt. Proper for a 5 hp motor. The others are fractional HP belts. Dave

[Paul Saffold]

You just need to upgrade to a RIDGED bs. I agree that many products are not designed for easy maintenance.

[John Lanciani]

I would replace with a VX drive belt. Proper for a 5 hp motor. The others are fractional HP belts. Dave

Since it's an import it is more likely to be a metric belt, either SPZ or XPZ. These are similar to a VX belt but the profile is slightly different. VX belts don't engage metric sheaves correctly and tend to slip and run hot because of it.

[David Kumm]

Since it's an import it is more likely to be a metric belt, either SPZ or XPZ. These are similar to a VX belt but the profile is slightly different. VX belts don't engage metric sheaves correctly and tend to slip and run hot because of it.

John, I wasn't aware of that. My SCMI machines are all spec'd with VX belts. I've got to look at some other machines. The VX seem to have metric length designations. Dave

[Erik Loza]

Reed, I have never changed the belt on an ACM saw but have many, many times on our Centauros. It is not a complicated job because unlike the upper wheel, the lower is not pressed on. Just back out the four clock bolts on the rear hub, the main through-bolt on the front, and the wheel should lift away freely from the saw. Hope this helps,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Jim Underwood]

Jim
How is your saw different, I've never heard of a BS that you don't have to remove the lower wheel to change the drive belt.

The shaft for the bottom wheel runs through the casting to the drive pulley. The motor and it's pulley is mounted below that pulley on a slanted plate with adjustment holes in it. Simply loosen the bolts holding the motor on, then loosen the belt. Replace, and then fiddle with the adjustment bolts for an hour or so...

[Reed Gray]

Well, surprised to find this got moved from woodturning over to here... Anyway, I checked my small bandsaw, an industrial 14 inch PM with a 3/4 or 1 hp motor. The motor sits in a cabinet below, and the belt goes up to the bandsaw wheel, and is plenty long to slip off and on. The Laguna is different. A small pulley, about 3 inch diameter on the motor, which goes to an 8 inch wheel on the main 16 inch drive wheel for the blades. The belt is maybe 12 inch diameter, and won't even come close to fitting over the 16 inch wheel. A new belt can not be put on without removing the big wheel, or you install a link belt which works better anyway. Just a lousy design concept. Like I said, I may have to design my own bandsaw for woodturners and resawing.

robo hippy