CustomDoug Report post Posted November 4, 2010 OK I need to get a belt for my treadle machine and having never replaced one - am clueless.. help! I see ebay has the leather ones, but are they all the same? I'll have to reasearch it a little more but I remember seeing what seemed like huge rolls BUT I wouldn't need all that much (just one machine). How are the ends combined, etc. It'll be going on a singer patcher machine and the belt will need to be a little longer than usuall due to a custom table. Thanks ya'll. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted November 4, 2010 (edited) OK I need to get a belt for my treadle machine and having never replaced one - am clueless.. help! I see ebay has the leather ones, but are they all the same? I'll have to reasearch it a little more but I remember seeing what seemed like huge rolls BUT I wouldn't need all that much (just one machine). How are the ends combined, etc. It'll be going on a singer patcher machine and the belt will need to be a little longer than usuall due to a custom table. Thanks ya'll. Measure the total belt length with a tape measure inside the pulley channels, then buy a 1/4" O.D. leather belt that is a bit longer (with a steel clamp). Cut off the excess from one end, punch a #0 or #1 hole about 1/4" in on each end and clamp them together with the enclosed steel clamp, with your pliers. Edited November 4, 2010 by Wizcrafts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CustomDoug Report post Posted November 4, 2010 Great - thanks for the tips. So, no special pliers or anything... for some reason I thought special pliers were needed. Anyway - can you tell me about which pulley on the machine I would want to measure for? The pictures I've seen of patchers on treadles usually have a leather belt around the larger of the two (on the head), my treadle base only has one wheel, it's apprx 12" across. So the head has one that measures 6" across and a smaller that's about 3.5" across. One is for speed and the other is better for power right? But which is which Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CowboyBob Report post Posted November 4, 2010 The larger pulley will give you more speed & the smaller pulley more power. We always use a small drill to make the holes size#50 measures 0.070 Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CustomDoug Report post Posted November 15, 2010 ok well I've installed my leather belt and now the treadles foot will not hardly move, well it basically doesn't move with out using extreme force - then it wants to just go forward and backwards one revolution or just spins the wheel. Did I get it too tight? It does not feel "drum" tight by any means, I can get plenty of deflection when I try to (while handling the belt). I hope not I didn't get it too tight 'cause I've obviously already cut the belt ... if so is there a way of stretching it out ? I was worried about this kind of problem when I originally posted this thread, but it sounded pretty simple and there aren't any other threads I could find of folks having any problem like this. TIA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CowboyBob Report post Posted November 15, 2010 Doug, Do you have the belt on the smaller pulley on the machine? Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CustomDoug Report post Posted November 15, 2010 Larger pulley on the head... and the only wheel that the treadle has, which is around 12" or so. The action of the treadle foot was really smooth before the belt. Could the long span (8ft) be effecting the action? I have now taken the belt off and physically stretched it with my hand,back and feet. What I'm getting now is that it's quite looser and slips some, but also the foot pedal seams to get stuck in the up or down position really easily. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted November 15, 2010 (edited) Larger pulley on the head... and the only wheel that the treadle has, which is around 12" or so. The action of the treadle foot was really smooth before the belt. Could the long span (8ft) be effecting the action? I have now taken the belt off and physically stretched it with my hand,back and feet. What I'm getting now is that it's quite looser and slips some, but also the foot pedal seams to get stuck in the up or down position really easily. Now that you have stretched the belt to loosen it, go to your nearby auto supplies store and get some v-belt no-slip spray. Mask off the surrounding areas and spray the inside of the pulleys and backside of the belt. Drop some sewing machine oil into the treadle assembly's moving parts. Drop some oil into the oil holes on the machine, especially the oil hole by the rear of the head. You may need to buy a bolt-on pulley, about 9" or 10" in diameter, to get better control of the treadle operation. Drill and tap three or four holes into the original pulley on the base and bolt the smaller pulley to it. Try to keep it centered for balance. Tractor supply stores carry these large spoked pulleys. Edited November 15, 2010 by Wizcrafts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
