Is this Leather Belting for a sewing machine?

[RWL2]

2 hours ago, Pintodeluxe said:

Why on earth are you using a leather belt on a Consew 226? 

A legitimate question.  Because the leather belting is what I had around and the machine isn't something I'm going to make a living with.  The spare rubber belts I had laying around the shop didn't fit.  I'm making a speed reducer so belt sizes were not calculated.  It will be trial and error.  I just happened to run across what looked like leather sewing machine belting at a yard sale last weekend for 25 cents so I bought it as a flyer.  Since I'd never seen a leather belt before I wasn't sure what it looked like, but for 25 cents I couldn't go wrong.  At a minimum it's worked to give me the length measurement I need for the belt from the clutch motor pulley to the 8" reducer pulley.  If it doesn't perform like it should, I will replace it with a rubber belt - but by then I'll have had an adjustable leather belt to confirm the dimensions I need.  I will probably have to buy one belt to go from the speed reducer to the handwheel pulley.  When I get the speed reducer installed (hopefully today now that the paint's dry) my next task is to find a pair of inexpensive 1.5" diameter hinge plates so I don't have to fabricate them.  The machine came with the hinge pins.

Cascabel - thanks for the information about the staples / hog rings being common at automotive upholstery shops.

[Pintodeluxe]

I've had a number of older machines with leather belts, and the tick-tick-tick of the hog ring hitting metal drove me crazy.  I tossed them in the bin immediately.  But you're right, the leather would be useful to size a new belt.  I use extra-long v belts for that same purpose.

By the way, I'd love to see pictures of your homemade speed reducer.

[RWL2]

2 hours ago, Pintodeluxe said:

By the way, I'd love to see pictures of your homemade speed reducer.

I've been taking photos as I built it and will post them as a tutorial since this forum has become the internet's de facto place for information on industrial sewing machines regardless of whether or not the intent is to sew leather.

[RWL2]

I installed the speed reducer and made belts today.  I tried using the skived method and contact cement for the one belt.  I used the band saw to create the bevel, belt sanded it to make it even, and used Weldwood contact cement to glue it together.  It held up until I put some real tension on it on the speed reducer.  After that I spliced it with wire like normal leather belts.  I started with 14 Ga wire.  I made the staple / hog ring ok with that, but it was too hard to work with.  I switched to 16 Ga wire and that was easier to work with and did the job just as well.

 

[Pintodeluxe]

Nice speed reducer.  That one looks about as good as my commercial box-style reducer.  Well done.