Roller Belt Redux

I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

-- Jay Beattie.

Jay Beattie wrote:
:I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
:hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
:with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
n to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

Glad I could help, even if I have no memory of doing so!


:I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
ne together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
ost-super glue use. I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
:for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
:an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
:up some poly belts 3/16th. They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
:mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. BTW, it's a 19"
:circumference belt.

What sort of belt is this ?

--
But all of a sudden Igor Stravinsky shows up with bag of psilocybin
mushrooms and a chainsaw.... -- Jens

On Nov 10, 6:06*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. *I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. *They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. *BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

-- Jay Beattie.

Just curious - are those made from round solid polyurethane cord?
My similar vintage rollers were made by a friend and former frame
builder.
Last year he "warrantied" the original drive belt that had broken - he
still had NOS drive belt material on hand.
But the cool thing is that a looped belt is readily made from an
appropriately sized length of polyurethane cord by "welding" the ends.
They are simply heated until slightly "oozy" (technical term) and then
held together until they cool. No glue involved.

DR

On Nov 10, 5:49*pm, DirtRoadie wrote:
On Nov 10, 6:06*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:

I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. *I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. *They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. *BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

-- Jay Beattie.

Just curious - are those made from round solid polyurethane cord?
My similar vintage rollers were made by a friend and former frame
builder.
Last year he "warrantied" the original drive belt that had broken - he
still had NOS drive belt material on hand.
But the cool thing is that a looped belt is readily made from an
appropriately sized length of polyurethane cord by "welding" the ends.
They are simply heated until slightly "oozy" (technical term) and then
held together until they cool. No glue involved.

DR

Yes, 3/16th polyurethane "cord", although McMaster-Carr also specs
other materials that are more exotic and can withstand nastier
environments. My prior belts were rubberier -- and I didn't try to
weld them, but now that I have a replacement, maybe I'll see if the
surviving belt is weldable. They also sell raw cord, so if you're a
home welder, you can make whatever you want -- main belt, mag or fan
unit belts, etc., at least with the polyurethane material.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Nov 10, 8:06*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. *I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. *They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. *BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

That type of belting is pretty common in factories that use lots of
automation. McMaster-Carr is a good source, and IIRC that's where I
got the belt for the rollers I built some decades ago.

When I buy from them, I usually wince a bit at the shipping and
handling costs. But they're frequently the only place to get oddball
items I want, so I pay the price.

- Frank Krygowski

On Saturday, November 10, 2012 7:06:58 PM UTC-6, Jay Beattie wrote:
I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is

hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers

with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me

on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.



I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last

one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours

post-super glue use. I looked up an old post and saw the recommend

for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get

an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered

up some poly belts 3/16th. They were as cheap or cheaper than similar

mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. BTW, it's a 19"

circumference belt.



-- Jay Beattie.

Next time you need to make a belt like this you might want to try melting the 2 ends of the material with a butane torch or a cigarette lighter and pushing them together for about 30 secs,then dip the joint in cold water. There will be a small amount of 'flashing' which you can then trim off with a razor blade.

Hope this is helpful.

Frank Krygowski wrote:
:On Nov 10, 8:06Â*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
: I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
: hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
: with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
: on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.
:
: I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
: one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
: post-super glue use. Â*I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
: for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
: an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
: up some poly belts 3/16th. Â*They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
: mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. Â*BTW, it's a 19"
: circumference belt.

:That type of belting is pretty common in factories that use lots of
:automation. McMaster-Carr is a good source, and IIRC that's where I
:got the belt for the rollers I built some decades ago.

:When I buy from them, I usually wince a bit at the shipping and
:handling costs. But they're frequently the only place to get oddball
:items I want, so I pay the price.

I've only rarely thought McMaster S&H are out of hand. Most of the time,
I think they're lower than i'd pay anywhere else. A large part of that
is that they have have a big distribution center right outside chciago,
and I work (and have packages delivered to) in an area of chicago that's still
modestly industrial. I've gotten a number of orders delivered by courier
the same day they were ordered, which is unexpected. I suspect that
happens when someone says "I got have this today", and package near by
fit on the truck.


Part of the fun is not knowing what it's going to cost to ship until they
ship it. That's not unreasonable on their part, they sell lots of little
things, and it's very hard to figure out what it's going to cost to ship
until you've got it assembled into boxes. The first time I got a
same-day parcel, I got it before the charge showed up on my credit
card, and I spent the weekend wondering how much it was going to cost.


--
sig 116

On 11/10/2012 7:06 PM, Jay Beattie wrote:
I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

-- Jay Beattie.


Actual Tacx roller belts are readily available and cheap.
The material may be sliced and melted together with a
lighter to make a pair of fan drive belts from a standard
long belt. We stock the short ones but I don't know if those
are yet a current item.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Nov 11, 10:58*am, AMuzi wrote:
On 11/10/2012 7:06 PM, Jay Beattie wrote:









I'm posting this so others who Google search can know that there is
hope for those of us who have nearly 30 year old (27) Tackx rollers
with the fan units and belts -- and to thank David Scheidt who put me
on to a source for "custom" made drive belts, McMaster-Carr.

I couldn't find any source for replacement belts, so I glued my last
one together, and it finally failed last week after maybe 10-15 hours
post-super glue use. *I looked up an old post and saw the recommend
for McMaster-Carr, measured the old belt -- It had been hacked to get
an angular gluing surface and I had to guess a little, and I ordered
up some poly belts 3/16th. *They were as cheap or cheaper than similar
mag unit belts, and the shipping wasn't punitive. *BTW, it's a 19"
circumference belt.

-- Jay Beattie.

Actual Tacx roller belts are readily available and cheap.
The material may be sliced and melted together with a
lighter to make a pair of fan drive belts from a standard
long belt. We stock the short ones but I don't know if those
are yet a current item.

Tackx has a short belt that is too short. I bought two of those by
mistake and never returned them . . . so to test the melting together
thing, I melted them together this afternoon. Kind of sloppy, and it
takes more time than one would think to clean them up with a razor --
but I think it will work as a spare. I paid about five bucks a belt
finished from McMaster, which is not bad considering that they are
really well finished with a barely visible seam. But then again, I
wonder why I didn't think of doing this before. Oh well, I'm probably
out about five or ten bucks tops, and I do have swanky new belts.

-- Jay Beattie.

Another company which offers products similar to McMaster-Carr is Grainger.