[modeleng] Re: flat belt grip

This is a leather belt?

According to my copy of "Farm Machinery and Farm Motors" (1916 edition):
"Belts should be occasionally cleaned and oiled to kepp them soft and
pliable. There are good dressings upon the market and others that are
certainly injurious. Neatsfoot oil is a very satisfactory dressing. Mineral
oils are not very satisfactory, as a rule. Rosin is considered injurious and
it is doubtful if it is necessary to use it on a belt in good condition."

From "Scientific American Cyclopedia of Formulas" (1925 edition):
"As materials for the manufacture of belt dressing we may enumerate tallow,
wax, paraffine, cod liver oil and castor oil. These ingredients must be as
free as possible from acid. To deprive tallow and train oil, which usually
contain free acid, of acid, we stir into the melted tallow about 5% of soda
lye of about 30 degree deaume. After about a qurter of an hour, add about
10% of common salt solution of 24 degree beaume; stir it in and allow to
cool. The free acid combines with the lye, added to form a soap, which is
separated by the salt solution. It is allowed to cool and the cake of fat
lifted off. By combining the above mentioned substances we obtain, according
to their proportions, a soft or hard preparation. We may choose from the
following combinations: tallow 10 parts; wax 7 parts; train oil 3 parts. The
tallow is reduced and after it is completely dissolved add the train oil.
While it is still fluid pour it into sticks. The molds are best made from
tinned steel plate."

"Fortunes in Formulas" (1907) gives two formulas for Belt Pastes for
Increasing Adhesion
Formula I:
Tallow          50 parts
Castor oil      20 parts
Fish oil                20 parts
Colophony               10 parts
Melt on a moderate fire and stir until the mass cools.

Formula II:
Melt 250 parts of gum elastic with 250 parts of oil of turpentine in an
iron, well closed, crucible at 122 degrees F and mix well with 200 parts of
colophony. After further melting add 200 parts of yellow wax and stir
carefully. Melt in 750 parts of heated train oil, 250 parts of tallow and to
this add, with constant stirring, the first mixture when the latter is still
warm and let cool slowly with stirring.

They also suggest rubbing tar soap on the belt while it is running to effect
a quick fix.

("colophony" is another name for pine rosin, "gum elastic" is the sap from
rubber trees, "train oil" is an oil made from whale blubber and may be hard
to find, Google to find a variety of sources of "tar soap")

> -----Original Message-----
> From: modeleng-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:modeleng-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alan Stepney
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 4:29 PM
> To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [modeleng] flat belt grip
> 
> Just received the following query.
> 
> ...there was a belt paste which we would plaster on the old 
> flat belts to get a grip (so to speak), and I was wondering 
> if you knew of any such stuff being available or some kind of 
> mixture that could be procured to do the job.
> 
> I suggested rosin, but has anyone else anyy suggestions.
> Alan Stepney
> 
> http://www.alanstepney.info
> Model Engineering & steam engine information pages 
> 
> MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.
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