b-57

[millstead]

i bought some b-57s at napa they have a crown in the top i put them on my mill and now my blade dances around i guess i should have just got the belts from woodmizer. im running  a lt30 anyone else ever have this problem

[thecfarm]

Magicman must still be sawing? He would say read your manual and do what it says.  ;D

[VictorH]

Yep not all B-57's are the same.  Woodmizers are made special to their specifications.  ;)

[Bibbyman]

Yep not all B-57's are the same.  Woodmizers are made special to their specifications.  ;)

Ditto.  We've been testing B57 belts off and on for a while and some are o.k. and some just don't hold up.

[Ga Mtn Man]

I understand that Goodyear belts are an acceptable substitute.

Bibby- Have you ever run tight belts on your mill?  I thought that as long as you've been sawing you might have tried them.

[Ocklawahaboy]

I got a pair of b57s for my lt40 at napa and they are great.  No movement of the blade from front to back at all.

[T Welsh]

How can you tell its time to change belts? When you can no longer keep the pressure gauge in the yellow and keep popping blades off as you saw ;D.(don't ask me how I know) Just put new belts on Wednesday afternoon. I get mine from WM. Tim

[drobertson]

I'm not sure if I dreamed this or it is a fact, but I was thinking the B-57's from wmz are designed for compression loads and others designed for tension loads, don't hold me to this but it would make sense considering their use.   david

[Ocklawahaboy]

My decision on where to buy was based on the fact that napa was on the way home from work, vs ordering for WM.  I didn't expect them to work quite as well as they have.

[Bibbyman]

I understand that Goodyear belts are an acceptable substitute.

Bibby- Have you ever run tight belts on your mill?  I thought that as long as you've been sawing you might have tried them.

I've not tried B56 "tight" belts. 

One set of belts we tested had very soft outer layor.  This outer layer  mushroomed out soon and then started stuffing off.  They may have worked fine in a regular application but not as bandmill tires.

[MEMountainMan]

The belts on my new LT15 are Goodyear CE B57s, they don't have any crown on them at all. I did take notice when I was checking on back-up belts that different manufacturers make them with crowned outsides. The price Wood-Mizer gets for their belts is pretty much the cost everywhere around here.

[millstead]

I should have just got the
Belts from Woodmizer I wasn't trying to be cheap I just didn't want to wait for them to be shipped. I guess I learned a lesson on belts

[Bibbyman]

I usually pick up a set when we attend a Wood-Mizer event.   I also keep any usable takeoffs.  That way I'm never without a way to keep going.

[millstead]

after looking at the blade alignment today i realized that one of the bearings on the idler side was bad the inner race cracked and the shaft was chewed up. so now im going to get a new shaft and two new bearings. i just replaced the bearings on the drive side a few months ago.  while im at it i will get the corect b-57s

[woodmills1]

I did the tight B56 when I had my LT 40.  They seemed to last forever, but very hard to put on and take off.

[Tronvik]

I run the oem belt and a browning belt I can pickup at hvac supply house. Both work well for me.

[isawlogs]

 After you have changed your bearing, try those belts again, you may not have to go out and buy another set.  ;)

[hamish]

The belts on my new LT15 are Goodyear CE B57s, they don't have any crown on them at all. I did take notice when I was checking on back-up belts that different manufacturers make them with crowned outsides. The price Wood-Mizer gets for their belts is pretty much the cost everywhere around here.

A B57 belt is a B57 belt, all B57 belts have a crown, BX series belts do not.
Once under tension a regular series B or 5L belt will not have a pronouced crown, a BX series belt never will.

[Ga Mtn Man]

While we're on the subject of belts, here's an interesting link that explains the magic that keeps our blades on the wheels.  I'm sure many of you already know this but for those of us that don't, here's a little ejukashen smiley_bucktooth: 

http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/crowned_pulleys.html

[Nomad]

The belts on my new LT15 are Goodyear CE B57s, they don't have any crown on them at all. I did take notice when I was checking on back-up belts that different manufacturers make them with crowned outsides. The price Wood-Mizer gets for their belts is pretty much the cost everywhere around here.

A B57 belt is a B57 belt, all B57 belts have a crown, BX series belts do not.
Once under tension a regular series B or 5L belt will not have a pronouced crown, a BX series belt never will.

     'Fraid I'll have to differ.  Here's a pic of a brandy-new, never installed B57 from WoodMizer.  No Crown, and free standing.
     'Scuse the holes in the sock toes.  Didn't know they was gonna be on camera tonight. :D


 

[Chuck White]

I agree with Nomad!

The B57's from Wood-Mizer are different than what you'd get at the Auto Parts store.

However, the B57's from the Auto Parts store can get you out of a pinch for a while, while waiting for the WM ones to be delivered.

[isawlogs]

 I would like to know how they are different, I use Gates B57's on my mill and have for the longest time, they last about the same amount of hours as the WM belts. It just seams odd to me that Good-year would make a specific belt for WM, just the thought of the cost behind that is unrealistic to me.   :-\

[Peter Drouin]

The way I see it the WM b57 work good and I allways have extra ones . and besides Wood Mizer keeps me working and I like to keep them working too . I buy all my parts from WM. not one time did I think to to an auto part store for parts for my mill. I do keep a good pile of parts.things that go out the most. but thats just the way I am :D :D ;D
good luck on whats best for you

[Chuck White]

Most B57's that I've seen in the auto parts stores have a crown (rounded top) on them and the ones from Wood-Mizer are flat!

[isawlogs]

Are you saying that if one buys a B57 CE from an auto parts store that that ( atwsf Tom) belt would be a different belt  ???