Edison Home doesn't run ...

[alang]

Hi Helmut,

like some others said before, if the mandrel turns freely without the belt, then the little tension wheel for the belt could be the problem. It also has to turn freely, otherwise you would see the symptoms you described. Just remove the little tension arm with the wheel and soak it in penetrating oil until it turns without resistance.

Good luck
Andreas

[Lucius1958]

I note that you mention the belt "fell off the pulley" at a lower tension. If the upper works turn freely, and the tension wheel is functioning properly, it could be that the upper works are not properly aligned with the motor.

You can adjust that by loosening the screws holding the upper works to the bedplate, and sliding the upper works around until both pulleys are in correct relationship to each other.

Bill

[Fonotone]

You're saying the mandrel spins when the carriage is up, but then slows down whenever the carriage is lowered -- is that correct? If so, then the problem might be related to the half-nut. If the half-nut (at the end of the flatspring) is applying excessive pressure to the feedscrew, then the resulting friction will cause the mandrel to lose torque whenever the carriage is lowered. If that's the problem, try reducing the pressure the half-nut is applying to the feedscrew to the minimum amount of pressure necessary for the half-nut to correctly track the feedscrew. If the half-nut isn't the problem, then (as alang suggested above) check the belt tensioner adjacent to the lower pulley. The wheel on that tensioner has a tendency to get fouled up. If the wheel drag increases, it will dramatically reduce the rotational torque of the mandrel. You might not notice the reduced torque when the carriage is raised, but when you lower the carriage, it will bring the mandrel to a halt. Finally, as others here have suggested, check the conical bearing on the endgate. If it's applying too much (or too little) pressure on the end of the mandrel, it will reduce the mandrel's torque and cause it too slow down or stop, especially when the carriage is lowered.

[max_phenol]

You're saying the mandrel spins when the carriage is up, but then slows down whenever the carriage is lowered -- is that correct?

Actually it doesn't do anything when the belt is on. It is just the motor that runs okay when the belt is taken off and you need quite some pressure to stop with one finger the wheel that usually holds the belt. So, I was assuming that the spring isn't too week. But thanks anyway for your help too!

[NEFaurora]

It sounds like your new belt tension is too tight. If it's a leather belt replacement, You'll actually need to pull it slowly to actually stretch the leather belt some, then put it back on. You can actually stretch it while it is still on.. I've done this on quite a few machines very successfully. Just go slow, because you do not want too stretch it too much, otherwise, You'll have to re-glue the belt only to have to stretch it again. Once you reach the right tension, It should pretty much be good to go for the next 100 years...literally.

I have never tried those newer "rubber band" belts sold on Ebay, so I do not know how well they work, but they will never be as good as an actual leather belt, I can tell you that, so it's really worth the time to try and get it right with a leather one.

Tony K.