leather belts for C&P

New leather belting can be purchased from McMaster-Carr, an industrial supply house with a website. However, new leather is now very expensive and not necessary for a flat belt drive. The same supply house also sells rubber coated canvas flat belting that is a lot less expensive and just as traditional and effective. It also holds up better in damp climates and locations.

Either way make sure to buy the appropriate thickness for the smallest diameter pulley it will go around. The online catalog page will guide you. The width should be slightly smaller than the narrowest pulley you will be using. If you use a leather belt remember that the smooth side goes against the pulleys, not the rough side.

Rich

The little round leather belts that are used to power old Singer treadle sewing machines will work on a C & P 8 X 12 press. You just staple two of them together with the staples that come with them. Such belts are available, new, on eBay. The old printer who I bought my press from in 1975 used them on all three of his presses.

I saw a guy on e-Bay the other day who was listing leather belts for presses. His ad showed a C&P…. so maybe it’s a viable option.

Rich, Kevin and Winking Cat: Thank you for your very quick and helpful responses!

All the best to you,

Craig Malmrose

I’ve also seen the leather belts on ebay. Has anyone had any experience with these?

Those belts may be just fine but there’s no need to spend that much. See my comments above regarding rubber- covered canvas belts from McMaster-Carr.

If you must have leather, look at the catalog page from McMaster-Carr and ask the Ebay seller questions regarding the thickness, construction, etc. of the belts offered. The section of the hide the leather comes from affects the quality and operation of the belt.

The belts that eBay guy sells look the same as the belts I get from McMaster. They’re the cheapest ones they sell @ around $2.10/foot. Not leather. Urethane.

You’ll also need the lacing http://www.mcmaster.com/, page 1221.