mudduck on mon 23 may 11
Last October I replaced the four round belts on my older style Pacifica =3D
GT 400.
It only had three when I bought it used about 8 years ago. For some =3D
reason I figured it would be better to replace all four than just the =3D
missing one.
About 2 weeks after the new belts from Laguna were installed one broke. =3D
So I call Laguna and they say there is no warranty on the belts but =3D
would send a replacement since it had been only a short time. New belt =3D
arrives and are installed. A month or so later another belt brakes. I =3D
call Laguna and ask how to adjust the belts thinking I may be installing =
=3D
them incorrectly. Laguna says I need to send the wheel to them or switch =
=3D
to new style belt. I could buy a new wheel for what it would cost to =3D
send the wheel from NC to Calif. So I decide to run the wheel on the =3D
three belts. About 2 weeks ago another belt breaks, now I'm down to only =
=3D
2 belts on my wheel. I call Laguna and order four more new belts.
The method I used for adjusting the new belts was to place 8 lbs. of =3D
clay on the wheel and tighten the belts until it didn't slip. I hardly =3D
ever throw anything over 8 lbs.
Before I install the new belts can some one tell me if there is a proper =
=3D
way to install and adjust these belts?? If these belts, break I'll be =3D
looking for a new wheel. Also is there a good way to keep the belts from =
=3D
squeaking?? I put a little silicone on them but that made the wheel slip =
=3D
and only stopped the squeaking for s short time.
By the way all the belts came apart at the place where they had been =3D
joined.
Thanks for any help!!
Gene
mudduck@mudduckpottery.net
www.mudduckpottery.net
William & Susan Schran User on mon 23 may 11
On 5/23/11 5:52 PM, "mudduck" wrote:
> Before I install the new belts can some one tell me if there is a proper =
way
> to install and adjust these belts?? If these belts, break I'll be looking=
for
> a new wheel. Also is there a good way to keep the belts from squeaking?? =
I put
> a little silicone on them but that made the wheel slip and only stopped t=
he
> squeaking for s short time.
>
> By the way all the belts came apart at the place where they had been join=
ed.
Gene,
I had an old Pacifica that was built from a kit - think about 1980.
Served me for many years, passed along to a deserving student in 2005.
Had the 4 round belts, none ever broke.
Student reports still going strong, same belts.
Always had a 1/2" to 1" deflection in the belts.
Think the belts may be too tight or the belts mad now are pieces of crap.
May want to convert to a V-belt design as suggested by Laguna.
Use belt dressing, like used on cars to stop squeaking.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
jonathan byler on mon 23 may 11
mcmaster-carr sells them:
1835T281 is the item number go to www.mcmaster.com
they cost $7.85 each plus shipping. they have very fast shipping,
especially if you are close to one of their 4 big warehouses.
forget the laguna service people on this they are just going to cost
you almost 2x cost for the same parts. you need to replace all the
belts at once, it is just easier that way. when one breaks the others
are not far behind if they are that old. try to make sure they are
not riding on top of each other in a tangled fashion. they will ride
on top of eachother a bit on the big pulley (on the wheelhead), but
this is no biggie as long as they are twisted around each other. I
have never adjusted the tension on these wheels, I didn't know you
could. take the bottom cover off and put the belts on. it may take a
minute, but it is pretty straightforward.
if you did adjust the tension, you want to make it relatively tight.
you should be able to put 25lbs of clay or more on the wheel without
slippage, we have seen people throw close to 100lbs on one of these.
if the tension is not tight enough, it will wear the belts too fast.
they tend to stretch but are somewhat elastic so it is not that big a
deal to put them on a little tight. too tight and you *might* wear
out your bearings faster, but I doubt it in this situation.
if they are squeeking, all new belts can help, you don't want a mix of
old and new, it allows the older belts to slip and puts more strain on
the newer belts. if it is tensioned right the silicone/teflon spray
shouldn't cause the wheel to slip.
good luck with this,
jon
On May 23, 2011, at 4:52 PM, mudduck wrote:
> Last October I replaced the four round belts on my older style
> Pacifica GT 400.
> It only had three when I bought it used about 8 years ago. For some
> reason I figured it would be better to replace all four than just
> the missing one.
>
> About 2 weeks after the new belts from Laguna were installed one
> broke. So I call Laguna and they say there is no warranty on the
> belts but would send a replacement since it had been only a short
> time. New belt arrives and are installed. A month or so later
> another belt brakes. I call Laguna and ask how to adjust the belts
> thinking I may be installing them incorrectly. Laguna says I need to
> send the wheel to them or switch to new style belt. I could buy a
> new wheel for what it would cost to send the wheel from NC to Calif.
> So I decide to run the wheel on the three belts. About 2 weeks ago
> another belt breaks, now I'm down to only 2 belts on my wheel. I
> call Laguna and order four more new belts.
>
> The method I used for adjusting the new belts was to place 8 lbs. of
> clay on the wheel and tighten the belts until it didn't slip. I
> hardly ever throw anything over 8 lbs.
>
> Before I install the new belts can some one tell me if there is a
> proper way to install and adjust these belts?? If these belts, break
> I'll be looking for a new wheel. Also is there a good way to keep
> the belts from squeaking?? I put a little silicone on them but that
> made the wheel slip and only stopped the squeaking for s short time.
>
> By the way all the belts came apart at the place where they had been
> joined.
>
> Thanks for any help!!
> Gene
> mudduck@mudduckpottery.net
> www.mudduckpottery.net
David Hendley on wed 25 may 11
The older-older style of Pacifica wheels used a plain ol' fan belt - one
thick
black belt. I bought my wheel in 1979 and I am still using the original
wheel. And I am not an occasional weekend potter!
If you like the wheel otherwise, I would certainly look into retro-fitting
it
with a durable belt system like mine.
I have a GT 800 and it can center more clay than I am capable of handling.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
http://www.thewahooligans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "mudduck"
Subject: pacifica 400 belts???
Last October I replaced the four round belts on my older style Pacifica GT
400.
It only had three when I bought it used about 8 years ago. For some reason =
I
figured it would be better to replace all four than just the missing one.
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