Unimat SL belts & bearings

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Unimat SL belts & bearings

This topic has 11 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 8 March 2011 at 11:46 by dcosta.

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27 February 2011 at 09:59 #64757
rofor
Participant
@rofor
Hi from Ro in North Devon,

I have picked up an old Unimat SL which requires new belts, plus new headstock and idler bearings. I`m hoping some other Unimat users here might be able to offer advice.

I am uncertain if I should use round belts 4mm wide as currently on sale on ebay or 5.3mm.

Regarding replacement bearings, e13 and e6 are mentioned and I am hoping for advice on where to buy them. These bearings seem to be termed magneto bearings.

I reluctantly parted with my Harrison 140 and Harison univeral mill a while ago because of disabilities but am looking forward to tinkering with a small lightweight bench lathe.

Any help in pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated.
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27 February 2011 at 09:59 #16624
rofor
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@rofor
27 February 2011 at 12:31 #64759
KWIL
Participant
@kwil
e13 Magneto bearings are 13mm OD, try http://www.akbearings.co.uk Arc Euro Trade has e6. I do not know about Unimat belts.
27 February 2011 at 19:31 #64772
V8Eng
Participant
@v8eng
Hi.

Try this, it lists lots of parts for many makes / models.

http://www.lathes.co.uk

Edited By V8Eng on 27/02/2011 19:33:59
27 February 2011 at 19:47 #64774
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
This guy does belts & bearings, not sure what postage from the US will be

http://unimat.homestead.com/belts.html
27 February 2011 at 20:51 #64775
Nicholas Farr
Participant
@nicholasfarr14254
Posted by KWIL on 27/02/2011 12:31:20:

e13 Magneto bearings are 13mm OD, try http://www.akbearings.co.uk Arc Euro Trade has e6. I do not know about Unimat belts.

Hi Kwil, I think you ment to say that the ID is 13mm, i.e. the bore. The OD being 30mm and the width 7mm.

Most bearing distributers supplying industry should be able to supply you with any available bearings and most of them accept cash sales.

Regards Nick.
27 February 2011 at 21:09 #64776
David Clark 13
Participant
@davidclark13
Hi There

Use O-rings for Unimat belts.

Works out at about 50P each.

I think I gave sizes in MEW 124 or just after.

If you are a subscriber, you can access them in the archives.

regards David
27 February 2011 at 21:18 #64777
Keith Long
Participant
@keithlong89920
Just do an internet search on “magneto bearings” you’ll find a number of stockists. Price seems to be about £5.50 + vat each for those sizes.

Keith
7 March 2011 at 19:29 #65162
Niloch
Participant
@niloch
Unimat belts: two friends got fed-up with paying silly prices for the required belts. They clubbed together and bought suitable ‘O’ rings from here.
8 March 2011 at 09:52 #65178
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
Why not use heat joinable plastic belting, it gives a more possitive drive than ‘O’ rings, it lasts well, if it breaks join it again. It does’nt stretch as ‘O’ rings do. If you have choice between 4mm and 5.3mm, use 5mm belting, thats the stuff I use on my Super Adept, it could actually be OK with down to 3mm that what I use to drive off my Hot Air Engines.

Ian S C
8 March 2011 at 11:40 #65185
ady
Participant
@ady
The 5mm belting I used on my wee unimat protruded beyond the pulleys, even at 4.68 mm it’s still too big and would catch on part of the lathe when on its most extreme drive wheel settings.

The 4mm belting sits inside the pulleys and has no interference issues.

It’s easy to check, use a drill bit of 4mm and 5mm and see how they fit, even a 4.5mm drill bit wont fit into my own pulleys.

Edited By ady on 08/03/2011 11:42:09
8 March 2011 at 11:46 #65186
dcosta
Participant
@dcosta
Hello rofor!

In the eighties I had a Unimat3 and faced the same problem You are facing now.

And also tried the o’rings of the common kind, perhaps made of rubber. And they failed after some hours of light work.

Maybe the variety made of Viton whose mechanical properties I ignore is better for the purpose.

The pulleys in Unimat 3 had a round profile and I think the same goes with Unimat SL. If so, You should take in consideration You mustn’t use trapezoidal belts with Unimat SL.

Warning:

Viton is incompatible with aceton and organic acids such as acetic acid.

Note:

For more information on Viton see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viton

Best regards

Dias Costa
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