Hi all,
Did an earlier video of a lash up to change my Chester milling machine to a belt drive. I have now made my new adjusting plates pulleys and new cover.I am very pleased with the results and it is now a pleasure to use. Various manufacturers had made kits available on similar Chinese built machines but nobody to my knowledge had made a kit for a Chester mill.Other guys on the Chester forum had asked if kits were to be had so obviously there is a need to be fulfilled.Chester had told me that they had gone down the v-belt route but had decided on the sacrificial plastic gears to stop more serious damage being done. I cannot follow that logic myself as the only damage that I can forsee is to the motor perhaps!The quickblow fuse is still in use.Anyway after repairing machines in an industrial capacity for 40 odd years I dont recall sacrificial plastic gears being used.Dont get me wrong I like my Chester machine ( I have 3) but I do feel that this is an improvement that is well worth doing and to me it makes a good little machine into a super little machine.
regards Mick