U.K. Supplier - Leslie 145 Drive Belts and Motor ‘O’ Rings?

[Harry Seven]

Bit new to all of this...I'm in the midst of rebuilding a Leslie 145 and I wondered if there was a U.K. supplier re. Drive belts and ‘O' Rings...?

[Drawbar Dave]

I always use Tonewheel General Hospital and Trek II in the US and pay the postage and customs to the UK

[gtc]

Is your Leslie a 50Hz model? If so, then you need 50Hz belts to suit the 50Hz pulleys, but they are 'unobtainium'.

When I chased up this matter with Rick at Tonewheel General Hospital back in 2014 he replied: "Hammond Suzuki has elected to abandon the 50 Hz model Leslie owners. I have asked the European folks to check with Hammond Europe for availability and they also want nothing to do with them."

And ... "Some customers have purchased the 60 Hz belts anyway. Most are unhappy that they don't fit, but a very few report they worked just fine. I've been unable to figure out why there is inconsistency in this respect. I'm sort of thinking the Leslie cabinets that work with the 60 Hz belts are not USA exports but were manufactured in Europe and designed to use the 60 Hz belts with the 50 Hz pulleys. It would be a matter of moving the motor mounts about 1/2 inch probably."

I gather that people buy the 60Hz belts and stretch them, with varying results.

[Jyvoipabo]

Hello,

I solved this problem with a piece of engine starter cord. (Polypropylène cord or something like that)
With a soldering iron and some training, you can make very resistant butt welds.
This technique is known as mirror soldering.

The one i made, works since 10 years and it is as new.

JP

[gtc]

I solved this problem with a piece of engine starter cord.

Good idea. I'll investigate that method myself. 👍

[Jyvoipabo]

The pic showing the weld :

[gtc]

A very neat job, indeed. I am going to buy some 3mm starter cord and try a few joins myself.

[Pipeorganbuilder]

Great idea using the starter cord. There is a poly tubing that is connected together with a double ended barbed fitting that I use on nickelodeons. This product is available from Granger and most any belt supply houses.

Michael

[gtc]

Re Grainger, could you link to the tubing here, please:

https://www.grainger.com/search?sear...ry=poly+tubing

[Pipeorganbuilder]

Re Grainger, could you link to the tubing here, please:

https://www.grainger.com/search?sear...ry=poly+tubing

https://www.grainger.com/product/EAG...nd-Belt-15V507

https://www.grainger.com/product/EAG...nd-Belt-15V465

It is listed under poly round belt. I use the yellow on Seeburg nickelodeons. This is hollow and use a double barbed coupling that goes inside the belt. The green listed above is probably what you would want and it melts together.
The local belt and hose supplier charges me by the foot and gives me the coupling. The last I bought was the yellow and needed about eight feet. They charged me $18.00. Look on Ebay and you will several venders selling the same thing. Best of luck.

Michael

[gtc]

Thanks. I see that similar material is also available via RS Components.

And this company in the USA makes belts to order:

https://www.durabelt.com/roundoringinfo.php