Delta 46460 belt pulley noise

[Tanner]

I have a Delto 46460 and can hear a soft squeeking, rubbing noise coming from the upper pulley area. It doesn't make the noise at lower speeds but at speed 7 - 8 it makes it about every half second to every second. I don't know if I should get belt dressing or is the pulley going? It's only about a year old and only turned about ten pens, as I just got it set up. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Lucky2]

Tim, even though it isn't all that old or hasn't done that much work, doesn't mean that it couldn't be a bearing problem. Has the lathe gotten any louder than it normally is?
Len

 

[RSidetrack]

My Delta 46460 makes the same noise. I do not know if it is a bearing going bad, but it has done it pretty much since a month after I have gotten it. Over a year later it is still running good and strong, and while the noise seems to have moved up in tempo just a tad, it still has not gotten any worse.

I would not go through the effort of replacing a bearing though unless things start sounding bad (typically a grinding noise or a bad vibration) or if things stop running true center.

 

[Tanner]

No, the lathe isn't any louder. It almost sounds like the belt is rubbing in one spot at higher speeds.

 

[plantman]

Tim; As a trouble shooter in a large paper mill, this is the order that I would have checked things out in.
1---- Check the tension on your belt. Not to loose, not overtightened.
2---- Take a square or level and place it across both pullys. make sure it comes in contact with all four edges.
3---- Tighten one or both set screws on your pullys.
4---- Try some belt dressing to see if the noise goes away
5---- Although most of todays bearings are the sealed type. Try oiling them or a little grease if you have fittings.
6---- Take a large screw driver or metal rod and hold it to your ear while trying to locate where exactly the noise it comming from. This should detect any bearing noise.
7---- If the noise is comming from the bearing area, change the bearings.
The way you discribe the noise, I would say your belt is slipping at higher speeds. This can also be detected by putting an amp probe with a dial readout on the leads to see if the amps vary as the lathe runs.
Jim S

 

[frank123]

A little belt dressing should help in defining if it is the belt or something else.

Belts wear and quit gripping the pulley grove walls tightly, they are supposed to expand -bulge out the sides- and grip the pulley as they bend around it and when they wear to the point they remain flat on the sides instead of bulging outwards and tightening in the groove they start squeaking. A good belt can last for many years, a cheap one can wear quite quickly.

I'm not familiar with your lathe and I'm assuming a V belt.

(FWIW, rubbing a soap bar on the belt will usually work like belt dressing - real soap like Ivory bar soap, not some synthetic compound being called soap.)

 

[crabcreekind]

I am not sure if it variable speed. But I guess you are suppose to lube something around there once in a while when it gets hard to change speeds.
Have you lost and range of speed?

 

[ossaguy]

Mine did the same thing,and I found there was about 1 inch of the end-groove of the belt that there was no groove,just rubber.I scraped the groove out with a tiny screwdriver and it fixed it.

Steve

 

[Tanner]

I'll check all this out. I did tighten pulley. There may be stuff in the belt, because when I first opened the door, there was a lot of acrylic bearish in there. I blew it all out and didn't think to look to see if it had built up on the belt grooves. I'll check all these and let you know.

Jim, I wish you were here to do your magic. Sounds like you really know what you're doing.

Thanks guys!!

 

[Rangertrek]

Tim, just in case it is the bearings, if you have a bearing supply store in your area you can get replacement bearing there. I have changed my D46-460 bearing one time. I have had the lathe for several years and it has a lot of run time. It uses common bearings, actually the same type used on atvs. The store had two sets, I went with the better mnfg. Bearings are not that hard to change out. The bearing has a code number to id the size, etc.

 

[airborne_r6]

Mine does the same thing and I am pretty sure that it is a slight deformity of the belt from leaving it under tension and not using it. I notice it more when it is cold in the garage. It has never caused me any problems.

 

[plano_harry]

Sounds like a common experience. Mine makes a little tick which is not in sync with the rpm of the motor or spindle - indicating it is not a bearing issue. Probably what you are hearing also. The tick occurs when a particular part of the belt make a full revolution and hits a pulley, maybe both pulleys, I don't know. Mine may have gone away. I don't notice it anymore - especially when staring down the 4" throat of my dust collector!

I did try belt dressing which is a nice adhesive and will give you the opportunity to clean your pulleys

I may take a look at the belt to see if I have a glitch in the grooves (thanks Steve).

Harry

 

[robersonjr]

Mine made the same noise, belt dressing fixed it.

 

[Tanner]

I'll try the belt dressing and go from there. Thanks everyone for the help!