Power for Belsaw m-14

[jopoff1981]

Hi I am running my Belsaw by tractor pto. I just bought an old school bus with 6 cylinder diesel. Has a busted auto trans. Any ideas on setting it up? I am thinking a flat belt we used to run it off a truck when I was little. So i have the belt and 1 pulley. I am going to use the frame to build a bandmill. And use the cab for a kiln.

[Trapper John]

I am dealing with the same situation, powering a Belsaw with a stationary engine.  Most engines are left handed (as you sit in the driver's seat) and the Belsaw is right hand so we have two choices, using a jackshaft or crossing a belt.  Both are adding friction loss, but what is the most efficient?  The Belsaw manual tells you to cross the belt for better grip but is it a good practice?  Do belts rub or fray when crossed?  Can you cross a short belt?  For every revolution of the belt it is flexing 90 degrees out of plane.  Sounds like wasted energy but maybe it's no big deal.  Any engineers out there?  Can you cross V belts? 

[Gearbox]

I am running a twisted 8 in flat belt on a 48 in saw with a 4-71 . I can tell you  can't get 120 hp thru a twisted flat belt . How much can you ? Just about when it starts to cackle the belt is going south .  Just run 2 multi vee pullys and a shaft out the front . Befor you do anymore make sure the govener will hold speed . If it is late enough you may use cruse control .

[apm]

I run my Belsaw with a diesel power unit and flat belt. By parking the power unit at the end of the mill and running a long enough flat belt, you can accomplish the rotation direction you need.