Help with KMG setup

[DanCampbell]

Hi All,
I need some help setting up the motor on my KMG, I have a plywood table top (about 1" thick) and need to configure the motor so I can move it to take advantage of the maska step pulleys.
I just have it bolted to the plywood now and it's not the best set up.
I have photos but I don't think I can post them.
Thanks
Dan

[AcridSaint]

Dan, I stole this idea from Mike Fitzgerald and I think it would work better if the motor was under the table, but you could work it on top too.

For mounting on the top, mount your motor to a seperate board, maybe a 2x6 scrap and screw a couple door hinges to it. Then mount your hinges to your table so that the motor sits at 50 or 60* at the highest point but still above flush at the lowest. It might take a little fooling around with to get it right from the top. The weight should tension the belt for you, but if it doesn't you can add a spring for a screen door.

This is how I'm planning to do mine, let me know if you try it out.

[DanCampbell]

AcridSaint-
The only problem I have with putting the motor out of reach is the on / off switch in on the motor itself. Oterwise that is a great idea
Thanks
Dan

[NJStricker]

You can pop off the plug from the power cord, wire it through another switch placed conveniently, and leave the switch on the motor in the on position.

[AcridSaint]

I don't know exactly how your setup looks, but with it mounted on top, I think you could still get to the switch if you don't change it out as suggested.

[cwend]

you might try just adjusting the placement of the motor. mine is mounted fixed and the belts are just loose enough i can roll them from groove to grove, but ive never had any problems with slippage while turin the belts

[jdm61]

I bought the battleship armor baseplate that Rob sells and put it temporarily one of those 700 lbs ca[acity workmate type tables that they sell at HD and Lowes. i have the varaible speed model, so i don't have to swappulleys, but i am satified with this temporary setup. The baseplate makes life so much easier.
Joe

[Osprey Guy]

I've got the maska pulleys. I setup my motor behind the grinder...This photo was taken prior to my mounting the power switch in the left front corner of the base, just to the left of the grinder for easy access. I cut a hole in the corner of the panel and mounted in that cavity.



BTW- The link belt is wonderful! Not only allows you to adjust to any length (makes setup a breeze), but it also cuts down on vibration.

Hope that helps.


Dennis Greenbaum

[SBuzek]

I have been debating getting one of the link belts but have been putting it off due to cost but since you say it cuts down on vibration may go ahead and try one.

[doublearrow]

I'll post pictures of my set up later tonight. I have the motor mounted next to the machine on a hinged piece of plywood. Ryan

[cdent]

I haven't had as good luck with link belts (sorry Dennis), but I definitely prefer to ridgidly mount the motor like in Dennis' picture, as opposed to gravity tension. It just worked out easier for me to dampen vibration, where the motor used to have a slight up and down bounce when it was mounted on a hinged plate.
Good luck, Craig

[doublearrow]

Meant to post these last night, but didn't make it. Here is the set up I have. It works good for me and had too at the time. I couldn't afford to buy anything so I used some parts I had lying around. Theres a turnbuckle latch I loosen and tighten to change the belt around. I try to make things to where I don't have to constantly change speeds.

[Osprey Guy]

Ryan-

It's probably just the angle of the photo....but do you have a 4-step pulley (foreground) mated with a 3-step pulley (background)? And again, it's probably the angle of your photos...but are your pulleys perfectly aligned with one another? The belt should never be running on an angle from one pulley to the other. When setting position of the pulleys use a metal ruler and rest it against the flat of one pulley and then rest against the corresponding flat on the other pulley...then tighten the screws on the pulleys. They should be perfectly aligned. (If yours are fine then this is for the benefit of anyone else just setting up). ;-)

I never have to loosen anything to change my belts. And it's not because I'm using a link belt. At the time I bought my KMG I was anxious about getting things setup right...so when I went to do the setup I got on the phone with Rob, who walked me through most of it...and when we were done he assured me that changing belts would only be a matter of rolling the belt off one step onto another...And he was absolutely right. It only takes me just a few seconds to change steps. No need to loosen or tighten anything.

BTW: I tried a normal belt and then went to the link. The link definitely contribiuted to less vibrations (as advertised).


Dennis Greenbaum

[doublearrow]

Yeah that is a 4 step and a 3 step mated together. They were free and I had two different shaft sizes and couldn't get a 3 step in the other shaft size. As for the pullies lining up they do, but not when you screw up and put them on different rings like I did somehow. That's an oops. I did it this way because I thought if I made the motor stationary and jumped the belts over the tracks I didn't think it would be tight enough. I thought the belt might slip if I left just enough slack to be able to move them around. Do you have that problem? If not I'm probably going to change mine to something similiar to your's Dennis. Thanks for the help.


edited to add: I found the link belts at grizzly. What size did you get or recommend? Do they stretch much over time? How do they hold up?

[Osprey Guy]

I happen to have a Woodcraft store less than 15 minutes from my house...I bought my link belt there.

As for the belt size...that is really up to you...a function of how far apart you plan on positioning the pulleys (aka where you're gonna bolt down the motor). After I determined the position for my motor I drilled holes into my base (to bolt down the motor) and I removed links from my belt until the belt fit snugly on the pulleys, but not so snug that I couldn't "roll" the belt over the pulleys. As I recall my belt wound up being about 25" in length....Depending on your setup yours may very well be a different length.

I've been running my KMG for several years...Still using the same belt with no slippage.


Dennis Greenbaum