Hello to All, Sooner or later every woodworker will have the need to replace a belt on a woodworking machine. Upon finding a broken belt in the cabinet of my Powermatic 66 table I knew my time had come. This particular saw requires three belts. So I went to the Powermatic internet site only to discover that the price for one belt at $11.59,bringing the total cost for belt replacement around $44.00 with shipping. A more thorough search suggested I try an auto parts store. I found what I needed at Napa , but the price was about the same there as well, minus the $8.95 for shipping. With a little more searching I found an on line auto parts distributor who supplied me with the exact same brand and size belts that came on the original saw for a more reasonable price around $3.00 a piece, which brought my total cost for belt replacement with shipping to around $13.00 and change. The website is RockAuto.com. Over the phone is the best way to order. If you give them the No. on your original belt they can match it up. Just though I would pass this on so you too could save a buck or two in our depressed economy. So I guess my next question is, why so big a mark up? After all these are belts,not diamonds. A 400% mark up seems a lot stiff to me! Consumer beware , it pays to shop! Have a good day, Danny Hellyar
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Replies
danny,
no expert here. i have been cautioned towards good quality belts and being sure to buy matched sets, if more than one is required. perhaps the discrepancy in price is a quality issue and, therefore, beware.
eef
As I understand, matched sets, which really drove the price up, were once necessary, but apparently quality control has improved enough over the years that mearly buying belts from the same basic lot, is fully sufficient. I don't know about quality of these particular belts.
Belts from this internet site are all quality Gates belts. In fact the salesman at Napa,who also carried this brand, said that they were of the highest quality.
I buy my belts at a local parts store where the price is way under list. They told me once the Gates belt rep said that all Gates belts are matched. I do note a bit of deflection ["slap"] on the long double belts on a couple tools but it doesn't seem to affect performance and may not even be the belts fault.
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