"x" wrote in message
...
Hi all

hoping someone will know the answer...
I have bought some reddish/orange hollow drive
belting which is intended to
be joined 'in situ' with a small brass joiner.
However, when i got it the
dealer was in the process of moving, and didnt
have the joiners to hand. (
moved already..). However, the salesguy said
that it was possible to join by
melting the ends together with eg, a soldering
iron, and in fact this was a
stronger join.

After numerous attempts, i give up at least
until i get advice from a higher
authority ( you guys!). I can melt the ends
easily enough but it just won't
weld together.

Anyone actually done it? How?

thanks

russ

I don't think they hollow ones are meant to
joined by welding. There is a short brass joiner
with a couple of barbs on each end of it ( like a
hose fitting) that are pushed into the ends. The
solid urethane belts can be welded by placing a
strip of clean sheet metal in a vice. Heat the
end of the metal with a torch , then push the two
ends against the hot metal strip. When they
melt,slide them together so they slip off the
metal strip and onto each other. Hold them firmly
in position till they cool , then trim off the
flash. There are special tools for this
job,including a Teflon coated heating iron and a
jig which holds the ends firmly aligned and at the
correct pressure. They are well with the cost if
you are doing a lot of these joins,but are too
expensive for "a one off job"