"Walt Cheever" wrote: (clip) can I safely use a link belt? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Link belt is better, for the following reasons:
1.) Belt does not take a set, so it will run smoother.
2.) Belt length can be fine tuned to match the requirements of your Reeves
drive. You want the belt to use the maximum travel of the movable side of
the motor pulley--not bottoming out at low speed, nor rising past the rim at
the highest speed setting. Link belt length can be changed in 1/2"
increments. Regular V-belt comes only in 1" increments. Besides, with
non-link belt, you what to buy a different belt to try a different length.
3.) If you stall the lathe, and damage a short part of the belt, you can
replace a few links--you don't need to replace the whole belt.
4.) It is never necessary to disassemble the lathe to change a link belt.