dpb wrote:
....

_IF_ they were to build it in a 24" length, I'd be very tempted to try
the 3-wheel B&D -- it's the closest thing now to my old favorite B&D of
a forgotten model # ...

Sorry, the first B&D above should be DeWalt--had the old B&D on mind and
didn't catch the wrong initial reference...

If OP did have a very large supply of of 21" belts was reluctant to give
up on, it surely might make this more attractive as the 3-wheel design
gives a longer footprint for the belt length. How it actually compares,
specifically, in that regard by measurement I don't know...

--