Have one of the above and just got off the phone complaining to Micro-Mark
about the drive belts for the unit. Got mine in June, 2004, I'm on my third
drive belt and the last one didn't last more than 10 minutes. Okay it was
defective, but the one that came with the unit didn't last more than a few
weeks. After that I checked the tension adjusting mechanism and the belt
tension cannot be decreased any further. The belts are just lousy IMO and
they all break cleanly where ends are apparently glued or fused together.
Has anyone else had belt problems with this drill press?

Ordered replacements from McMaster Carr for less than half the price. Hope
they fare much better.

--FWIW check out an alternative called the Cameron Micro Drill
press; very nice. I've had mine since the '70s; very reliable..

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Somehow related
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : to Lumpy Adams...
http://www.nmpproducts.com/intro.htm
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

I already have one (Cameron MD-70 deep throat). The Micro-Mark (1/4" chuck,
5,000 RPM variable speed, digital depth gauge) can do things the Cameron
(1/8" precision chuck, 30,000 RPM) can't and vice versa. Need both.
Furthermore, a good belt for the Micro-Mark from MMC costs only $2.65, got
four of them today.

"steamer" wrote in message
...
--FWIW check out an alternative called the Cameron Micro Drill
press; very nice. I've had mine since the '70s; very reliable..

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Somehow related
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : to Lumpy Adams...
http://www.nmpproducts.com/intro.htm
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

Are you sure the two pulleys are lined up? Also, you want moderate
tension--not too much and not too little either.

"oparr" wrote in message
news:7UCwd.6861$eO5.2850@trndny08...
Have one of the above and just got off the phone complaining to Micro-Mark
about the drive belts for the unit. Got mine in June, 2004, I'm on my
third
drive belt and the last one didn't last more than 10 minutes. Okay it was
defective, but the one that came with the unit didn't last more than a few
weeks. After that I checked the tension adjusting mechanism and the belt
tension cannot be decreased any further. The belts are just lousy IMO and
they all break cleanly where ends are apparently glued or fused together.
Has anyone else had belt problems with this drill press?

Ordered replacements from McMaster Carr for less than half the price. Hope
they fare much better.

Are you sure the two pulleys are lined up?

Yes. That was the second thing I checked after the first belt went.

Also, you want moderate
tension--not too much and not too little either.

There is too much tension IMO but the pulleys cannot be brought any closer.
However, if the belts were made properly there wouldn't be a problem.

"AL" wrote in message news:bCNwd.207089$5K2.35352@attbi_s03...
Are you sure the two pulleys are lined up? Also, you want moderate
tension--not too much and not too little either.

"oparr" wrote in message
news:7UCwd.6861$eO5.2850@trndny08...
Have one of the above and just got off the phone complaining to
Micro-Mark
about the drive belts for the unit. Got mine in June, 2004, I'm on my
third
drive belt and the last one didn't last more than 10 minutes. Okay it was
defective, but the one that came with the unit didn't last more than a
few
weeks. After that I checked the tension adjusting mechanism and the belt
tension cannot be decreased any further. The belts are just lousy IMO and
they all break cleanly where ends are apparently glued or fused together.
Has anyone else had belt problems with this drill press?

Ordered replacements from McMaster Carr for less than half the price.
Hope
they fare much better.

In article ,
steamer wrote:
--FWIW check out an alternative called the Cameron Micro Drill
press; very nice. I've had mine since the '70s; very reliable..

So have I -- but the price for the drill press has made an
astronomical jump since then. :-)

I discovered that the belt for the Singer 221B portable sewing
machine also fits the Cameron. So -- I have a spare for the drill
press, and one for the sewing machine, and so far have not needed
either. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
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