Page History: Lacing Leather Belts

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Page Revision: 2008/04/02 08:15

While many old timers considered cementing belts the preferred method for making a belt endless, most belts can be sufficiently jointed together by some form of lacing. In selecting the type of fastener to use, bear in mind that the joints should approximate as nearly as possible a true endless belt with as small, strong and flexible of a joint as possible. No matter what kind of fastener is used, be sure the ends are cut square using a try-square and not relying on the eye, for if the ends are not square, the joint will not be true and the belt will often walk off of a pulley.

The two most common types of laces used are leather lacing or metal lacing. While metal lacing is easier and faster to apply to a joint (assuming you have the proper hardware to crimp the laces), lacing with rawhide or tanned leather lace makes one of the best joints for leather belts. Leather laces are actually stronger than metal lacing and you are less likely to get a loss of power from the metal laces slipping on the pulley. In addition, leather lace joints are less likely to injure a hand when shifting belts. Metal laces were considered to be such a safety risk that during the heyday of line shaft driven machines, some states actually had laws on the books that prohibited the use of metal joints in belts!

Basic Steps to Lacing Leather Belts ¶

1. Cut the ends of the belt to be joined perfectly true, using a carpenter's or belt square.
2. Choose a lacing method recommended for the width of the belt being laces.
3. Carefully lay out the holes. To cut them, use the size punch recommended in the table titled Lacing Specifications below. Do not punch holes larger than absolutely necessary to draw through the lace. Rather than make a large hole, let the lacing fold within it.
4. Do not punch holes too near the ends nor too close together.
5. Lace the belts, drawing each end of the lace tight.
6. Fasten ends (see detailed instructions below.)
7. The final holes for fastening or holding the ends of the lace are made with an awl and not a round punch. This helps to keep the ends of the lace from slipping.
8. When using leather belting, the grain side of the leather should always be in contact with the pulley while the flesh side is always to the outside.
   

Lacing Specifications ¶

Width of lace and Number of Holes for Lacing Single and Double Belts

Width of Belt, in.	Width of Lace, in.	Hole Dia., in.	No. of Holes	1st Row, Distance from end, in.	2nd Row, Distance from end, in.
1 to 1 3/4	1/4	3/16	2 or 3	3/8	N/A
2 to 2-1/2	5/16	1/4	3	3/8	7/8
2-3/4 to 3-1/2	5/16	1/4	4	1/2	1
3-1/2 to 5	3/8	9/32	5	5/8	1-1/8
6	7/16	5/16	6	3/4	1-1/4
7	7/16	5/16	7	3/4	1-1/4
8	1/2	3/8	8	7/8	1-3/8
10	1/2	3/8	10	1	1-3/4
12	1/2	3/8	12	1	1-3/4
14 and up	5/8	7/16	13	1	1-3/4

Method 1 - Single Row ¶

For belts less than 8" wide

Punch a single row of holes in each end of the belt, totaling an ODD number of holes on each row and uniformly spaced across the width. Sufficient space should be left between the holes and the edge to prevent tearing. In general, the holes should be kept 1/2" from the edge of the belt and spaced so that there is not less than 1/2" of leather between holes.

Butt ends of belt together with their pulley (grain) sides up. Put lace down through holes No. 3 and No. 8 from the pulley side, drawing the ends of the lace even.



For end A of the lace:

Up through	Down through
3	8
4	9
5	10
5	10
4	9
3

Cut slit with awl at N 1/2" back of hole No. 3 and push lace through. Cut off the ends of the lace a short distance from the belt surface, then slightly cut the stub end at the belt, twist and hammer down.

For end B of the lace:

Up through	Down through
7	2
6	1
6	1
7	2
8

Cut slit with awl at N back of hole No. 8 and fasten as for end A.

The illustration shows five holes to each row. The method is the same for any odd number of holes - always start with the center holes.

Method 2 - Hinge Joint ¶

For any width belt

Punch a single row of holes in each end of the belt, uniformly spaced across the width. Sufficient space should be left between the holes and the edge to prevent tearing. In general, the holes should be kept 1/2" from the edge of the belt and spaced so that there is not less than 1/2" of leather between holes.



Butt ends of belt together with their outside (flesh) sides up. Fastening one end of the lace in two slots (made with an awl) above hole No. 1, pass the lace as follows:

Down through	Up through
1	1-1
2	2-1
1	1-2
2	2-2
3	3-1
4	4-1
3	3-2
4	4-2
5	5-1
6	6-1
5	5-2
6	6-2
7	7-1
8	8-1
7	7-2
8	8-2
7

Punch hole with awl and bring the end up at N, and cut off.

Method 3 - Double Row ¶

For belts less than 8" wide

Punch two rows of holes in each end of the belt. The holes should be exactly opposite. Sufficient space should be left between the holes and the edge to prevent tearing. In general, the holes should be kept 1/2" from the edge of the belt and spaced so that there is not less than 1/2" of leather between holes.



Butt ends of belt together with their outside (flesh) sides up. Pass the lace as follows:

Down through	Up through
1	2
1	2
3	4
3	4
5	6
5	6
7	8
7	8
7

Punch hole with awl and bring the end up at N, and cut off.

Method 4 - Heavy Duty Double Row ¶

For belts more than 8" wide

Draw two lines across the belt, the first 3/4" from the end, the second 1-3/4" from the end. The first holes AA, are 5/8" from the side. In the intervening space located other holes approximately 1" apart. Punch other holes in the second line, staggering them with the first row. In preparing the other end of the belt, be careful to have the holes precisely opposite.



Begin lacing by pushing the two ends of the lace through holes No. 1 and 2 from the grain (pulley) side, drawing it snug. Push the lace from No. 2 hole down through hole No. 3 and up through No. 4. The lacing continues as follows:

Down through	Up through
5	6
7	8
9	10
11	12
13	14
13 (a second time)	14
11	12
9	10
7	8
5	6
3	4
1	2

Now punch a slit half an inch back from hole No. 2, push the lace down through, then make another slit 1/2" back of the first one, pull the lace up, draw it tightly and cut off close.

The other half of the belt is laced in the same manner, ending and disposing of the loose end by tucking through slits on the opposite side from No. 1. In lacing, keep the laces at equal tension so the strain may be evenly distributed to each hole.

References ¶

Information for this article was obtained from two sources:

• A untitled document from an unknown source on lacing leather belts
• Treatise on Leather Belting by George B. Haven, S.B., and George W. Swett, S.B. Published by the American Leather Belting Association, New York City, 1931.