How Tight Should the Belt Be?
 

I have an old 1911 White treadle. The belt was very loose, so I unhooked the staple holding the leather belt together, clipped off a little bit of leather, punched a new hole, and put it back together. It still seems a little loose to me. I've heard that these old treadle machines can be real work-horses, capable of sewing through lots of layers of cloth or stiff materials like leather. But with the belt seeming to be loose, I doubt I could sew anything other than regular cloth. I think the belt would just slip under pressure.

So, how do you set the belt to the best tension?

Thank you,

Ryan
in Vancouver (the "other" Vancouver!)
in Washington (the "other" Washington!)

This is how I was taught. Wrap the belt around and mark where one end come to on the other end. Then cut the belt 3/4" shorter.

Thank you! I'm pretty sure mine is too loose according to that instruction. I'll give it a try!

Ryan W.

try to use more time , loose according still cut more time to match it

Thank you, QuiltedSunshine! Great nickname, by the way! The info by your name says you are from Utah! I have lots of relatives there. My son and his family live in Woods Cross. Thanks for your tip. I'll give it a try!

Thank you for your tip, annyin!

It'll also probably loosen up after a bit and you'll have to cut some more off. Usually takes me about three goes to get it right but then i'm not that experienced.

Hey, my husband and I are trying to get a Singer 1910 treadle going. The wheel turns, but when we out the belt on the belt turns but won’t power the needle etc. we have tightened the belt several times. I’m starting to think the wheel and internal mechanism may still be too tight. How loose should the wheel be?
Any help appreciated!!!
Regards,
Andrea

With the belt off, does the machine cycle (does the needle move) when you turn the hand wheel by hand? With the belt off and the clutch knob (the small silver colored knob inside the hand wheel) tightened (clutch knob turned clockwise until tight), the machine should spin freely, for me this means I can give it a whirl by hand and achieve several complete cycles of the machine (with the presser foot up so there's no friction at the feed dogs).

JoeJr, thank you!!! No, it’s not that loose. It’s about as loose as the 1950’s Singer motorized machine I have also. When I spin the wheel, with the needle raised and no belt, it only goes around say 3/4 of a turn. So it should be looser than that with no belt?
Actually I went back and tightened the bejesus out of it -I tried to make it 3/4” tighter than the spot where the ends of the belt met snugly around the machine. It does work! But ot takes a bit of pressure on the treadle. Not just a wee push.
if it is still too tight what can we do to loosen it?
Thanks!
Regards
Andrea