Foley Belsaw Edger

[John B]

I just purchased a Foley Belsaw edger. I'm going to bring it home this weekend.

It was cheap enough that even if I just use it for parts, the deal still made sense.

The main problem with it is the engine, someone rigged up a 9HP snow blower engine on it.

It currently has the snow gizmo engine connected via a one grove "A" series belt, but the edger has a 3 groove "B"  series pulley on it.


What kind of power and belts do I need ?

[Stevem]

Check with Timber King tech.  They inherited the Belsaw legacy.  Might even have a book on it.

[furu]

Good idea
however
 I  heard from someone else with a similar question on Belsaw equipment, that they don't support any of the older Belsaw equipment.

[Stevem]

Still might have a book or manual laying around!

[starmac]

I have heard that at some of the parts are still available for at least the bellsaw planers, so maybe they may have some for the edgers too.

Have you done anything with it. I have one too that I have never even went and picked up, I really should after breakup.

[joasis]

Woodmaster has all the parts for Belsaw. They were not really specialty stuff, more like off the shelf except for a few castings.

[starmac]

That is good to know.
So far I just edge on the mill and the way I saw I really do not see the need for an edger, but that may change. I need to go get it just to see what I bought if for no other reason, Other than a motor, it is suppose to be all there, but to tell the truth, I have never seen one in use, so do not know much about them.

[Stevem]

FYI
On Lucas sawmills when they went to a 30 hp Kohler the upped belt count to three, where my 27 hp only has two.  Seems 2 belts are good up to the 27hp mark.
On my TK 1600 it also has two belts and a 27hp Kohler.

[starmac]

I think you need at least two belts, even the 9 hp  may be a little light. Most I have read about has 12 horse on the light side and I have a friend with the woodmozer that has the same perkapillar as his mill, which I think is around 50 hp.

My mill has the 24 hp onan on it, and I have thought about upgrading to the kohler at some point and using the onan on the edger, don't know if I will ever actually do it, but it sounds like a good plan. lol

[joasis]

A word on belts: More isn't always better, matching belts are the rule. I don't remember the key, but you can "match" belts for length via a number or letter, meaning the manufacturer has identified the belts as being exactly the same.

Another point on belts: Good quality belts can transmit a rated torque or horsepower in a single belt. They are sometimes rated as such, each belt will deliver x amount of torque, and subsequent belts add so much in percentage. Belts on multi-grooved sheaves tend to "break in" over time and will stretch to the same length.

Our combines on the farm would have a single belt under load from a 60hp engine. Run for years like that, but it wasn't a cheap belt either.

[jb griffin]

I'm a fan of web back belts for applications like this.

[bandmiller2]

For intermittent use rig up your edger to run with your tractors PTO, scads of power and one less engine to worry about. I have an old Parks 12" planer I run with tractor PTO, my little Kubota diesel runs on the skin of a fart, with power aplenty. Frank C.

[Crusarius]

I have a 4.0 ho straight 6 out of a jeep if you want a good power plant