Measuring for a belt
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
Posts: 4,890
I don’t think that you missed anything. The difference in belts now refers mostly to the difference in quality between artificial leather and real leather belts, or sometimes just differences between artificial leathers. I stock what I think is real leather belting, but I’m not sure if I could tell it from artificial leather or not. They’re getting pretty good at making artificial leather.
As a side note, did you know that the original “leather treadle belts” were made of raw cattle skin? They would take a raw hide freshly butchered, shave the hair off of the fuzzy side with a knife, cut the green hide into thin strips, and let them “cure” into a treadle belt. As the hide cured, the portion with the shaved hair on it would shrivel up, while the flesh side (opposite of the hair) would roll out and around the hair side as it cured. If you ever get to see an old treadle belt, you’ll be able to open it and peek inside to see the hair stubble inside.
CD in Oklahoma
As a side note, did you know that the original “leather treadle belts” were made of raw cattle skin? They would take a raw hide freshly butchered, shave the hair off of the fuzzy side with a knife, cut the green hide into thin strips, and let them “cure” into a treadle belt. As the hide cured, the portion with the shaved hair on it would shrivel up, while the flesh side (opposite of the hair) would roll out and around the hair side as it cured. If you ever get to see an old treadle belt, you’ll be able to open it and peek inside to see the hair stubble inside.
CD in Oklahoma
Rodney
#14
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
I used some old tubing left from a nebulizer machine(for delivering asthma meds). It worked great. I'll eventually buy a real belt for it. My machine is a 1910 Singer 66-1 with red eye/red head decals.
Sharon in Texas
Sharon in Texas
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 609
I have a lot of that type of tubing since I use a nebulizer for asthma. What did you use to connect the 2 ends together?
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
After I cut the tubing to the correct length. I cut a 1" piece from the leftover tubing; cut it lengthwise and rolled it up tightly and stuck it into the ends of the tubing; wiggled it until the 2 ends met. It worked just fine.
Sharon
#17
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
I answered this in a PM from Crocee, but for the benefit of everyone else:
After I cut the tubing to the correct length. I cut a 1" piece from the leftover tubing; cut it lengthwise and rolled it up tightly and stuck it into the ends of the tubing; wiggled it until the 2 ends met. It worked just fine.
Sharon
After I cut the tubing to the correct length. I cut a 1" piece from the leftover tubing; cut it lengthwise and rolled it up tightly and stuck it into the ends of the tubing; wiggled it until the 2 ends met. It worked just fine.
Sharon
#18
I used the leg off a pair of pantie hose. Just stretch it real tight and tie a double knot in it. It works, I promise. I also use 3/16" tubing and a part called a hose connector. It's a little piece of plastic that you can push into each end of the hose. I never could make a regular leather belt work -kept moving while I was trying to punch hole in it. Ruined one belt. That's when I got out the pantie hose.
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