Gravermeister pulley question

Patrice Lemee

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As I said in another thread, my Meister doesn't run at the higher speeds like it should.

At the lowest speed, the tensionning pulley is like this and it works great.


But at the highest speed it doesn't apply enough tension and the belt slips.


If I go by the chart in the lever cover, it starts slipping at around 1050-1100.

My Google Fu is weak. I did a search over here but can't find anything.

Any ideas? Thanks.
 

SamW

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If I remember right the lower pulley is two-piece spring loaded and the tension can be adjusted to stop the slipping.

PS...I will check my old GM this afternoon and also I think I have the instructions that came with it many, many years ago.
 

J.Hayes

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Belt almost looks stretched. Do the 2 halves of the pulley at the bottom go completely together? Possibly something is preventing them from coming together completely.
 

SamW

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I looked at the instructions and there really isn't any data on slippage of the belt. The spring loaded lower sheave/pulley does not seem to be adjustable and probably not the culprit anyway. Your belt looks to have metal deposits on the raised pattern. My guess would be either the upper pulley is worn, the belt is worn/stretched or both. Can you see where the belt is slipping?

I do seem to recall replacing the upper pulley and the belt many years ago when I had the same problem. You might call/email GRS about parts availability.

I suppose one could shim the spring so there was more tension on the lower pulley to close it a bit more which might take up for a worn belt/upper pulley, but that is just a guess and probably would not help for long, if at all.

The other option would be to use it where it works.
 

Patrice Lemee

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Checked the 2 pulley half and they do come completely together so nothing to be done there.

There are no metal deposits on the belt. I thought it was almost new by the looks of it but since there is not much to dirty it where it is at it might just LOOK new. It is slack. The pulley groove is bright and shiny which might indicate some degree of wear. Like you said Sam most likely a combination of both. I. ll have to go look at the GRS website for replacement I guess. Or maybe turn a new pulley myself. *sigh* I had hope there was an easy adjustment.

Thanks a lot for your help gentlemen.
 

J.Hayes

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I've run mine with 3/8" round leather belting, and a large O ring. That red belt has been discontinued and GRS went to a different type that requires replacement of the tensioning pulley, $40 US plus shipping when I checked a few days ago. If the bottom pulley is fully closed, you should be getting top speed from the machine once you tension it enough to pull no matter the position of the arm on the "scale" of the cover.
 

Patrice Lemee

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Now that I think about it J (sorry, don't know your first name) you are right, it is the diameter of that pulley that matters so as long as it is not opening I am at full speed right?
Why is that scale so badly made positioned? would imagine they would have fixed it over the years.

Thanks for your help.
 

SamW

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When I used the GM for some 30 years, I ran it at low strokes for setting gold and at the highest it would run for everything else...I never worried about what the actual per minute number was. I haven't changed much since switching to the classic Airgraver though I do sometimes cut at slightly reduced stroke speed when removing background so as to get the metal removed a bit faster and easier with deeper cuts.
 

Patrice Lemee

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Thanks Sam. I am new at engraving and thought (wrongly it seems) that a higher speed would produce better results. Especially when I see the speeds Sam works at in the videos. Higher even than the 1200 max of my GM if I remember right.
 

J.Hayes

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Patrice

Be ready with a plan B for your belt, mine looked as good as yours and just came unraveled. I believe that scale is just "peel and stick" , but I bet your belt is stretched a bit too.

Beautiful knives BTW.

Jeremy
 

Patrice Lemee

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Thanks Jeremy and for the good words.

I will keep looking for a backup just in case but like I said before, I would not be surprised if that belt was almost new. I think the pulley wear is what makes it loose. But then again, like Sam said, as long as I have tension and the the 2 half of the lower pulley are together, I am getting full speed. Plus I think at this point, the weak link is me more than the machine. :eek:

But on the up side, I am seeing progress and there may be hope for me yet. ;)
 

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