Greetings everyone: I work on pipe organs and get the best leather there is ($$$$) from a pipe organ specialty company *but* Tandy or a local leather supply would also have good leather. The leather made for purse straps that has a low stretch factor should be fine. Ask the leather expert at the store for recommendations. Saddle makers have good leather decorative strips also. Any brown leather that resists stretching will work. Sadly modern leathers are not being tanned the old ways to last a long time and remain flexible; but, they can be dressed to overcome tanning shortcuts. (see last paragraph) The really big element in making your own belt is the SKIVING of the leather ends so the butt joint is not a lump to cause a speed bump on the record being played. A good lap joint should be hard to spot. BARGE Cement was made for leather shoes, boots, etc., and is very flexible. Just don't breath it... When rebuilding a pipe organ we often have to put two pieces of leather together where they will flex. The Barge Cement is rubber based and can flex millions of times without letting go. After the belt is made and the stitching done, I would recommend a good belt dressing. In the old days a compound of pine tar, beeswax, and a smidgeon of linseed oil was used. The antique can I have is from 1910 (I believe) and is labeled Johnson's Can't Slip. When a belt is thoroughly infused with this stuff it should outlast the machine's owner ! ! !
Hope that helps... Al Who thought belt dressing was an extra fattening form of ranch dressing... _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
