David Anderson asked for advice belt replacement in the 05.05.03 MMD.

I don't necessarily know what is the best but I know what has worked for
me.  I rebuilt a 1924 Steck Duo-Art Upright with the steamboat pump
about 15 years ago.  For the belts, I used  6 modern V-belts from a
local supplier.  After determining  what size belt was the proper size,
I checked the manufacturer's code to make sure  all belts that were of
a given size came from the same lot, to ensure that they were exactly
the same size.  I was pleased with the operation and quietness of this
rebuild.

This Duo-Art is now owned by a relative of mine, and I see it (and tune
it as necessary) every few years.  It has been used fairly extensively,
and the belts have continued to work fine.  One portion of this assembly
that has needed maintenance are the thick leather belts used to suspend
the electric motor and tension the belts from the electric motor to the
pump.  I was unable to find leather as heavy as the original, and as a
result the leather I used has not held up as well as the original
probably did.

Note: My first pass at rebuilding this steamboat-style pump did not
work well.  So I consulted with Craig Brougher.  He recommended that
the flap valves using multiple narrow strips over slots be replaced by
wider flap valves over round holes, a design more commonly found.  I
did as he suggested.  It worked great, and has continued to work great.

Gary Rasmussen
Mason (Cincinnati area), OH