Question about a Farmall M Paper Belt Pulley

Jim R · Nov 26, 2009

I am restoring a Farmall M tractor. It has a paper belt pulley that is still in pretty good shape. Is there something that I can use to treat and preserve the paper part of the pulley? If so, what should I use. Thanks for any response!

Wardner · Nov 26, 2009

I have two NOS paper pulleys. It appears that they were oiled at the time of manufacture. I have no idea what they used. Maybe it is the same stuff we used on our baseball gloves. Would that be neats foot oil? What is a "neat" anyway?

I would mount the pulley and engage the gearbox so that the pulley rotates under power. Take a belt sander belt and cut it at the seam. A 150 grit might be good, but I have never done it, so you are on your own there. It should clean up quickly. Please do cut the belt. You are likely to suffer some mangled fingers if you don't.

HENRY E NC · Nov 26, 2009

I have been shoe polishing mine for the last 4 years. I get a can of solid shoe polish , rub it in good with a rag and turn on the pulley and shine it. Stays nice for a whole year. Also looks neat being black. Henry

gene bender · Nov 27, 2009

I would clean as wardner said then why not some good old Johmsons paste wax. When we used the pulley for grinding feed we always used a very small amount of belt dressing kept the belt nice and the pulley even had a small gloss to it but the M NEVER sat outside. I think you will like the wax finish.

ScottyHOMeY · Nov 27, 2009

Imagine my surprise when I got older and found out those pulleys are paper and not wood.THe one on the H we had when I was a kid looked just like polished maple.

I'm with the others. As long as you're starting from a decent with only light deterioration if any, a good wax will seal the surface and start to put a finish on it.

The best is to treat it some and then use it where you can. Nothing will seal it up and polish ike a good wrm run belted up to something. And that's where the belt dressing comes in. Whatever is in it for tack, pine pitch or something of that sort, once the grain of the belt gets to working on it and it warms up a little bit, will get down into the paper, and seal and polish the surface to where it will start to look like wood.

Dave J. · Nov 27, 2009

A neat is an early term for a cow. Neatsfoot oil is made from the.., according to Wikipedia, shin bones of cows.
Here is the link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neatsfoot_oil

Question about a Farmall M Paper Belt Pulley

Jim R

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Wardner

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HENRY E NC

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gene bender

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ScottyHOMeY

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Dave J.

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