new guy,new 250ex, another take on the pedal

[dread320]

Hi all
Got my machine sorted and running last weekend. So far so beautiful. Read many a post here and elsewhere before I took the plunge on this everlasting (sorry) endevor of the tig world, so I was made aware by many of you of the shortest of shortcomings of the everlast line, the foot pedal. No, mine didn't work out of the box either, so I took it apart...belt jumped off cogs (warned of that) fixed it... then fixed it again,( belt jumped a cog or two) then...well many of you can relate. SO here is what I did to make it work as well as in can, I think. 1. I realized that the return spring was too wimpy, so I replaced it with one about twice as strong. 2., and most importantly, after watching the movement of the belt on the cogs I determined that the fixed end of the belt was not in the best position. i.e. i was engaging the cogs for only 90-95 degrees of the pulley, whereas 120 or so would be better. After pulling the fulcrum pin I thought that if I flopped the bely and fixed it to the other side of the holding plate I would get more engagement. Loosened plate and realized that the belt would then be too short. WHile I had the belt in my hand I also realized that it was waaaay too stiff. I had an old XL timing belt from another project, so I cut it, installed it the way I thought it should go and YEA, Eureka! Smoooth!
SO, the info part of this is that ant XL style timing belt with a 1/5" pitch (yeah, one fifth) will work with the stock cog. They come in 1/4 and 3/8 widths. Mine was 1/4 and 3/8 woiuld probably be better but either will work. XL belts are available through Graingers or other industrial suppliers including the Mothership, McMaster/Carr.
Happy Motoring!
Phil

[Jason]

Nice tip.. I have always struggled with the pedal not being as smooth as I would have liked. If I remember right, they have new pedals now and maybe they are smoother.

[Poptm]

If you can afford it buy an SSC Controls foot pedal. You won't be sorry you did.

[dread320]

If you can afford it buy an SSC Controls foot pedal. You won't be sorry you did.

Yeah I'm sure at some point I will replace it. But for now it's enough better to live with. Besides, Like many others who post here my priority upgrade now is a better, smaller torch.
Welding, Machining, Woodworking...so many addictions...so little time (and money)

Sigh,
Phil