Tuning the X-Carve belt tension by the sound of plucking it

Over the last couple of days I had to replace both of my Y axis belts - one snapped and the other had a crook in it. So I was thinking about setting the belt tension and how it would be good to match them to each other. I got the idea from the instructions “Tighten the nut until the belt is taut and you can pluck it like a loose guitar string” that maybe a great way to set the tension would be by plucking them and adjusting until the notes match. I someone with a known correct belt tension were to make a video plucking them, then others could use that as a reference for setting theirs.

Here is a video of plucking my belts I don’t know how correct my belt tension is, but I think it may be pretty good. If the idea works then it could be added to the assembly instructions and save a lot of uncertainty for builders.

That’s about where I have mine “tuned.” Haven’t had any problems yet after a year or so (1000mm machine assembled in April 2015, first set of belts).

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I recently found an Android app for measuring belt tension via plucking and audio analysis…

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.contitech.ptg.Tension2Go&hl=en

It may not support the belts that we use, but could be used to compare across different machines once common settings are chosen.

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I tune mine by ear but just for the heck of it I clipped one of my $10 guitar tuners to the Y gantry. The tuner says my belt is between a C# and a low D note. Though that will depend greatly on how long the belt is between the clip and the first roller wheel. Edit: took a tuner app on my Android phone. I’m running about 70hz with the gantry all the way back on a 1000mm XCarve. I have no idea whether that’s too loose or tight but have yet to miss a step or break a belt.

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More just a matter of choosing settings to use for comparison. :wink:

Edit:

I just tried it and could not get a repeatable reading using the default belt. :frowning: