Belt Tension

[Jeff Ratner]

What are you using to measure belt tension? I've been doing the guitar tuner method (pluck the belt and measure the frequency) on my core xy but I'd like something better. 

[Gary Tolley - Grogyan]

Depends on your printers kinematics

On Fri, 8 Aug 2025, 11:22 am Jeff Ratner, <jeff117...@gmail.com> wrote:

What are you using to measure belt tension? I've been doing the guitar tuner method (pluck the belt and measure the frequency) on my core xy but I'd like something better. 

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[Randy Zimmer]

I got a package of spring tensioners like I saw on an Ultimaker. 

They seem like a good thing.

[Nathan Peterson]

anyone thought about a krikit belt gauge? 

https://www.gates.com/gb/en/power-transmission/power-transmission-tools-and-merchandisers/power-transmission-tools.p.7401-000000-000003.html

https://www.amazon.com/Gates-Carbon-Drive-Tools-Tension/dp/B003UP6AH4

although i dont actually know if they make one weak enough to test 8-10mm 2gt belts?

[Ed Street]

I use one of these.  https://west3d.com/products/complete-kit-of-3d-printer-belt-tension-meter-by-pf-makes-special-west3d-edition?_pos=1&_sid=c1f7806d2&_ss=r  printed it myself.  I did several and shipped some to people who didn't have a printer, so they could build one. :)

It can be found on printables. ....  https://www.printables.com/model/634190-gt2-belt-tension-meter-wbearings/comments

[Nathan Peterson]

Oh that actually looks really nice I might have to print that off as well! Thanks for the tip!

[Ed Street]

It is very nice.   It's great for GT2 belts.  I use GT3 instead ;)  This is the one I printed. It is in ABS,  showing tension on the Left and Right belts of my Voron 2.4.

[Kurt Gluck]

With the XL my problem is that the belt tension in Hz is divergent between the two belts, left is 75 hz and right is 87. Previous maintenance cycle I ended up with left 75 Hz and right at 82 Hz, so the divergence in order to get a square gantry is widening.   I don't know what the end game for this is yet.

Kurt-A

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

WOW - I gotta say - Mr. Doppelgänger - that sounds like a Total PITA - and I do NOT Mean The Bread Type!!!

-K