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Pulleys and Belt

Send rotation between two shaft lines without connecting them with a shaft, even a good distance apart. Unlike a shaft, a belt slips when it's overloaded instead of stalling everything.

Crafting

Small Pulley

P P
S S
P P

Large Pulley

P P P
S S S
P P P

P is any Planks and S is a Shaft.

Belt: four Leather in a square.

Linking

  1. Put a pulley on each shaft line. A pulley sits on a shaft like a cog.
  2. Hold the Belt and right-click the first pulley: "Pulley selected."
  3. Right-click the second pulley: "Belt fitted."

The belt item isn't used up. Linking a pulley to a new partner replaces its old belt. Pulleys can be up to 16 blocks apart; further and you'll get "Could not fit a belt there."

Speed

A large pulley driving a small one speeds things up, and a small one driving a large one slows them down, by less than a pair of cogs would.

Slipping

A belt can carry 60 Su, less than a full Mechanical Hammer's 80. Ask more of it and the belt slips: the driving side keeps turning normally, and the driven side runs slower instead of stalling. Nothing is gained for free: a slipping belt delivers less speed.

Slipping is also the only thing that wears a belt. A worn belt carries less and slips sooner, down to 30% condition. Keep the load under 60 Su and it lasts forever.

Limitations

  • The driven side should have no source of its own. If both lines already have their own power, the belt does nothing.
  • A belt doesn't merge the two lines. Each side can be overloaded or slowed independently.