I'm still utilizing the clutch to engage and disengage the blade but am also using the tensioning pulley to help keep the belt tight. The motor mounting base is slotted to take up the majority of the belt slack.

@@user-nu9xo4ye7y Oh ok, interesting. Did you put the lever in because the motor mounting base wasn't sized quite right to take up all the tension by sliding the motor? Why did you decide to keep the clutch in the system? Great work by the way, and thanks for the response.

@@friendlylocal3731 Howdy! No, the motor base slotting can take all of the static slack from the belt but under loads I felt it needed something to help dampen the belt from jumping around. This may be from not applying enough preload to the belt, but too much can wear out the centrifugal clutch prematurely. Single-cylinder engines like mine produce power strokes that are a bit harsher than twin-cylinder engines that have a smoother power delivery. It may just be overkill on my part, but it definitely doesn't hurt anything. As for keeping the clutch, it does provide a bit of slip for shock load protection (as does the belt) but its primary purpose is to engage the sawblade above engine idle and to disengage it when the engine returns to idle. There's no need to keep the sawblade spinning while the engine is idle for one, and for two it's a safety concern to keep it doing so. Atleast that is my take on it. I'll be milling some more lumber soon and will take some video of it under load. Thanks!