Thread: Advice on a lathe

Thanks Paul.
that is some good info there as i thought and motor will do, so will keep that in consideration.I was going to take this https://www.woodworkforums.com/f231/3...timber-174662/ but not sure if it is right for what i want to do it says that it is 2800 rpm ?
Yes there will be plenty if pics and im sure loads of questions

Originally Posted by spankingpigeon

Thanks Paul.
that is some good info there as i thought and motor will do, so will keep that in consideration.I was going to take this https://www.woodworkforums.com/f231/3...timber-174662/ but not sure if it is right for what i want to do it says that it is 2800 rpm ?
Yes there will be plenty if pics and im sure loads of questions

2800 needs to be reduced to slowest speed of 400 - 500 RPM at the spindle for big bowls. It can be done with a countershaft, but that is an added complication. That motor would be good for a "take no prisoners" table saw or planer.

Here in the US used 3 phase motors are dirt cheap. I would keep looking for a newer 1400 RPM 3 phase of the voltage coming to your shed. The older ones are not as happy being run with a variable frequency drive - Google VFD for some discussion.

I bought a new in crate Baldor 3 HP 1725 RPM, 3 ph, 240 V, and 1 HP 1725 RPM, 3 ph, 240 V, like new from a junk yard for less than $50 for both.

Thought i would keep you all up to date with my new lathe, All i can say is that it is very big and very heavy, it took myself and 3 friends to lift the head and base (as these are both in one solid cast)
As i found out when i went to pick it up he also was chucking in all of his turning supplies/tools as he said he was getting to old to turn. So i ended up leaving with a load of stuff (Robert Sorby hollowing tools etc) all for $650, so im very happy with the purchase.
All i need to do now is get a 3 phase motor and a vfd and it will be set for life.
here are a few pics of it in my shed with what is to be my first bowl made on it.
This is some of the tools that it came with
IMG_0530.jpgIMG_0533.jpgIMG_0531.jpg
with a chunk of wood in it
IMG_0528.jpgIMG_0526.jpg
Any one know what this is used for?
IMG_0532.jpg
and the shed after roughing down the out side of the bowl
IMG_0534.jpg

It is a screw cup chuck. Woodfast Machinery Co. (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. - Look down the page.

thanks did a bit of a google and there isnt much info on them but from what i could see it is for spindle work, So dont think ill use it much

Mainly used for end grain work like goblets. They were very popular before chucks became the norm.

A very strong way to hold something and still useful for some work.

OK, Well maybe ill give it a go and see if i like it, If not i think ill put it up for sale.

Spankingpigeon,

If you roughed out that blank and it did not frighten you, and the lathe did not walk around the shed, you don't NEED a VFD, though it would be nice.

I could not read the tape measure. What is the swing or center height?

You got a screaming good deal on that lathe and added bits. I'm happy for you.

Thanks Paul

If i did that on the old mc900 it would have been a bit scary but i found (and i dont know why)that the chisels seemed to cut better maybe it was the extra power and there was a little wobble but that is because i have a timber floor and havent screwed the lathe down yet.
As for the swing i think it takes 620 inboard and 800 outboard with the stand attached or i could take off the stand and use a floor standing tool rest and go huge
Im really happy with it and im sure i could have waited and bought a VL300 and been even happier but im a sucker for a bargain

Spankingpigeon,

Looking at this: Vicmarc VL300 CS Series Shortbed Lathe | Power Tools | Craft Supplies USA

If you put a 3 phase motor and VFD on yours, you still have a lot of $$ left.

This gives weight of 229 Kg, pretty close to yours:

Vicmarc - Wood Lathes, Chucks, Jaws and Accessories - VL300 Short Bed

You are smelling like a rose.

Below are photos of my home made 28 inch swing, one speed, 1.5 HP, bowl lathe that I bought for $250. I have not yet used it. It will likely get some modification.

Yea quite happy. I like yours, good buy
I had a look at the manual and it states that my lathe weighs 500kg and i am looking to do the conversion so if any one out there has a 3 phase motor or vfd that they want to get rid of let me know.

Here is your controller:

2 2KW 3HP Single 3 Phase 0 600Hz Variable Speed Drive VSD VFD Motor Inverter | eBay

I'm assuming you have 240ish volts to your shed. You want the constant torque converter. You set a speed and the motor turns at that speed until something breaks or the overload kicks out.

The cheaper ones for fans and pumps will vary speed under variable load.

A 2 hp motor is really enough, as you can use the three speed pulley to get a lot of torque.

Check with these folks about a 2 or 3 HP motor:

Filmet 3 Phase Motor 10HP 10 HP 2 Pole 2860 RPM 7 5KW M112 M2 | eBay

They also claim to have 200 Drives:

Mitsubishi Freqroll VSD Inverter Drive FR A024 0 4K | eBay

I have the 1 HP 120 V version of this drive and am pleased with it:

FM50-203-C

The above one does not state if it is a constant torque drive.

If you do not have a lot of experience with a powerful lathe, it would be good to use what you have with the belt just a bit loose, to get used to how it acts.

A bad catch with a 2 - 3 HP motor and tight belt will either; break the tool, jerk it out of your hand, break the tool rest, throw the blank out of the lathe, or any or all of the above.

With a slightly loose belt, the belt slips.

If you get a screaming deal on a C face motor with no foot you can make an L shaped bracket to hold it on the face and a cradle for the back side. I may have mentioned above that I bought a new in crate 3 HP, 3 phase, and a lightly used 1 HP, 3 phase for less than $50 for both at a junk yard. The big one was a C face.

It was probably a spare for a pump in a factory, pump wore out, new pump, different C face, out with the spare.

C face motor: http://www.cshincorporated.com/images/PHOTO1617.JPG

If you are patient and wait for the right deal to appear you can convert cheaply. Check out the motor shops locally, and keep an eye on ebay.

I am most impressed with the weight of your machine. I have a South Bend Heavy 10 lathe that I took all to pieces and brought home in the Ford version of a 1988 Kia Pride hatch back. It weighed 1050 pounds / 477 Kg. Poor car, it is regularly abused with loads of timber, but never as badly as the lathe trip.

Ok so i have been looking around on the net for a motor and come up with what i think im after
:1.5-3 hp
: 1400-1450 rpm
: 3ph
here are the 3 top ones so far as they fit the above requirements and have a base that i can bolt down.
3 phase electric motor. | Other Tools & DIY | Gumtree Australia Port Adelaide Area - Queenstown | 1025440523

Electric motor 3phase | Heavy, Farming & Agriculture Equipment | Gumtree Australia Gawler Area - Gawler East | 1025259856

Stirer Agitator Mixer 1.5 hp 1400 rpm - Australian made!! | Miscellaneous Goods | Gumtree Australia Marion Area - Hallett Cove | 1024739583

And the last 2 fit the above requirements but dont have a base.
CHU TA Electric 2 HP 4 Pole 1 5 KW 3 Phase Motor ISO 90002 | eBay

4 Pole 3 Phase Motor 1 1 KW 1400 RPM Y90S 4 B | eBay

could some one tell me what would be the best to go for?
also if im missing something else that i should look out for.
cheers brad

, as you have been down the road with Angus, you might be able to shed some light on the 3 phase VFD business.

Spankingpigeon,

Rather than immediately doing a variable speed conversion, you might use the lathe as is for a while. I find the biggest advantage of variable speed is when I have really big out of balance stump on my Woodfast which weighs about 1/3 of yours.

The slowest speed on my 350mm swing Hegner is 800 and I do a fair amount of out of balance stuff on that. It only weighs about 100KG.

Your lathe will absorb a bunch of out of balance.

The motor you choose will have to be the voltage that is delivered to your shed. I think common AU voltage is + - 240V. The motors you show in the above post are 415 or 380 volt.

You could use the higher voltage with a step up transformer to get 380 or 415 but that would be another complication and expense and the VFD would have to be for that voltage. The higher voltage is common for industrial equipment so the VFD would be built for industrial standards.

The "perfect" motor would be 1400 RPM, 3 phase, the voltage of what is in your shed, and Delta connected. The Y or star connected motor may work with a VFD but I would have to do some research.

Here in the USA many motors single and three phase are dual voltage and will be marked as such. Normal house wiring is 3 wires from the pole, two hots and a ground. Across the two hots you get 240V, across tither of the hots and ground you get 120V.

Single phase dual voltage motors will be marked 120 / 240V. Three phase dual voltage motors can be 208 / 415V or 240 / 480V.