Thread: upgrading lathe

Originally Posted by dpmaxw64

I have been looking for info on replacing my 3/4 horse motor on a grizzley wood lathe with an electronic variable speed motor. i can't find any motors specifically for lathes. does anyone have any recommendations.

Dan

Hi Dan, welcome to the forum

Locally here in Oz Carrolls has a solution, but freight may be the killer, despite your exchange rate advantage which is currently about US64c to the A$1. Hopefully the forum members from up your way may be able to point you to a local solution.

Neil

Yeah, you would prob. get good advice from US members of the AAW forum.

Thank you very much, that is just what i needed.

dan

Dan...check out Baldor's selection of motors. They are bound to have what your looking for.

http://www.baldor.com/products/default.asp

"http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=11"

Here is a site with much discussion on Variable Frequency Drives.

Also look at Wikipedia about VFDs.

I had been doing research to power a big lathe I am building. While looking for parts in the local metal recycler found an almost new one HP 3 phase 120 volt, 1725 rpm motor. I paid about 40 cents a pound for it. It was a Baldor and sold new for $212.

I then bought a constant torque VFD that changes 120 volt single phase to three phase. The system is sweet. Soft start, setable acceleration, turns from about 10 to 2500 rpm (150% of name plate) soft stop, setable deceleration, or coast, or electronic brake.

Drawbacks are, extra cooling needed if you run very slow, and if you use the brake it may unwind the chuck, faceplate, etc.

See for one of many sellers of VFDs:

http://web5.automationdirect.com/adc...alog/AC_Drives

Paul