Opinion On Motors

I have the penstate motor on my point cutting machine. It has served me will, but I don't use it very often. The sewing machine motor posted by deadbeat is what I have on my deluxe. It's twice the motor the penstate is. It required some work and a smaller pulley for my needs. It was worth the efford to mount the sewing machine motor. I have no experance with the other motor.

Larry
 
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Get the Penn State motor, get the mount from Mid America Billiards (Todd).
It's inexpensive and you can bolt it on plug in in and go with no modifications.....

There are instructions on the internet on a reversing switch....

I have 3 of them on a lathe and 2 spinners............

You can't go wrong.

stay away from treadmill motors and sewing machine motors....... you don't know what you are getting and they require controllers and fabrication of mounts.

Kim
 
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I went with a 3phase motor and a single to 3 phase VFD.
What I like is the control on acceleration and deceleration rates.
Of course their is the easy forward and reverse as well.
Neil
 
whammo57 said:
Get the Penn State motor, get the mount from Mid America Billiards (Todd).
It's inexpensive and you can bolt it on plug in in and go with no modifications.....

There are instructions on the internet on a reversing switch....

I have 3 of them on a lathe and 2 spinners............

You can't go wrong.

stay away from treadmill motors and sewing machine motors....... you don't know what you are getting and they require controllers and fabrication of mounts.

Kim
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I actually use the motor I listed and I don't have a controller because it came equipped with all the control I need and I didn't need a bracket because it bolted down behind the lathe. Given, you can't move the headstock with the sewing machine motor. I have the penn state motor also so I can compare them, as for power there is no comparison, the sewing machine motor has a lot more power.
 
JC said:
I have a hightower deluxe with an AC motor on it. Other than a bracket what will I need to get this motor running variable speed both directions?

JC
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It has a switch on it for direction, it has a dial for RPM's. It bolts down like any other, the only thing you might do is drill a small hole for the rod that would connect to the leg controller, I usually just push mine into the wood.
 
whammo57 said:
Get the Penn State motor, get the mount from Mid America Billiards (Todd).
It's inexpensive and you can bolt it on plug in in and go with no modifications.....

There are instructions on the internet on a reversing switch....

I have 3 of them on a lathe and 2 spinners............

You can't go wrong.

stay away from treadmill motors and sewing machine motors....... you don't know what you are getting and they require controllers and fabrication of mounts.

Kim
Click to expand...

Both of my Penn State motor controllers I have had to repair as there are some components that get real flakey or just flat out die. When I turn on my sanding lathe, I never know what rpm it will start up with, usually it runs very much higher rpms than it should, then part way thru the operation, it will drop down to the right rpms.
Being a sanding lathe I just haven't spent the time to find the faulty pot in it. If I slap the controller, it'll jump up or down on rpms also.
On my Deluxe, I bought another controller, a Dart I believe, and it works flawless and the motor seems to run stronger now.
Dave
 
When I started building the Mid Size lathe many years ago I used the SHerline motor. I found it to not be continuous duty. In other words it would shut itself down after about 30 minutes of hard use. It would cool off and then go back to working. That was the only complaint I had with it.

I found the Penn Motors to be pretty good, but their standard controller gives problems. The penn motor with a different controller has proven to be pretty dependable.

I would guess the Sherline controller would be a good match to the Penn Motor, but that is just a guess.
 
cueman said:
When I started building the Mid Size lathe many years ago I used the SHerline motor. I found it to not be continuous duty. In other words it would shut itself down after about 30 minutes of hard use. It would cool off and then go back to working. That was the only complaint I had with it.

I found the Penn Motors to be pretty good, but their standard controller gives problems. The penn motor with a different controller has proven to be pretty dependable.

I would guess the Sherline controller would be a good match to the Penn Motor, but that is just a guess.
Click to expand...

I have 3 pennstate motors and controllers and they work good for me. I only had to replace one controller....... because I accidentally stuck a screw driver in one of the air vent slots and shorted it out.......... LOL

The pennstate controllers are about $54 .... Are there any others that work for a reasonable price?


Kim
 
deadbeat said:
It has a switch on it for direction, it has a dial for RPM's. It bolts down like any other, the only thing you might do is drill a small hole for the rod that would connect to the leg controller, I usually just push mine into the wood.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I bought this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/111553168524?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT and modified it as shown and it's night and day. Lots of power at all speeds. Solved almost every problem I was having in my beginning cue building from drilling, coring, tapping and tapering. If it holds up is the only question.

_DSC0677 [1600x1200].jpg

_DSC0680 [1600x1200].jpg

JC
 
That is a good solution at a good price. I can't remember who else has shown a similar setup a while back. Maybe they will see this and let us all know how well it is going for them.
Neil
 
JC said:
Thanks for the tip. I bought this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/111553168524?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT and modified it as shown and it's night and day. Lots of power at all speeds. Solved almost every problem I was having in my beginning cue building from drilling, coring, tapping and tapering. If it holds up is the only question.

View attachment 382910

View attachment 382912

JC
Click to expand...

You did a nice job adapting that motor to your lathe... But you can't slide the headstock and that is one of the main features of the Hightower Deluxe.

Kim
 
conetip said:
That is a good solution at a good price. I can't remember who else has shown a similar setup a while back. Maybe they will see this and let us all know how well it is going for them.
Neil
Click to expand...

I have been using one for two years now. No problems what so ever! I don't use mine for coring though.

I had the old ac motor on mine. Couldn't move the head stock with it either.

Larry
 
whammo57 said:
You did a nice job adapting that motor to your lathe... But you can't slide the headstock and that is one of the main features of the Hightower Deluxe.

Kim
Click to expand...

My lathe is older and the headstock was never able to slide with the AC motor either.

I clamped the motor down to my lathe bed and turned the output shaft on it down from 5/8 to 1/2 under it's own power so I could re use the small groove pulley from the AC motor and thus I can mount the wrap motor and use it as designed with the small belt. I just haven't mounted it as of yet.

I removed the entire foot pedal assembly and brake and cut the magnet out of the lever and glued to the end as seen to trip the magnetic switch at full speed. That enabled me to rotate the rheostat to the front of the motor by moving the top cover 180 degrees. Then I added the toggle switch on that side for reversing as the one that came with the thing was a joke.

JC
 
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whammo57 said:
You did a nice job adapting that motor to your lathe... But you can't slide the headstock and that is one of the main features of the Hightower Deluxe.

Kim
Click to expand...

The sliding headstock really only comes into play on the leadscrew machines like you have. The rack and pinion lathes have little need to slide the headstock.
 
I put pulley on the back of my steady rest so I can drive the front support. I only used it once and that was for working on a tuned pipe for my model engines. Never powered it for cue work yet.
Neil
 
I can't wait to remove the brake and bracket to make mine like yours. I even left the stock pulley on mine, I'll change it while I am at it. Yours looks great.
 
deadbeat said:
I can't wait to remove the brake and bracket to make mine like yours. I even left the stock pulley on mine, I'll change it while I am at it. Yours looks great.
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I had never even heard of a sewing machine motor until I read this thread. They are really powerful and quiet.

Here is the toggle switch I used to replace that indented slider thing it came with. You needed a pick to switch it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160140769301?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

JC
 
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