BEAR wrote:


Ok, so it's a 2J varispeed head...

I'm thinking... out loud... screw the varispeed with the expensive belt
and the incredibly expensive replacement motor - the mill has no motor
or varispeed pulley for the motor.

Why not a standard motor of requisite HP mounted on a plate where the US
Motor motor would usually go OR a random US Motor mill motor of 1.5 to 2
HP, standard pulley (I can always make one on the lathe...) AND a VFD??

Best of all worlds? Or nightmare?
OK, there are a few problems. The vari-speed driven pulley is still
there. I suppose you could use it as a belt tensioner. But, I don't
know if the flanges have the right angle for standard Vee belts.

2nd, the vari-speed drive, OR the 4-step pulleys, give a substantial
torque increase at the low end of the speed range. With one fixed
setting, you won't get that boost. On the other hand, I haven't really
ever come close to using up the torque of a ONE Hp motor on my mill.
A VFD will only give you rated torque below the nameplate speed, and
the motor will overheat at low speeds.

Jon