.... that I could get so excited over a stinking electric motor!

Let me explain. I bought my South Bend 10L about 5 years ago.
At that time it had a 2HP 3 phase motor in it. Now, I didn't
have a phase converter then and I wanted to get the thing up
and running so I opted to buy a 1.5HP single phase replacement
for it. Man, what a bear it was to swap out those motors!

After a while I bought a miller with a 3 phase motor in it,
and because I wanted reverse and hi and lo speeds I decided
it was time to build a rotary phase converter (after all I
still had the 2HP 3PH motor from the lathe laying around).
All went well on that score, and I was impressed at how
smooth and quiet the 3PH motor was compared to the
single phase one in the lathe.

For a long time I toyed with the idea of putting a 3PH
motor back in the lathe. The single phase motor was so
loud that I actually learned to dislike running it. The
vibration it caused was visible in the finish of turned
workpieces -- sort of a cross-hatch pattern set against
the normal fine grooves. I remembered what a ball buster
it was to get the single phase one in, and just hadn't
run across a 3PH replacement that was suitable, so I stalled
on the replacement.

Last weekend I decided to take the plunge and spring for a
new Leeson 3PH motor from MSC. It showed up at my door
yesterday evening and I spent all of last night installing
it (I'm still tired from practically having to stand on my
head to get that thing in), and today I finished up the
wiring. Just got done giving it a test run.

Man oh Manishevitz, was it ever worth the trouble! The
difference is incredible! It runs so smooth and quietly
now that I can actually THINK with it going! It's whisper
quiet. I can here noises in the gear train that I'd never
heard before under power. AND REVERSE!! I have reverse now!!
Yippee! Gotta watch the threaded chuck though. And that does
it; all of my machines from now on are going the be 3
phase powered if I can find appropriate replacement motors.

If you have machine tools that have single phase motors
in them, or if you're just starting out and considering
replacing a machine's 3PH motor with a single phase one
because you don't have a phase converter, DON'T DO IT!
Get a rotary phase converter and stick with 3PH! You
won't believe the increase in enjoyment of using a machine
tool running on 3 phase power!

I tell ya, if I could stand up in my basement workshop
I'd have done the Snoopy Dance!