Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage sale item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors. How about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage sale
item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user or
tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors. How
about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some
ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

I snagged a couple of free treadmills off of CL intending to use the motors
on my drill press and small wood lathe to make both variable speed. Alas
the shafts on both are 17mm dia and finding pulleys to match has been a show
stopper.
Art

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25
garage sale item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via
Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill
motors. How about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love
projects, give me some ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary


If I had said motor, I would get some gear reduction, possibly simple V
belts, and make a roller for roll a five gallon bucket full of some type of
sand, and polishing agents, and perhaps small ball bearings.

Steve

"Steve B" wrote in message
...

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25
garage sale item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via
Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill
motors. How about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love
projects, give me some ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary


If I had said motor, I would get some gear reduction, possibly simple V
belts, and make a roller for roll a five gallon bucket full of some type of
sand, and polishing agents, and perhaps small ball bearings.

Steve

That's a nice idea. Just cut the walking belt off and move the rear
roller up close to the drive roller. Done. The VS motor/controller
doesn't need any futzing with gears or pulley speed reduction.
Art

c'mon, Artemus...buy the req dia. pulley with suitable hub
dimensions.. Bore out, fab a sleeve, and yer done.
Metalworking-remember?
JR
Dweller in the cellar


On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:13:17 -0800, "Artemus"
wrote:


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage sale
item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user or
tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors. How
about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some
ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

I snagged a couple of free treadmills off of CL intending to use the motors
on my drill press and small wood lathe to make both variable speed. Alas
the shafts on both are 17mm dia and finding pulleys to match has been a show
stopper.
Art

--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

Makes a pretty good variable-speed motor. Just divide the claimed
horsepower by a factor of two or so, and add a fan that is not on the
motor (ie, a fan with it's own, full-speed, motor) if you plan to run it
slow (make the fan's air intake from a clean place if you also plan to
run it dirty, which is basically true in any shop use.)

My primary use has been wood lathes, but any other shop use that
benefits from variable speed (drill press, buffer, belt grinder, etc.)
can benefit.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

On Nov 14, 7:53*pm, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
*I love projects, give me some ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

Give me a few more days. I am working on something, but want to make
sure it really works before letting you know.


Dan

I use one to drive a small lathe. The high speed of the motor is
perfect for the small diameter parts this lathe is capable of turning.
I also use the speed controller that was on the treadmill.
ERic

Ivan Vegvary writes:

Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired
($25 garage sale item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free
via Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces.

In the past years you readers have written a lot about using
treadmill motors. How about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what
purpose? I love projects, give me some ideas.

I got a whole truckload of assorted such parts including two partially
dismantled Stairmasters and a treadmill with no electronics from a
repair biz that went bust.

The treadmill had a gear motor with Acme (square?) thread shaft (+ 5
spares :-). Gave one to a guy to build a dumbwaiter for his firewood.

A pulley from a Stairmaster was just right for uprading a small
carding mill that was missing parts from the factory.

Those gear motors are reversible so you can use them to position tools,
workpieces or whatever. Same as ones used to elevate hospital beds.

Oh, and the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley
on it. Haven't found a use for it yet but I will.

And those rollers are, IIRC, an odd size of (relatively) thin-wall
steel tube. (I was hoping they were stainless but they weren't)
Odd-size round things are always handy, especially if you don't have a
lathe.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

On Nov 14, 11:56*pm, Mike Spencer wrote:
Ivan Vegvary writes:
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired
($25 garage sale item) treadmill. *Choices are to give it away free
via Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces.

In the past years you readers have written a lot about using
treadmill motors. *How about the belt? Rollers? *Re-use for what
purpose? *I love projects, give me some ideas.

I got a whole truckload of assorted such parts including two partially
dismantled Stairmasters and a treadmill with no electronics from a
repair biz that went bust.

The treadmill had a gear motor with Acme (square?) thread shaft (+ 5
spares :-). *Gave one to a guy to build a dumbwaiter for his firewood.

A pulley from a Stairmaster was just right for uprading a small
carding mill that was missing parts from the factory.

Those gear motors are reversible so you can use them to position tools,
workpieces or whatever. *Same as ones used to elevate hospital beds.

Oh, and the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley
on it. *Haven't found a use for it yet but I will.

And those rollers are, IIRC, an odd size of (relatively) thin-wall
steel tube. *(I was hoping they were stainless but they weren't)
Odd-size round things are always handy, especially if you don't have a
lathe.

--
Mike Spencer * * * * * * * * *Nova Scotia, Canada

"the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley "

That is called a Reeves drive.

Very expensive...very good...variable speed constant torque
applications.

Excellent for a lathe.

TMT

On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:13:17 -0800, "Artemus" wrote:


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage sale
item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user or
tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors. How
about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some
ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

I snagged a couple of free treadmills off of CL intending to use the motors
on my drill press and small wood lathe to make both variable speed. Alas
the shafts on both are 17mm dia and finding pulleys to match has been a show
stopper.
Art

You dont own a lathe?????

Bore out a pulley, or make a liner. Its hardly rocket science

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch

On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:13:17 -0800, "Artemus"
wrote:


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage sale
item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user or
tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors. How
about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some
ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

I snagged a couple of free treadmills off of CL intending to use the motors
on my drill press and small wood lathe to make both variable speed. Alas
the shafts on both are 17mm dia and finding pulleys to match has been a show
stopper.
Art

Metalworker worried about an odd-sizex pulley????

Too_Many_Tools writes:

On Nov 14, 11:56=A0pm, Mike Spencer wrote:

...the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley....

That is called a Reeves drive.

Didn't know that.

Very expensive...very good...variable speed constant torque
applications.

After a quick google, I think this treadmill setup kinda did it on the
cheap. Only the motor pulley is variable. The motor mount is slid
along rails by a separate gear motor to force the belt into the sheave
(thus reducing diameter) or the reverse.

Now I have to go have another look at it. Maybe good for a drill
press that I want to restore this winter. It maybe could replace the
stepped flatbelt rigamarole. (Yeah, an *old* drill press.) Gotta
finish the cider pressing and then glue up the new kitchen worktop
first to make space.

I vaguely recall seeing a weird little car that used a more
sophisticated version of this in the mid-60s. DKW? DAF?

Tnx,

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

On 15 Nov 2011 23:14:11 -0400, Mike Spencer
wrote:


Too_Many_Tools writes:

On Nov 14, 11:56=A0pm, Mike Spencer wrote:

...the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley....

That is called a Reeves drive.

Didn't know that.

Very expensive...very good...variable speed constant torque
applications.

After a quick google, I think this treadmill setup kinda did it on the
cheap. Only the motor pulley is variable. The motor mount is slid
along rails by a separate gear motor to force the belt into the sheave
(thus reducing diameter) or the reverse.

Now I have to go have another look at it. Maybe good for a drill
press that I want to restore this winter. It maybe could replace the
stepped flatbelt rigamarole. (Yeah, an *old* drill press.) Gotta
finish the cider pressing and then glue up the new kitchen worktop
first to make space.

I vaguely recall seeing a weird little car that used a more
sophisticated version of this in the mid-60s. DKW? DAF?

Tnx,
DAF Daffodil from Holland

Here is a pic of the tag on a treadmill motor I have:
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/x...abellsmall.jpg

Here is a pic of all I have to do to control it as a variable speed motor.
I have a variac plugging into the wall and driving a 4 diode bridge rectifier. The rectifier is driving the motor. I turn the dial on the variac and the motor changes speed.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/x...5dollarbil.jpg

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25
garage sale item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via
Craigslist to a happy user or tear it apart for some fun pieces. In
the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill
motors. How about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I
love projects, give me some ideas.

Use it as a motor for a spark gap for a Tesla Coil, or use it as a generator
attached to a wind or water turbine.

Jon

On Nov 15, 9:14*pm, Mike Spencer wrote:
Too_Many_Tools writes:
On Nov 14, 11:56=A0pm, Mike Spencer wrote:

...the big motor on the treadmill had a variable-pitch V-pulley....

That is called a Reeves drive.

Didn't know that.

Very expensive...very good...variable speed constant torque
applications.

After a quick google, I think this treadmill setup kinda did it on the
cheap. *Only the motor pulley is variable. *The motor mount is slid
along rails by a separate gear motor to force the belt into the sheave
(thus reducing diameter) or the reverse.

Now I have to go have another look at it. *Maybe good for a drill
press that I want to restore this winter. *It maybe could replace the
stepped flatbelt rigamarole. *(Yeah, an *old* drill press.) *Gotta
finish the cider pressing and then glue up the new kitchen worktop
first to make space.

I vaguely recall seeing a weird little car that used a more
sophisticated version of this in the mid-60s. *DKW? DAF?

Tnx,

--
Mike Spencer * * * * * * * * *Nova Scotia, Canada

Over the years I have picked up a number of treadmills in drive-by-
pickups.I have noted the older treadmills are far better...discrete
parts, motors with real horsepower ratings, industrial electrical/
mechanical components, high grade plywood...and they are hundreds of
pounds in weight. The latter vintage of these treadmills went with
aluminum construction to lower their ever increasing weight...so they
contain high grade aluminum extrusions...very useful in the metal
shop. The new treadmills of today are lightweight, specialized parts/
electronics/motors/mystery wood/plastic with little real metal
content..and you can pick them up with one hand.

I can say that if you are not spending thousands of dollars on a
treadmill today, you are not getting quality.

I believe the Reeve drives (with movable master/slave pulleys) I have
pulled came from a brand named Universal...vintage likely from the
early 80's. They had Baldor/Lesson industrial motors (3hp). A quick
tell on treadmills is if they will run on 220v...a good sign that they
are worth grabbing since it tells you that it has a serious motor
inside.

I also note that over the years I have found brown recluse/black widow
spiders, scorpions and in one treadmill a small red diamond
rattlesnake, I think because treadmills tend to become clothes racks
in a storage shed or carport, they become a good place for creepy
clawers to live.

TMT

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:13:17 -0800, "Artemus" wrote:


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:27519908.139.1321318380475.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prdy11...
Son in law changed his mind and will not be using newly acquired ($25 garage
sale
item) treadmill. Choices are to give it away free via Craigslist to a happy user
or
tear it apart for some fun pieces.
In the past years you readers have written a lot about using treadmill motors.
How
about the belt? Rollers? Re-use for what purpose? I love projects, give me some
ideas.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

I snagged a couple of free treadmills off of CL intending to use the motors
on my drill press and small wood lathe to make both variable speed. Alas
the shafts on both are 17mm dia and finding pulleys to match has been a show
stopper.
Art

You dont own a lathe?????

Yup. That's the problem.
Art


Bore out a pulley, or make a liner. Its hardly rocket science

Gunner

I would say to get 5/8 inch shaft pulley and just drill it out to 17mm 5/8 inch is only 1mm 17mm=43/64 and 5/8inch=16mm