.... 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!

See! Told 'ya!

Bob Swinney
"Artemia Salina" wrote in message
news
... 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!

In article , Artemia Salina
says...

Last weekend I decided to take the plunge and spring for a
new Leeson 3PH motor from MSC.

Interestingly this is the same series of events that
I followed. 10L, removed the 3~ motor and installed
a single phase one. Purchased a UM milling machine,
built the converter, and put the (saved) 3~ motor
back into the lathe.

What size 3~ motor is now installed in your lathe?

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 16:55:03 -0700, jim rozen wrote:


What size 3~ motor is now installed in your lathe?

1 HP, which is a hair underpowered for a 10L from what
I've been able to deduce (1.5 HP seemed to be standard).
It runs alright except that it's a bit slow to come up
to speed at the fastest cone pulley setting, but maybe
that has to do with the fact that this motor runs at
1140 RPM rather than 1725 RPM for the single phase one.

I haven't dragged the speed down yet while testing it out
with the 6" 3-jaw. I'll try some more tests tomorrow with
the 8" 4-jaw (although that may have more of a flywheel
effect and make it harder to slow down, so maybe I'll try
turning some steel in a collet, too.)

With the lower speed motor I ought to be able to count
the RPMs between sips of coffee in back gear. 1 Guadalajara,
2 Guadalajara...