My craft guild is dumping an old Delta lathe -- probably about 35 years old
-- for a newer donated Delta model 46-700. The old Delta's electric motor
burned out, so the guild will sell me the old lathe without a motor for less
than $50. Is it worth while to add a new, variable speed motor to this
lathe, or should I stick with a 1/2 HP or so 1600 rpm lathe as recommended
by one of the members?

And does anyone out there have some plans or recommendations for building a
stand for the lathe that includes a motor mount? I'll get the bare lathe,
and need to come up with the rest of the outfit. I thought I'd find some
plans for a lathe stand at the local Woodcraft store, but found nothing.

I like the old lathe -- good and solid, with a nice tailstock. I hope it's
worth an additional investment.

Jim

Even the old Homecraft line would be worth 50 bucks if there were no cracks
in the castings. Of course, they used to age 'em better in those days, so
chances are small on that.

No plate on the beast to tell model #? If you had that, or the time, you
could do some looking at http://www.acetoolrepair.com/index.htm to see if
things were pretty much where they should be. The motor is probably
designed to mount below, tensioning of its own weight, and a stand is just a
big table or cabinet which allows for belt change access.

I'm turning on a 46-204 "medium" duty lathe myself. With a 12" swing, it
has a 3/4 HP on it.

"Dain-Owens" wrote in message
...
My craft guild is dumping an old Delta lathe -- probably about 35 years
old
-- for a newer donated Delta model 46-700. The old Delta's electric motor
burned out, so the guild will sell me the old lathe without a motor for
less
than $50. Is it worth while to add a new, variable speed motor to this
lathe, or should I stick with a 1/2 HP or so 1600 rpm lathe as recommended
by one of the members?

And does anyone out there have some plans or recommendations for building
a
stand for the lathe that includes a motor mount? I'll get the bare lathe,
and need to come up with the rest of the outfit. I thought I'd find some
plans for a lathe stand at the local Woodcraft store, but found nothing.

I like the old lathe -- good and solid, with a nice tailstock. I hope
it's
worth an additional investment.

Jim

In article ,
Dain-Owens wrote:

My craft guild is dumping an old Delta lathe -- probably about 35 years old
-- for a newer donated Delta model 46-700. The old Delta's electric motor
burned out, so the guild will sell me the old lathe without a motor for less
than $50. Is it worth while to add a new, variable speed motor to this
lathe

Absolutely. A bit new for me (I have 3 lathes from the 1800's).

And does anyone out there have some plans or recommendations for building a
stand for the lathe that includes a motor mount? I'll get the bare lathe,
and need to come up with the rest of the outfit. I thought I'd find some
plans for a lathe stand at the local Woodcraft store, but found nothing.

There are about 999 ways to do this, and at least 1000 that work. You
could obviously copy the stand it came off of. You can take any
workbench plan, skip the vises, and slap the lathe on it, and the motor
to the back - you can also modify to put the motor under, or over. You
can hang the motor off the ceiling and bring the belt down to the lathe
(a lineshaft built for 1, if you will - keeps the motor a bit cleaner).
You can pour blocks of concrete to bolt the lathe to.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

I recommend putting a variable speed DC motor on the Delta. I turned on
that combination of old Delta/Rockwell with a Chuck Woodruff motor &
controller for years. Variable speed with DC really makes that a usable
"modern" machine. The Reeves drive acts as a gear shifter to always
maximize torque at the speed that you want. Since you are paying almost
nothing for the machine, why not go a bit higher and get a really good
motor? If you like the DIY approach, there is a lot in the archives about
installing a treadmill (surplus) motor on a lathe.

Have fun!

-CD-
boulder, co

Thanks for the reply. The lathe I'm working with is a Delta "Double Duty"
-- no other name or number appears on the lathe. I like your suggestion,
but I'm new to this newsgroup and to building my own lathe stand.

I've seen variable speed lathe motors at Woodturners.com. Are there other
sources I should know about? I don't know what a Reeves drive is -- I'll
Google it, but if you have a link, I'll appreciate your lead.

I don't know how to access the archives in this newsgroup. I'll see what I
can do -- I hadn't heard the term "treadmill" used for an external lathe
motor.

Best,

Jim



From: (cindy drozda)
Organization: Nyx net, The Spirit of the Night
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.woodturning
Date: 15 Nov 2003 12:47:02 -0700
Subject: Old Delta Lathe Worth New motor?

I recommend putting a variable speed DC motor on the Delta. I turned on
that combination of old Delta/Rockwell with a Chuck Woodruff motor &
controller for years. Variable speed with DC really makes that a usable
"modern" machine. The Reeves drive acts as a gear shifter to always
maximize torque at the speed that you want. Since you are paying almost
nothing for the machine, why not go a bit higher and get a really good
motor? If you like the DIY approach, there is a lot in the archives about
installing a treadmill (surplus) motor on a lathe.

Have fun!

-CD-
boulder, co

Dain-Owens wrote: I don't know what a Reeves drive is (clip)I hadn't heard
the term "treadmill" used for an external lathe motor.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
A Reeves drive is a belt drive with a means of changing the pulley
diameters, thus providing a continuously variable ratio.

Treadmill, in this context, does not have a special meaning. The reference
is to borrowing the variable speed drive from an exercise machine.

Dain-Owens wrote:

I don't know how to access the archives in this newsgroup. I'll see what
I can do -- I hadn't heard the term "treadmill" used for an external lathe
motor.

No idea if the one I have can help you, but I have a treadmill motor. I had
a treadmill belt sander for awhile, which proved to be a better idea on
paper. Tore up a lot of expensive belts with my sloppy tracking system.
I've been saving the thing for years to make a lathe, but never got around
to it.

I'm getting a JET mini for Christmas, which will be much better than
anything I'm likely to have ever built. I'm looking at the space the
stupid thing is eating, and I'm about ready to cut it up and stick the
metal in my project box. That liberates a motor that I really see no
forseeable use for. I'm sure I'll do something with it one of these years
if I keep it, but if someone can put it to good use right now, I don't mind
parting with it. I got it for free, I'll give it away for whatever it
costs to ship it. (Because I really am that broke, sorry.)

I can go blow the dust off and look at the plate to see what it says, if you
want. I'm not sure if it's compatible with this variable speed setup
you're envisioning. I just have it hard wired with a regular household
light switch. If the treadmill had some kind of variable speed gizmo, it's
busted and/or missing.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

A link to the group archives mentioned...
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ts.woodturning

James Barley
www.members.shaw.ca/jbarley

"Dain-Owens" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply. The lathe I'm working with is a Delta "Double Duty"
-- no other name or number appears on the lathe. I like your suggestion,
but I'm new to this newsgroup and to building my own lathe stand.

I've seen variable speed lathe motors at Woodturners.com. Are there other
sources I should know about? I don't know what a Reeves drive is -- I'll
Google it, but if you have a link, I'll appreciate your lead.

I don't know how to access the archives in this newsgroup. I'll see what
I
can do -- I hadn't heard the term "treadmill" used for an external lathe
motor.

Best,

Jim



From: (cindy drozda)
Organization: Nyx net, The Spirit of the Night
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.woodturning
Date: 15 Nov 2003 12:47:02 -0700
Subject: Old Delta Lathe Worth New motor?

I recommend putting a variable speed DC motor on the Delta. I turned on
that combination of old Delta/Rockwell with a Chuck Woodruff motor &
controller for years. Variable speed with DC really makes that a usable
"modern" machine. The Reeves drive acts as a gear shifter to always
maximize torque at the speed that you want. Since you are paying almost
nothing for the machine, why not go a bit higher and get a really good
motor? If you like the DIY approach, there is a lot in the archives
about
installing a treadmill (surplus) motor on a lathe.

Have fun!

-CD-
boulder, co

If it has both cone pulleys, get any 1725 washing machine or rebuilt you can
(1/2 to 1 HP) and learn to turn. You're starting an equation in too many
variables, IMHO. Variable speed doesn't help make you a turner. Not even
sure it makes you a better turner, but it's one more thing to fiddle with
when you should be concentrating on putting the wood to the tool.

If it doesn't have both cone pulleys, check Grainger's.

"Dain-Owens" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply. The lathe I'm working with is a Delta "Double Duty"
-- no other name or number appears on the lathe. I like your suggestion,
but I'm new to this newsgroup and to building my own lathe stand.

I've seen variable speed lathe motors at Woodturners.com. Are there other
sources I should know about? I don't know what a Reeves drive is -- I'll
Google it, but if you have a link, I'll appreciate your lead.

Thanks for the lead to Grangers - I had forgotten them, and will dig up
their catalog.

Jim

From: "George"
Organization: TDS.NET Internet Services www.tds.net
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.woodturning
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 08:26:20 -0500
Subject: Old Delta Lathe Worth New motor?

If it has both cone pulleys, get any 1725 washing machine or rebuilt you can
(1/2 to 1 HP) and learn to turn. You're starting an equation in too many
variables, IMHO. Variable speed doesn't help make you a turner. Not even
sure it makes you a better turner, but it's one more thing to fiddle with
when you should be concentrating on putting the wood to the tool.

If it doesn't have both cone pulleys, check Grainger's.

"Dain-Owens" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply. The lathe I'm working with is a Delta "Double Duty"
-- no other name or number appears on the lathe. I like your suggestion,
but I'm new to this newsgroup and to building my own lathe stand.

I've seen variable speed lathe motors at Woodturners.com. Are there other
sources I should know about? I don't know what a Reeves drive is -- I'll
Google it, but if you have a link, I'll appreciate your lead.

Jim, Chuck Woodruff sells variable speed DC motors and controllers, and I
was very happy with the one I got from him. It needed no fiddling and has
performed well. Price was about $400. Craft Supplies (and probably others)
sell DC motor/controller packages too. I have the one from Craft Supplies
currently powering my Vicmarc, and have been very happy with it too.
Chuck may have a website, but I don't know it. His email is in the AAW
member directory under Washington State.

One (of many) source for treadmill motors is American Science and Surplus.
(www.sciplus.com) You can get a 3/4 hp motor for about $40, but the
fiddle-around factor might be really high. The archives on this group will
yield lots of advice on how to do that. I believe the archives are
somewhere on Google, and maybe deja.com? Anyone else know?

It's true what another poster said about how variable speed won't make you
a better turner....but if you have to install a motor anyway, you will be
happier in the long run with a modern variable speed machine because it
will allow you to do things that are more difficult with the standard cone
pulley fixed speed arrangement. The key is to balance the time spent
fiddling with your lathe against the time you could spend turning on it!

Have fun!

-CD-
boulder, co

CD,

Thanks for your note and suggestions. I've been turning for a while on my
craft guild's lathe. Now that the guild has a newer, variable speed lathe,
I'm considering picking up the old lathe at a bargain price, upgrading it
with a variable speed motor (I like that feature and am using it on my
current projects) and putting it in my garage shop -- a little closer to
home than the guild.

I first started thinking about a variable speed when I noticed that Craft
Supplies sold several such motors. The lightbulb went off -- I could have
my own variable speed lathe for less than the cost of a new one, and it's
bed, headstock and tailstock would be heavier than the newer guild lathe.
I'll look around for information on Chuck Woodruff -- the price you mention
is lower than Craft Supplies.

I spent some time with Google yesterday, and came up with some suggestions
for building a lathe stand with a motor mount. Lots of suggestions, and I
think I can pull it together. Since I still have a lathe to work with at
the guild, I think I can deal with the fiddle factor, particularly since I
have a kayak and other projects already underway in my garage. The old
lathe is available now, so I might pick it up and add it to my list of
projects. Oh yes, there's also the tool collecting factor. This will be
the last power tool I buy, honest!

Jim

From: (cindy drozda)
Organization: Nyx net, The Spirit of the Night
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.woodturning
Date: 16 Nov 2003 13:07:07 -0700
Subject: Old Delta Lathe Worth New motor?


Jim, Chuck Woodruff sells variable speed DC motors and controllers, and I
was very happy with the one I got from him. It needed no fiddling and has
performed well. Price was about $400. Craft Supplies (and probably others)
sell DC motor/controller packages too. I have the one from Craft Supplies
currently powering my Vicmarc, and have been very happy with it too.
Chuck may have a website, but I don't know it. His email is in the AAW
member directory under Washington State.

One (of many) source for treadmill motors is American Science and Surplus.
(www.sciplus.com) You can get a 3/4 hp motor for about $40, but the
fiddle-around factor might be really high. The archives on this group will
yield lots of advice on how to do that. I believe the archives are
somewhere on Google, and maybe deja.com? Anyone else know?

It's true what another poster said about how variable speed won't make you
a better turner....but if you have to install a motor anyway, you will be
happier in the long run with a modern variable speed machine because it
will allow you to do things that are more difficult with the standard cone
pulley fixed speed arrangement. The key is to balance the time spent
fiddling with your lathe against the time you could spend turning on it!

Have fun!

-CD-
boulder, co

In article ,
(cindy drozda) wrote:
One (of many) source for treadmill motors is American Science and Surplus.
(www.sciplus.com) You can get a 3/4 hp motor for about $40, but the
fiddle-around factor might be really high. The archives on this group will

No fiddling at all (I bought a couple of these), but they are selling
the raw motor, so you need to supply the controller. They are brush-type
open frame, so you want to try and keep them clean, and you also want to
put a cooling fan on them (easy way to keep them clean is to bring the
cooling air in from outside). The controllers I currently use, through
non-surplus channels, are 5-6 times the price of the motor - so you
might want to look for a source which includes the treadmill's
contoller, if keeping it cheap is the aim. What I'll do, as there's one
of me, is to set the controller up so it can be unplugged and moved to
different tools _easily_. I have not quite gotten there yet, but will
want to in the new shop when all the lathes are out and usable. Have
floor finally, still need roof, already in the second half of
Novembrrrrrr.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

My craft guild is dumping an old Delta lathe -- probably about 35 years
old -- for a newer donated Delta model 46-700. The old Delta's electric
motor burned out, so the guild will sell me the old lathe without a
motor for less than $50.

This is pretty funny since the older lathe is probably a much better built
lathe than the new one. I had a 46-700 for a few years. It's major
shortcoming is the weak headstock casting. All the older Delta's I have
seen have a lot more metal where it counts. Get a full 1 hp motor if you
can afford it; it's a significant improvement over 3/4 horse for a 12"
swing lathe. And whatever kind of stand you make, make it very rigid and
HEAVY. It's amazing how much 450 pounds of sand will improve the
performance of even a light duty lathe.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

Hey Jim, I'm not sure if your thread is a question or a gloat. Anyway,
you got a deal even if you convert it to a pole lathe. Take it before
someone offers $51. Maybe the decision makers of your guild, in their
wisdom will accept a donated new Harbor Freight $35 micro 'lathe' and
dump the 46-700 for $12. Take that deal too.

I wonder what is meant by the motor being "burned out". Could it
possibly be bearings, starting cap. or switch or some other repairable
fault on an older quality motor that matched the machine design? Arch

Fortiter,