chas980 Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 I have a Delta Midi lathe, single speed. I saw advertized a speed control for router, that would vary the speed of your router, up to 3 1/2 hp. Would this speed control work on my lathe? It is only 1 hp. Thank you for your help in this matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 It will not work, router speed controls are for universal motors only. A single speed lathe? What Delta model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 As a note, the motor is probably single speed, but if it is the newer non-VS midi, there are 5 belt positions to modify the speed. I do know penn state industries sells VS speed upgrade kits, which include replacing the motor. I don't know if they have on that will fit the Delta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas980 Posted December 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Thanks McQ and MikeM. Yes my lathe has the pulleys for varying the speed, but I was thinking with that speed control it would have more variation. I appreciate the quick responses. I am just learning this facet of woodworking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Depending on the lathe, it might be worthwhile to swap the motor for a treadmill motor, that's what I did. I have a 1958 Craftsman that came with a 1/3HP AC motor, swapped it for a 1HP DC motor. The speed control and ac>dc converter come with the treadmill and used treadmills can be had on the cheap. The downside is that you lose torque at low speeds but I find it a non-issue and still have plenty of power for the size of the lathe. Most treadmills have bigger motors, 2-2.5 HP being fairly common. The wiring is simple and I have diagrams I can give to anyone interested. Forgive my terrible videography... Here is the dc motor running on my 1930's Goodell Pratt lathe. (The wood is a 4" diameter chunk of ipe, fairly heavy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYCnbUgmp3A Same motor on Craftsman lathe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrlOC5ZaAyw Strobe tachometer on Craftsman lathe with the same motor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SefCxuU9-Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calblacksmith Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 We have a treadmill that we have not used in at least 25 years, I think it would be a wonderful thing to "donate" the motor from it to the shop I just purchased a constatnt torque 3 phase motor designed to be used with a varispeed motor contol. It will be the new power supply on the old Powermatic lathe in the shop. I have only had a chance to hook it up to make sure it all works before the right of return ran out, I hope to get it in the lathe soon. Electronic speed control is very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Our motor shop here in town was closing. I got a 3 phase, 1 hp motor for $25. I mounted it to the lathe and added a Variable Frequency Drive and it has unlimited speed settings. Chas980, the only way to vary the speed of an 110V AC motor is through the pulleys. If you try to put a speed control like a router speed control on other motors, it is said it will burn it up. Maybe someone reading can explain the whys...I don't know. It seems that if it will slow a router motor down, it would work for a wood lathe motor. As the kids say, "IDK" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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