chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi all I am taking a part a friend's dad's shop. He had a pre-Delta Rockwell Unisaw. I didn't have a change to do more than a glance at it. I have a DeWalt hybrid saw now that I was in the process of putting a Super Cool Tools fence and new guide rails on to. I only have a help and his pickup for Saturday to clear things out or let the auctioneer sell for me. I saw that it was wired for 3 phase and the top was rust free and there was on saw dust on or around it. Inside the cabinet was as clean as one of my kitchen cabinets. My big questions are Is it worth bring home or should I let it go to sell? How hard is it to get a 3 phase circuit added to my shop box if I bring it home? If I decide to keep it how hard is it to remove the cast iron top so we can split it into moveable pieces? And I have the same question about a early 70's Rockwell radial arm saw. I would have serious questions about buying a car or anything that old. But will they add to my shop or just clutter it up? Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Proctor Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Running 3-phase to your house will be cost prohibitive. There are a few options to run the saw though. You can replace the motor with a single-phase, install a phase converter, or a variable frequency drive (VFD). The spray booth in our shop is 3-phase and is run off a rortary phase converter. If the saw is worth it or not depends on you and how much you want to put into it. I have an older Rockwell Contractors saw that sits next to my PM and is only used for dado's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I think you should check again. Most of those only had the 1.5hp motors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I am going back on Saturday. I will price a 1 phase motor for it but the cable going to it said three phase to me. It had a pony box at the saw. Would Delta be able to tell me if it was three phase? Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Proctor Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Look at the motor nameplate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I am going back on Saturday. I will price a 1 phase motor for it but the cable going to it said three phase to me. It had a pony box at the saw. Would Delta be able to tell me if it was three phase? Chef I doubt Delta could tell you what time of day it is nowadays. Just look at it you never know what some old timer did but motors are cheap nowadays. The old egg shaped motors are hard to come by but the frame can be adapted to a modern frame if need be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 What you are calling a "pony box" could be a magnetic relay. There is one of those on my 5 hp 220v UniSaw . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I called Bill, the former owner's son, and he looked at the motor. It is a Rockwell International INC. 3 phase 3 HP 200 volt motor. Date of Manufacture 12/11/79. I also checked and adding 3 phase to the shop would cost thousand of dollars. How do I go about finding how much a replacement motor is going to cost. Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 You referenced Peoria in another thread? There must be a Grainger or even an electrical supply shop that will help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I called Bill, the former owner's son, and he looked at the motor. It is a Rockwell International INC. 3 phase 3 HP 200 volt motor. Date of Manufacture 12/11/79. I also checked and adding 3 phase to the shop would cost thousand of dollars. How do I go about finding how much a replacement motor is going to cost. Chef You will have to look at the motor and get the RPM. Grizzly and many other places like Northern tool have decent selections of motors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 For comparison: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Motor-3-HP-Single-Phase-3450-RPM-TEFC-220V-/H5388 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Best part about a local shop is that they carry the liability. Shaft and keyway need to be precise. I would never naysay Grizzly, but if they are not local you may be out shipping charges if you get any rating wrong. Just cautionary, not argumentative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 The people I talked too seemed to be very helpful and understood that a new motor was not going to happen. The Grizzly prices are a 3rd of Grainger. Are their motors that much better. I am disabled and won't be running a production shop ever. The tech that I talked to after the sales girl. Said he had rebuilt the motor that I was getting and gave me a 6 year warranty on it as a new customer. He faxed me what I will need to get to get power to it. He is going to put a twist lock plug on it and set it up for 240. He also said that I can switch later for 110 use. Also if I have any problems with it I can unbolt it and take it to Peoria and pitch a Bitc*... Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlinwi202 Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Grainger is a ripoff, always. Period. Are you buying the rebuilt motor from a local motor shop? If so you are doing the right thing. Just make sure the frame and mounting are what you need. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Yes the motor was rebuilt in Peoria. Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I called Grainger and a new replacement motor that is 3 HP and 240 single phase is $1159. Way out of my budget. When I said this he came up with a rebuilt 3 hp 240 single phase motor for $339 and with trading in the old motor I get $100 if it isn't working and $225 if it works. So at most $239 and tax out the door. I am getting a Unisaw! Do the funking 'Getta Unisaw Dance with me'! Chef Bill also sent me pictures of the saw. unisaw from Bill.jpgunisaw from Bill2.jpgunisaw from Bill3.jpg Call Grainger back and ask them what it would be if they applied the Farm Bureau Insurance corporate discount. I work for Farm Bureau Insurance and an annual membership here in SC is $40 per year. There are many discounts you can get through a membership (i.e.20% on hotels) but one of the discounts is with Grainger. I bought a 1HP, 3 phase motor for my wood lathe I was rebuilding from a motor shop that was closing. For $25 the rebuilt motor could sit if I couldn't figure something out. The tec guys at Grainger not only figured the right Variable Frequency drive for me, I got it at a nice discount....$508 normal down to about $380. I'm sure they could help you too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 TimWood I will give it a try. I can also ask about disabled veteran. I find that I get 10-25% by mentioning it. Even places like Papa Johns Pizza and Homewood Suites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Heck yeah! ALLLLL places should give discounts like that to disabled vets!!!!!!!!!! (and yes that was 10 exclamation points....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minorhero Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 First of all slow don. You are about to make a mistake. Unisaw motors have a unique mount on them and motors you buy from grizzly or other random places will NOT mount on your saw. Do not buy a motor unless it is specifically a unisaw motor. Second, all of this is easier to deal with than you know. The saw is working in its current location. The question is how? There is almost certainly a phase converter somewhere in that shop. Find it and buy it and you have a working unisaw a lot cheaper and without trying to replace a motor. The phase converter will be was to spot. On one side the regular wall power will be wired into it. On the other side the unisaw will be plugged or wired in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Apple Wood is right 3 phase is rare in residential shops. I had thought to mention phase converters but you found a fair priced motor. Follow the trail from where the UniSaw was plugged in/wired and you should find it. You might as well pull the wire back to the panel if it's not to hard. Make note of the size breaker that it was on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 I will look tomorrow when I get a chance. That makes sense cause I doubt that Bill's dad would have paid for three phase now that I know the prices. Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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