Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 15, 2007 05:51pm | #1

   The Old Woodworking Machines <click> web site would be a good resource for you.  They have a forum, and a buy-and-sell section. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
2. 
   ETG | Oct 15, 2007 07:35pm | #2

   You have a great old machine but I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to convert it to a variable  speed.  Delta - and others - used a variable cone pulley sometimes called a "reeves drive."  The brackets/supports needed may not be a replacement part but part of the head casting or base stand.  Anyway, try

   http://weberwoodworking.com/

   They have a lot of interesting old parts for Delta - and they can walk you through what needs to be done.

   I have a similar Delta lathe and I made it a 16 speed machine by putting in a counter shaft with 2 additional cone pulleys.  Yes you have to stop the lathe to move one or both belts but it was an easy setup.

   Good luck!

1. 
   kriley | Oct 15, 2007 08:17pm | #3

   Thanks I'll contact them and see if they can help.
   The VS parts are all separate parts from the basic lathe. The basic lathe head and base are the same for both units. It was shipped as a 4 speed or VS.

3. 
   RickL | Oct 15, 2007 08:21pm | #4

   Simplest way to go infinitely variable speed is with a 3 phase motor and VFD which is what all the variable speed lathes of modern times are. VFD technology is clearly the way to go. We have it on our 12" Wadkin moulder to control the feed rate.

1. 
   kriley | Oct 15, 2007 08:32pm | #5

   Thanks I thought of that. Not an option physically or finically.

1. 
   RickL | Oct 16, 2007 12:43am | #6

   Why is that?  Three phase motors are often available for almost nothing and VFD's are way down in price...http://www.factorymation.com

   It would be the simplest way and probably the cheapest. I don't see how physically it wouldn't work.

1. 
   kriley | Oct 16, 2007 01:12am | #7

   Why is that?
   Maybe your definition of almost nothing is different than mine.
   Also I said "physically" not an option. To put a 230V 3 phase circuit in my panel will require replacing the breaker box to the tune of $1000.Kevin"Minimum code requirement sucks"
   ---Mike Holmes---

   Edited 10/15/2007 6:50 pm ET by KRiley

1. 
   dgreen | Oct 16, 2007 07:50am | #8

   The VFD controller is powered from your single phase house current, it's output is three phase.------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

2. 
   kriley | Oct 16, 2007 03:13pm | #9

   Ah...that makes a bit of a difference.
   I will research this further. This may be something I can adapt to the lathe early next year. I've just spent a bunch of money upgrading some of my tools so I need to build the tool budget account back up.

3. 
   JohnWW | Oct 16, 2007 05:04pm | #10

   I would strongly endorse going to a VFD. The old mechanical drives were funky at best and buying the parts piecemeal from Delta will cost a fortune and require a lot of time and engineering to install.John White
   Yestermorrow School, Waitsfield, Vermont

2. 
   JimV | Oct 16, 2007 05:19pm | #11

   Rick,Just to double check, the VFD's are listed under AC Drives on the Factorymation page?thanks,Jim"There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other is that heat comes from the furnace." - Aldo Leopold

1. 
   RickL | Oct 16, 2007 07:36pm | #12

   Correct, AC drives,  but you will still want to talk to them to pick the right VFD. They have to be sized correctly. It's not as simple as picking from the list. There's other criteria involved. Use their technician to guide you through the process and ask for help on getting the correct motor. Really old motors may not work properly.

2. 
   kriley | Oct 17, 2007 04:30pm | #13

   Well I did the research and it looks like I can get the lathe set up for VS for about $300.
   That's all new controller stuff and a motor from eBay.thanks Rick for enlightening me.Kevin

3. 
   RickL | Oct 17, 2007 05:30pm | #14

   Motors 1 hp and less can be run on 110 volts with some VFD which opens up more possibilities. Do you know that a VFD can double a motors rated rpm. Most modern lathes are using 2 step pulleys and VFD's. Dialing down a motor two low can cause overheating so having a two step pulley gives it a good range.

4. 
   kriley | Oct 17, 2007 05:45pm | #15

   Yup the guy I talked to explained all that. I'm not doing this for a few months so i have time to work out the details.
   He told me that for the time it takes to rough out a spindle turning it's not a great issue. I don't turn bowls or have any desire to so I won't ever be running at very low speeds.
   I'll be a little creative with the motor/drive/pulley set up.

5. 
   RickL | Oct 17, 2007 06:02pm | #16

   Have you talked with the tech at factorymation. Just because the chart say such and such a drive is for such a HP motor it's misleading. They have to derate the drive and typically it's a slightly hagher rating than the chart says so it bumps the price up a bit. There's other source than ebay for motors. Some of the local scrap yards were selling perfectly good motors by the pound.

6. 
   kriley | Oct 17, 2007 06:09pm | #17

   I guess I should have said "the guy I talked to AT factorymation"