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+--- Thread: Great Tool Post (/thread-740.html)
RE: Great Tool Post - SnailPowered - 08-24-2012
(08-24-2012, 07:00 AM)stevec Wrote: I think Will is a moron!
At first I thought you meant Willie L. Then I realized that you were talking about the InBetweeners.
RE: Great Tool Post - Highpower - 08-24-2012
(08-24-2012, 07:40 AM)SnailPowered Wrote:(08-24-2012, 07:00 AM)stevec Wrote: I think Will is a moron!
At first I thought you meant Willie L. Then I realized that you were talking about the InBetweeners.
Could have been both...?
And he wouldn't be alone.
RE: Great Tool Post - stevec - 08-24-2012
Hey! WillieL is a Supper Moderator isn't he? A big eater like me would never insult a Supper Moderator.
RE: Great Tool Post - Highpower - 08-24-2012
You guys can call me anything you want. Just don't call me late for supper...
RE: Great Tool Post - PixMan - 08-25-2012
Just got back into town late last night.
stevec, Can you elaborate as to why you chose to down-rate your big lathe by going to single phase and 2 HP less? I've heard many reports of single phase machines having problems with finishes and slow to change speeds.
I have a 1974-vintage 16x40 Victor (Taiwan) lathe, and it has the original 5 Taiwanese HP motor. I don't have but 100 amp 220 volt single phase service at the house (my dad's shop), so I got a rotary phase converter control unit from American Rotary Power and used a old 15HP 3-phase motor we had kicking around as the idler. We use a 40A circuit to run it, and it sure works great. I also do not run any production, but have definitely used all of the 4.25 HP it really has on several occasions. Negative rake carbide insert tooling needs power and speed, but wow it sure can get the job done in a hurry. We get nice finishes, and appreciate the power and fast reversal when machine tapping with big taps.
I'm just wondering why you didn't choose to go with a fairly inexpensive VFD or RPC to keep that nice big lathe as a 3-phase driven spindle.
RE: Great Tool Post - stevec - 08-26-2012
(08-25-2012, 09:33 PM)PixMan Wrote: stevec, Can you elaborate as to why you chose to down-rate your big lathe by going to single phase and 2 HP less?I started a long winded explanation for my actions and then thought,
why don't I just say NO.
RE: Great Tool Post - PixMan - 08-26-2012
Fair enough. I just thought it would be useful to share as many home shop folks face the same situation.
You don't owe me or anyone else any explanation.
RE: Great Tool Post - stevec - 08-26-2012
Ok, OK, I just felt like I was being "hung out" as a sign of what not to do.
At the time I hadn't heard of VFDs nor had I heard of the smooth running benefits of 3 ph and even a home brewed rpc would have required some expense. I had the single phase motors in "inventory" so it became a simple choice. I have had satisfactory performance out of what I elected to do at no cost beyond the work time.
If I were to come across a 220V 10hp 3 ph motor as a basis for an rpc I would consider making one and re-installing the original motors (I throw out NOTHING so of course I still have them).
It would however be a low priority job and I'm fairly backed up with projects and seem to complete them at a far slower rate than I used to.
RE: Great Tool Post - Mayhem - 08-26-2012
(08-26-2012, 08:57 AM)stevec Wrote: Ok, OK, I just felt like I was being "hung out" as a sign of what not to do.
Don't worry Steve, that crap doesn't happen here and would be swiftly dealt with if it did.
It is always interesting to hear why people took a certain path and how that panned out for them.