Gloat! - The Moak 12" jointer has landed. well almost...

[brett gallmeyer]

Hey everyone!

After roughly 1-1/2 years of searching I finally nabbed a deal on a piece of old iron!
I've found several through various craigslist adds and irs auctions but nothing i've bought the bullet on.
Last week a fellow employee told me about a local auction that was going on the next day with a bunch of woodworking equipment. On lunch break i looked up the listing and low and behold there was a 12" moak jointer that looked to be in good condition.. and it was only 20 mins away!
So the following day I drove down and attended the auction. If it wouldn't have been for online bidding also I would have had it for $150! I also would have taken home a 3hp powermatic cabinet saw and a old iron mortiser... oh well maby next time. But i did have the highest bid on my jointer. a little more than what I was hopeing to bid but still a good deal.
Paid $560 with buyers fees. Just went down and picked it up today. Still sitting on the trailer cause the engine hoist I borrowed didn't have enough hydrolic oil to lift it.
Its in really good shape. really just needs a good cleaning. But i may strip the paint and semi restore it. all the parts are there, the fence is sitting in the trailer. the only thing its missing is the front guard over the cutter.

So now I have to find a rotary phase converter or a static one and build my own for a 3hp+

Needless to say I'm a happy camper!

[Van Huskey]

YOU SUCK! That is something that is on my "search" list.

[Bruce Page]

Congrats Brett! Is it 3 phase?

[Jamie Schmitz]

If you are serious about restoring it which I love to do,leave it on the trailer and take it to someone to sandblast it.

[brett gallmeyer]

yes 3hp 3phase direct drive.
I've thought about pulling the motor and replaceing it with a pully and a 1 phase motor. but i think i would rather buy/build a phase converter.

[Neil Brooks]

Beautiful.

When you THINK about allll the board-feet of wood that must have gone through that thing.......

You DO suck ... and you KNOW you suck. I've also seen your router table -- more evidence that you suck !

Quick ?? for our in-house experts.

If you WANTED to, could you have this sort of machine powdercoated ????

Might be very cool. Of course, moving it around more than you need to ... may not be the smartest thing, but .... :)

I'd sure watch, if you felt like keeping a photo essay OR your restoration efforts. I'd like the learning, AND the entertainment !

[Brian Ross]

Nice grab, Not only is it a great jointer but also a piece of history. I would go the rotary phase converter. It opens up a whole new world when it comes to tools. I have 2 in my shop from American Rotary
http://www.americanrotary.com/rotary-phase-converters.html

Excellent after sales service 24/7. No connection just a happy customer

Brian

[Stephen Cherry]

another option

http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.198/.f?sc=2&category=32

[Chip Lindley]

yes 3hp 3phase direct drive.
I've thought about pulling the motor and replaceing it with a pully and a 1 phase motor. but i think i would rather buy/build a phase converter.

WTG Brett! Moak is some solid Old Arn! I have two of their shapers.

Don't EVEN consider pulling that direct drive motor to try and install a pulley. It is no easy fix! Keep the old jointer intact. It will have much more resale value in the future. And, you will have preserved some real Americana.

I am a die-hard fan of RPCs for powering 3-phase machinery. Buy once-cry once, as long as the RPC will handle your largest 3ph motor. I assume the Moak has a 3hp motor. A 5hp RPC will handle that plus any other machine up to 5hp in your future. One 3ph machine leads to another...and another... I have...umm...EIGHT now, and counting! I also have a 5hp ARCO Model A RPC for sale, should you be interested, made in your great State of Indiana at Shelbyville.

[Peter Quinn]

Nice big ship! Congrats. Ditto on the Gentec American Rotary for power source. I have one in my shop, works great.

[Leo Vogel]

Are there any disadvantages going to a 10 hp RPC other than an additional $250.00? I assume that a 10 hp would cover anything I would ever want to do.

[Chip Lindley]

Are there any disadvantages going to a 10 hp RPC other than an additional $250.00? I assume that a 10 hp would cover anything I would ever want to do.

Leo, the only considerations are, IF your load center will handle the increased amps, increased wire size and increased electrical consumption. Some larger RPC's specify a minimum hp motor they will run. Depending on the make of RPC, some "10hp" units are only good for powering up to a 7.5hp motor. Some hard-starting motors (air compressors, belt sanders) require larger rated RPCs. Do the math and convert your largest 3-phase motor amps to Kw, to see if the unit's published output will handle it. Here's a handy online converter:

http://www.tvss.net/train/tools/08.htm

[Ryan Hellmer]

Nice score, that is a great looking jointer. Is it missing the fence? I recently brought home a 16" crescent that is also DMD. I agree DO NOT strip that motor and convert to belt. Rotary phase converters can be had for cheap. I got a kit from WNY and built one myself. Actually it is the control panel and all I had to do was hook up an idler motor and bam, I've got three phase, enough to start 7.5 HP and run at least 15 HP moderately loaded. It's great because my largest motor so far is 5 HP. As for sizing, I wouldn't go too overboard (i.e. 25HP converter for a 3 HP saw) but I doubt you could go wrong with a 10-15 horse motor. If you are building your own, talk to your local HVAC guys or head to a local scrapyard for an idler. Factories are another good source. I talked to the HVAC guy who was really bummed I hadn't called a week earlier as they had just hauled an entire truckload of motors to the scrap yard. 3 phase motors are hard to kill and are quickly discarded in the industrial sphere. Nice score and good luck.

Ryan

[Thomas S Stockton]

I would call the people at American rotary, they were extremely helpful when I bought my phase converter from them and talked me through what I needed to buy.
Tom

[Stephen Cherry]

If you can get a larger 3 phase motor, you could get a static phase converter to start the larger three phase motor to use as an idler to run the machine

http://www.phase-a-matic.com/PDF/SPL-2010-C.pdf

see method 2

here is a cheaper static phase converter
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Static-Phase-Converter-6-to-10-HP/H3473

Basically, you just need to get the 3 phase idler motor to start, then this is used to generate the third leg. Unless you are going to buy more three phase equipment, the vfd is the most cost effective way to go. That said, I put together a 15 hp rotary converter for my saw for around 300 dollars, using scrounged motor, grainger start capacitors, etc. Practical machinist site has all the information you would need.

[Marty Paulus]

Beautiful.

If you WANTED to, could you have this sort of machine powdercoated ????

!

I am not sure I would want to powder coat that. First, from a collector's standpoint, it would lower its value. Second the parts would have to go through an oven to bake off the powder coat. I am not sure I would want those large, semi precision ground parts sitting in a 400F oven while the powder bakes. I would be too afraid of warpage....

[John Nesmith]

You guys are confusing the hell out of me with all this converter-talk, so I am going change the subject.

Why do old, large jointers like that only have a single leg in the front? I'm sure it's not, but it appears unstable.

[Josiah Bartlett]

You guys are confusing the hell out of me with all this converter-talk, so I am going change the subject.

Why do old, large jointers like that only have a single leg in the front? I'm sure it's not, but it appears unstable.

Having a 3 point mount means you never stress the casting or have to shim the floor to get it mostly level. Just like a stool...

That machine is heavy enough to be stable. You'd have to run into it with a truck to tip it over, I suspect.

[Van Huskey]

You guys are confusing the hell out of me with all this converter-talk, so I am going change the subject.

Why do old, large jointers like that only have a single leg in the front? I'm sure it's not, but it appears unstable.

Funny, true story. The first time I encountered one of the tripod jointers in person I ask the same question. The answer was "push it over and I will give it to you". When I laid hands on it and pushed I realized it was futile they are even heavier than they look.

[brett gallmeyer]

Well I was able to get it off the trailer with a borrowed engine hoist. I could barely get it lifted off the trailer. So as my dad stood on the lift I pulled the trailer out from undernieth it... it was quite a site i'm sure. But after a lot of sweating and even more thinking.....

By the way. I decided that I"m going to buy/build a 5hp rotary phase converter. leaning towards build.

[Steve Schoene]

With only three points of contact on the floor, it won't rock, no matter how uneven the floor. With four legs you would have to shim the floor to be level, or at least planar.

[John Nesmith]

Thanks for all the explanations on why old, large jointers prefer a three-point stance. Makes sense now.

[Rod Sheridan]

You guys are confusing the hell out of me with all this converter-talk, so I am going change the subject.

Why do old, large jointers like that only have a single leg in the front? I'm sure it's not, but it appears unstable.

Actually John, a three legged design is always stable, no need to shim the legs regardless of what the floor is like.

Now, if you're referring to the machine tipping over, that's not likely, however machines are normally bolted to the floor.

regards, Rod.