Question on a Delta 46-111

[John Downing]

I recently picked up a Delta Homecraft 46-111 lathe in pretty good shape. Needs new headstock bearings. The question is the motor that came with it. The manual for the lathe says, “Do not use a split phase motor.” The motor that came with it is, you guessed it, a 1/3 HP split phase motor.

So, should I just use this motor, and not let the lathe read the manual?

I am really thinking about adding a counter shaft and getting a 1/2 HP motor, anyway.

Thanks for any suggestions.

John

[M Toupin]

So, should I just use this motor, and not let the lathe read the manual?

This /\ :)

Seriously, I wouldn’t sweat it, run what you got. The 46-111 is a decent little lathe for spindle type work (pens, bottle stoppers, small boxes etc) or bowls if you get the speed down. I started with one years ago and I going to put a VFD on it but sold it when I upgraded to a PM90. If you decide to upgrade the motor used 3ph motors are cheap or free (I'd give you one if you were closer) and a VFD would run in the $125ish range.

Mike

[Brice Rogers]

It is kind of puzzling why the manual would recommend against a split phase motor. AFAIK, a split phase motor has a centrifugal switch and a capacitor. This gives it very good start-up torque. Perhaps they thought that with all of the dust that is typically created with a lathe that it would increase the amount of maintenance on the motor centrifugal switch contacts. But I have a table saw and two lathes with a split phase motor/a cap/a centr. switch and it works fine. Alternatively perhaps they thought that there might be an issue with the high start up torque.

I think that this is a case where for your purposes, a motor is a motor. Use it and enjoy.

[Henry Neufeld]

High startup torque could be bad if the blank is not centered. It could easily result in the blank tearing out of whatever holding method is being used. Also if the blank is heavy, high startup torque would put unnecessary strain on the motor, bearings, pulleys at higher speed settings where the pulley on the motor shaft is the smaller dia.

I can generally get a higher speed on a newly mounted blank if I work up slowly on the dial, rather than just start it out bango.

[Brice Rogers]

I just googled that lathe number and came across a manual on vintage machinery dot org. I looked at the recommended motors and they included two capacitor start ball bearing motors and a split phase motor (presumably also with a start cap).

If the OP has a concern about the start up torque, they could rig up something to allow the belt to slip initially on start up. I think that the bigger issue is going to be the start up speed. The manual says 990 rpm. That is too fast IMHO for, say, a 10" out-of-round bowl. I have an old craftsman 9" lathe and it had the same issue. I always stood to the side when I first hit the on-switch. I had contemplated putting in an intermediate pulley to drop that speed down, but bought a VS lathe instead. :p

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