Replacing Reeves drive on Delta lathe

[Bill Bukovec]

I'm replacing the Reeves drive on my Delta lathe. The movable pulley half ( looks like it's made from pot metal) is broken.

Can I run the existing 3/4 HP motor with a vfd? I would like to use the vfd to vary the speed. I also need a pulley to go on lathe spindle shaft. The outside diameter of the shaft is .940".

Has anyone bought a pulley for this sized shaft? What size pulley ( diameter) should I get to use with the vfd?

If anyone has made this conversion, your help will be appreciated.

[Ken Burner]

Can’t use a VFD unless the motor is 3 phase.

Ken

[JohnC Lucas]

Ken is corrrect. You need a 3 phase motor to work with a VFD. You can go here to get both. www.dealerselectric.com I had a Delta 46-700 and had the same problem. I broke the pulleys twice. I purchased a Nova Comet while I was waiting on the last set and would not believe how much better that lathe was. So much smoother my turning improved overnight. I sold the Delta as soon as I got it working.

[Richard Coers]

Pretty sure that Grizzly reeves pulleys will fit.

[Brice Rogers]

You wrote: "The outside diameter of the shaft is .940"."

That is a curious size. It seems to equate to either 15/16" or 24 mm.

[Dick Strauss]

Bill, here is what I would suggest you NOT do:

1) Maska cast iron step pulley set bored/reamed to 24mm for spindle and XX mm/in. to match the new motor shaft
2) 3-phade motor with custom pivot to tension belt now that Reeves has been taken out of the lathe
3) VFD with remote

Meanwhile $500+ later you have a lathe that cost more in parts and labor than its worth. I've been there and done that.

[Sam Force]

I have an old Delta that I used for years after my pulley broke. I swapped out the motor with an old tread mill motor, could not find the correct size pulley so I made 1 out of wood. I believe I used locust, the treadmill motor had a small pulley with was for a serpentine belt. I placed the motor in line where I wanted it and ran a string around the pulley and wooden pulley to get a measurement. went to auto parts store and bought a serpentine belt of the length needed and it ran great. depending on how big of a pulley you make it will run from 15 to 3000 RPM. It has all the torque you need and probably more than what you currently have. I got the treadmill motor pretty cheap as people get rid of them often. probably paid $25 for the belt and I added a reverse switch for about $2

[Bill Bukovec]

Since Delta no longer carries the pulleys I will call Grizzly to see if they have it. Meanwhile I'll search the part number in the manual (909946) which seems to have been converted to 5140052-65.
I will also keep looking for a pulley for a 15/16" shaft. Thanks for all of your help.

[Dick Strauss]

The pulleys for a 46-715 (1440) headstock spindle came in 2-3 different diameters if I remember correctly (mine was 24 mm and there was one 22 mm as well). I believe the later Delta lathes made with pot metal Reeves drives were all metric but I could be wrong.

[Dennis Schmidt]

Type 1 and 2 have 24mm spindle diameter. Type 3 is 22mm Both Grizzly and Jet lathes use 24mm but I found that the Jet pulley worked the best with less modification. I used both motor and spindle pulleys from Jet and it works very well. BUT...the next time it breaks, I will go vfd.

[Richard Coers]

Type 1 and 2 have 24mm spindle diameter. Type 3 is 22mm Both Grizzly and Jet lathes use 24mm but I found that the Jet pulley worked the best with less modification. I used both motor and spindle pulleys from Jet and it works very well. BUT...the next time it breaks, I will go vfd.
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