Tell me about VFD motors & control systems.

[Bart Leetch]

Are they AC or DC? Could I get one that will run off of 220v AC ? I want one to build my own bowl lathe?

[Don Baer]

Bart,
Here is everything you need to know.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=39536

[Jeff Horton]

I will just add that I set up one up a lathe and it was very straight forward. Mine is a 220V input and or course 3 phase output. 220V or 440V. The only problem I had was understanding the instructions on the some of the options. For example installing a remote speed switch, remote stop switch etc. I am pretty good with electricity, just was not farmiliar with the terms they were using in the manual though. A buddy of mine came over and translated it for me. It was actually very simple once I understood what I was reading.

[Bart Leetch]

Well I printed out the post that Don directed me to & read it from end to end twice & got spinny head syndrome. I am considering just using a jack shaft & 2 sets of step pulleys. A simple system that will give my plenty of speed choices along with a 2 or 3 hp motor.

[Jeff Horton]

Bart, if your looking for variable speed they are pretty simple to set up. At least mine was. Sure you can get technical but I just wired mine up and had it running in about 30 minutes.

[Bart Leetch]

I'll want to make sure I don't get the cart ahead of the horse. Maybe I need to get the power source first & then build the lathe to fit it.
I envision this bowl lathe shaped like a pyramid only narrower front to back with the top point chopped off with a floor model tool rest, it will have the bearings mounted in the top with the motor out back & compartments that can be opened to install lead shot ballast or some such weight item in bags.

My problem is I don't use E-bay so will need to find a reasonable dealer that doesn't want an arm & leg for this system.

[Don Baer]

Bart I'll send you and E mail with some reccoemded motors, controller and pulley sizing that should get you started. I've aready run the number for a number of folks so I'll just ciopy what I sent to one of them.

[Jim Becker]

Bart, a two or three position step pulley is pretty much "standard" on lathes that use VFD systems for speed control. My Stubby, for example, has a two-step pulley setup. (I pretty much keep mine on the slower, 0-1200 rpm position, since I never feel the need for more speed with the work I do)

And as I'm sure you've noticed, 240v 1ph A/C is pretty much required to run a VFD controller without special accommodations. It, in turn, provides for the 240v 3ph needs of the motor. OneWay, for example, did offer a 120v option on their 1018 machine...probably some form of transformer setup, but I ran mine on 240v and never inquired as to how they actually did it.

I think it's great you want to build a bowl lathe...great project! Make it HEAVY. The more stable you make it, the better it will perform with larger projects, especially those that start out "out of round/balance"...

[Stuart Johnson]

You might give these folks a call and tell them your requirements. I will be buying a VS from them later this year if the accountant gives the go ahead. They aren't very good about answering emails but from what others have said they are very helpful on the phone. Don't let the ebay referene throw you off.

http://dealerselectric.com/