PM45 / Rockwell 46-450 Motor Help Needed by Newbie

[Dan Cobian]

Finally found two lathes I can afford and are close enough to pick up myself without having to pay $$$ for shipping... Unfortunately both are 3 Phase. Can I replace either of the motors in a Powermatic 45 or a Rockwell 46-450 with an affordable 110v motor? I know I can buy a Phase converter but I am active duty and hate having to wire every new place with 220v. I've moved 5 times in the last 7 years.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Don Carter]

Dan:
I cannot help you with your motor problem but I am sure someone will come along here that can.

I would like welcome you to the forum. There are many experienced people here that give great advice.

I would also like to thank you for your service to our country.

All the best and Merry Christmas.

Don

[Rick Phelan]

Dear Newbie,

Can't believe somebody didn't pick this up before now. At any rate, you can certainly replace the 46-450 3 phase with a single phase 110, but keep the original motor if you can, so you can return the machine to its original condition prior to parting with it, if that's ever the case. All you need is to find a 3/4 - 1 hp, frame 66Y, with a 3/4" shaft. If the pulley you now have is cut for a key, then look for a shaft with likewise dimensioned way cut into it. Easy as pie and as I was told when I started to restore mine, you're looking at a $4,000 lathe when it is up and running.

Welcome to the Creek and please be nice to your Canadian counterparts out there - one of them could be my nephew.

Regards,

Rick

[Alex Shanku]

Freq drives are available for about $150 w/ 2 year warranty. You can run your 3 phase motor from standard 220v single phase, plus you have the added benefit of true variable speed.

[Bob Hallowell]

If the motor is a 3p 1hp or less you can go with the ac drive for $120 plus have variable speed. It's 115v

http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.193/.f?category=30

Bob

[Dan Cobian]

Thank you all (Especially Rick)!!! What a great site. Been here many times before, but this was my first post and it has reaped huge returns. I'll be going with the 46-450 and the 110v motor. Can anyone recommend a good place to buy a 110v 1 hp motor? Again, Thanks everyone- I hope to get the lathe this weekend if the price doesn't climb too high...

-Dan

[Dan Cobian]

Armed with the info from this thread, I started to look at Grainger for a motor. Can anyone tell me what speed to get?

-Dan

[Dan Cobian]

Bob,

Apologies for, what must be to all of you, a simple question. I want to make sure that I get this right. The 110V 66Y frame is proving difficult to find and almost $300 when I do find it. I looked at the link you sent me- very appealing. So that I understnad this correcly, it looks like I hardwire the 220v/3-phase to the FM50-101-C and then plug the FM50 into the wall (110 v wall outlet) . And I can adjust the speed via the FM50?

Is there a down side? Seems like it falls in the too good to be true category.

-Dan

[Bob Hallowell]

Bob,

Apologies for, what must be to all of you, a simple question. I want to make sure that I get this right. The 110V 66Y frame is proving difficult to find and almost $300 when I do find it. I looked at the link you sent me- very appealing. So that I understnad this correcly, it looks like I hardwire the 220v/3-phase to the FM50-101-C and then plug the FM50 into the wall (110 v wall outlet) . And I can adjust the speed via the FM50?

Is there a down side? Seems like it falls in the too good to be true category.

-Dan

Yep, I have the 2hp 220v 3ph to 220v 1ph. They only make the 220v 3ph to 110v up to 1hp thats why I asked what size motor is on it.

Few things you should know-
with the motor you have you will lose some toqure at lower speeds- but that shouldn't be a problem as you can use the belt changes or reeves drive to get you to your lowest speed then use the vfd (variable freqency drive) to lower it from there and you shouldn't lose much torque that way.
If you are unsure how the work a quick ex would be, say your lowest speed is 600rpm using existing pulleys and your vfd is set at 60hz then your spindle will still spin at 600rpm. Turn you vfd down to 30hz and your speed would be 300rpm whick is a better speed to start turning a bowl at. You can go lower but each decrease in hz beyond that will give you less toruqe.

- you can adjust the speed right on the unit or do what I did and mount controls right on my lathe to torn it on, fwd, rev and adjust speed. I have mine with just on pulley belted to 1050rpm and range my vfd to 10hz to 130hz but I have a motor specificaly design for a vfd. I range from about 100rpm to 2300 rpm

You can see in the pic my remote controls and the vfd mounted on the wall.

Bob

[Dan Cobian]

Thanks again Bob! Here are specs and pix of the lathe I'm looking at:


Series No. 46-450
Serial No. 1617832
12x40
Variable Speed:
340-600-1000-1800-3200 RPM
1 HP
220V
3 phase

Any recommendations from anyone on what my highest offer should be (realizing that I'll have to spend another $120 on an AC Drive). The up side is that it is driving distance from me so I can save $$ on shipping.

[Rick Phelan]

Dan, on looking closer, mine is older than yours I think. It has the handwheel adjuster for the spindle speed, not the lever. Not sure if that makes it a different model no. or not (?). Was told mines's a 46-450, though. At any rate, congrats again and I am no watching this thread, I think.

\Rick

[Lyle W. Kerr]

I see it has been a while since anyone has posted to this thread, but does anyone possibly have some feed back on the FM50's? Install time, reliability etc. I just picked up a 46-450 Rockwell lathe today and was going to replace the motor but this seems like a far batter idea. Also does anyone know the amperage draw on the 110V 1HP motor?

I have been coming to Sawmill for info for a while and decided it was time to sign up. Great posts on here!

[Paul Atkins]

I have the 46-611 with 115v motor rated at 13.4 amps -plenty of hp and variable speed pulley.