VFD Questions

[Brian Holcombe]

Appreciate the advice gents. I ended up ordering a rotary phase converter. I found it appealing that I could run any kind of three phase motor on it with only consideration being hp.

[Curt Harms]

Not that I'd recommend this for Brian, or any home DIYer for that matter, but lots of things are possible when you throw away the manual.

Not all of them good

I'm close to buying a VFD for a drill press. It has 5 speeds I'd like more especially on the low speed end. I'll be following this thread.

[Larry Edgerton]

..so yesterday I bought a J/P from Minimax to account for both needs it was available in single phase. That now diminishes my need for excess three phase power and I'm down to accounting for one machine, the 3hp Mortiser.

Very nice solution! A quality machine. What head does it have?

[Larry Edgerton]

Not all of them good

I'm close to buying a VFD for a drill press. It has 5 speeds I'd like more especially on the low speed end. I'll be following this thread.

I just put one on my Clausing with a two speed motor and a Reeves drive. I can get it down to 50 rpm now for short stints, something I needed to do for some restoration work with Versatex. Its nice, wish I had done it sooner.

[Brian Holcombe]

Very nice solution! A quality machine. What head does it have?

Thanks Larry! I went with a Tersa 4 knife head.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Not all of them good

I'm close to buying a VFD for a drill press. It has 5 speeds I'd like more especially on the low speed end. I'll be following this thread.

Dan did an excellent job detailing his efforts to install a VFD on his DP here. Well worth the read!

[Larry Edgerton]

Thanks Larry! I went with a Tersa 4 knife head.

I predict that you will love that head. I run Tersa brand carbide in mine, feel that they are more economical in the long run.

[Alan Lightstone]

Did it work? I'm keeping score.

I did for my other post you helped me with, John, so +1

[Alan Lightstone]

With a large planer though thats a lot of mass to stop so i suggest a drive that can use dc braking with a large resistor or a purchased braking module. Hitachi Wj200 or teco 7500 will do that. The Hitachis are real nice and have great control station modules.

Not to hijack the thread, Mike, but I've ordered several 7.5HP tools with DC braking. Is that an issue with my planned Phase Perfect converter?

[Alan Lightstone]

10HP planer, Brian??? I felt like the 7.5HP Felder was overkill. How big a slice are you planning on taking off at a time??? A foot??!!??

I'm not worthy.... I'm not worthy...

[Brian Holcombe]

I predict that you will love that head. I run Tersa brand carbide in mine, feel that they are more economical in the long run.

Absolutely! Very much looking forward to it. I plan to use mainly HSS, but likely have a set of carbide knives as well for the occasions that I run harder woods. Often I work with softwoods or softer hardwoods.

[Brian Holcombe]

10HP planer, Brian??? I felt like the 7.5HP Felder was overkill. How big a slice are you planning on taking off at a time??? A foot??!!??

I'm not worthy.... I'm not worthy...

Exactly why I dumped my plan for a 10hp planer, just required far too much electric on single phase. I would need to run a 70amp breaker and #4 wire. Seemed a bit ridiculous in my case, so I decided instead that I would go with a Minimax FS 41 Elite S which is currently in transit. The motor is a bit more what I'm used to, drawing a max 30 amps.

It would also require a 20hp converter, ugh.

Big HP motors seem much more reasonable to run on true 3ph electric.

[Larry Edgerton]

Absolutely! Very much looking forward to it. I plan to use mainly HSS, but likely have a set of carbide knives as well for the occasions that I run harder woods. Often I work with softwoods or softer hardwoods.

If you head speed is like my SCM planer you do not have to run 4 carbides, I run two and two dull HS with no noticable difference in cut quality. The carbide I believe, as does Joe Calhoon, cuts better than the M42.

As it was explained to me, because the carbide in an insert like the Tersa knives does not need to be braised it can be finer grained, no need for places for the braise to grab on to. I have noticed the same thing with insert cutters, the carbide seems sharper.

Curious to hear your impressions when you get to play with it. I respect you opinion as well.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks for your insights on this Larry! I may well try that out, ideally I'd like to have one setup that I can use for the majority of the material that I plane.

I've noticed that with solid carbide cutters for my router, they do cut better than braised insert cutters. I had wondered if it were entirely cutting geometry or if they were simply better material.

I'll likely add them in with my first or second order of cutters, the HSS cutters are going to earn their keep for a little while.

[Bill Dufour]

For most big wwing machines a VFD does not need to use power braking. Who cares how long it takes a planer or jointer to coast to a stop? Might be important on a tablesaw, definitely on a drill press for some operations.
Bill