I have an 8" jointer with a 1.5 HP 1-ph motor.
I will be adding a helical head soon, and I know that that requires a bit more power than a knife head.
Yes, I realize that 1.5 HP isn't horribly anemic for an 8" jointer, but besides the helical head issue, (Which I'm adding to lower the noise as I have a neighbor from hell) I will be mostly face-jointing wide boards. I have a HUGE amount to process, and much of it is Hard Maple, so...
OK, so this is just me weighing my options:
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I'm thinking of getting a used 3 HP / 3 ph motor, and adding a VFD. My question concerns the pulleys & belts:
The current setup uses dual groove pulleys with M-style V-belts, which are 3/8" across.
I know that many 3 HP machines have used dual 4-L belts, which are 1/2" wide.
However, there is no room in the base opening to clear wider belts, and the cutterhead shaft might be a hair short for a wider pulley. So, I'd prefer to stay with the M-type belts & original pulleys. (less money to spend, as well.)
SO:
Q: Can two M-type belts handle a 3 HP motor, if it’s not being heavily stressed?
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