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Thread: Picked up bowl turning lathe

  1. #1

    Picked up bowl turning lathe

    I picked up a bowl turning lathe at a school auction. No bed it is just for turning bowls with about a 18 swing. It came with a 3 phase 3/4 hp motor. I don't have 3 phase so I was wondering the options that I have. I would appreciate any thoughts on getting this up and running.

    Thanks
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
    Posts
    3,655
    Since you already have a 3 ph motor just buy a VFD (variable frequency drive-- takes single phase power in and puts out three phase with, as the name implies, controllable frequency) and you can have variable speed. Imports run under $100, less on places like ebay.

    3/4 HP is on the low side for bowls, you may want to consider a bigger motor if you find its not enough (people routinely turn much bigger bowls now than they used to it seems). I'd still go with a 2+ HP 3 ph motor and a VFD, I find variable speed to be too useful to want to be without it. The low speed on most old belt drive systems is too fast for many purposes, like power sanding.

  3. #3

    Choosing VFD and 2 HP Motor

    Quote Originally Posted by roger wiegand View Post
    Since you already have a 3 ph motor just buy a VFD (variable frequency drive-- takes single phase power in and puts out three phase with, as the name implies, controllable frequency) and you can have variable speed. Imports run under $100, less on places like ebay.

    3/4 HP is on the low side for bowls, you may want to consider a bigger motor if you find its not enough (people routinely turn much bigger bowls now than they used to it seems). I'd still go with a 2+ HP 3 ph motor and a VFD, I find variable speed to be too useful to want to be without it. The low speed on most old belt drive systems is too fast for many purposes, like power sanding.
    So after your response I have been looking for VFD and 2 motor combination and I'm confused for sure. Is there anyone that does a package deal with everything you need?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
    Posts
    3,655
    Any motor shop should be able to fix you up. Most people now seem to go the EBay/Amazon route because the cheap Chinese VFDs are way less expensive that what you are likely to find at a "real" motor shop (and by all reports work fine). If you search back through the archives here or on the AAW discussion forum you should be able to find some specific recommendations. The last time I bought one was in the early days of VFDs and it is a made-in-USA Baldor motor/VFD combination that cost probably several times what your lathe did, so not so useful for you. It has, however, functioned flawlessly for years.

    Perhaps if you re-post here with a title like "Need VFD advice for lathe" you will get more, more helpful responses.

  5. #5
    Thank you very much.

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