Disaster

[kirkpoore1]

No Kirk, just did some balancing with my cheapy powered plane with it stationary first. I do not like relying on mechanical muscle to restrain out of balance, and especially with a machine with such lightweight bearings etc. (something drummed into me at age 16)

Certainly that's the best policy. I haven't done bowls, but I had an eight pound piece of oak I was starting to turn come flying out of my old lathe one time--busted my tool rest then flew right by my head. Fortunately, I was just reaching down to turn off the lathe and move the belt to a slower setting, and that took me out of the line of fire.

We do have the occasional machine over here with heavy Reeves drives although 3ph electronic drives are more in current evidence.

Heres one from the late 1990's (once owned by member Blister) still going strong.

That's a very heavy Reeves drive--I bet it's smoooooth, though. Cast iron? Doesn't look like aluminum. Yes, the electronic drives (variable frequency drives/VFD's) are the wave of the future. A combo is the best of both works--low end torque from a belt and convenience from the VFD.

My lathe is a 60's era Delta that I rebuilt last spring. Here's a look:

I added a VFD in the same location where the old magnetic starter lived:

I still need a new speed handle, but it works just fine. I just wish I had more time for turning to take advantage of it.

Colin, as Chas says, your lathe should be OK as long as you pay close attention to it and don't overload. And when you sell it to the next guy after upgrading, you can give him a better education in maintenance than he'll ever get out of the book.

Kirk

 

[CHJ]

That's a beautiful hunk of machinery Kirk, shame to get it dirty, best of both worlds with that drive flexibility.

Yes cast iron, my current main machine (later version of the above has a high torque 3ph drive, not as posh as yours though.

The mechanical one has a slow speed motor (6pole 950rpm) the reason it can get away with smaller pulley range.

 

[kirkpoore1]

That's a beautiful hunk of machinery Kirk, shame to get it dirty, best of both worlds with that drive flexibility.

Yes cast iron, my current main machine (later version of the above has a high torque 3ph drive, not as posh as yours though.

The mechanical one has a slow speed motor (6pole 950rpm) the reason it can get away with smaller pulley range.

"Posh"--I like that. But it didn't start out posh, that's for sure, just cheap:

(Full story here.)
Kirk

 

[CHJ]

That's a great make-over Kirk, I can see many lost hours in my future browsing that site. Thanks for the link.