Jet 1220 speed control?? Any ideas

[HeliGav]

I have a jet lathe 1220, this has a band system for selecting speeds. At the moment to be honest the stuff ive made has always been around the same size and i have never changed the band from the factory, i do everything on it sanding etc the same speed. The results seem ok but of course I have no one to compare to. Is there any after market parts / electrics to change speed to avoid switching the band. Also with a lathe this size and the size objects u can make does it have any significant advantages
Thanks?

 

[nev]

re: speeds in general
the smaller and thinner the work the higher the speed
the bigger and heavier and out of balance the slower the speed
sanding is done on the slower speed (you will reduce your sandpaper usage drastically too)

 

[MMUK]

You can alter the speed by using a controller to raise or lower the current into the motor. I could probably build a plug and play unit for you but it won't be at least until the week after Christmas.

 

[HeliGav]

How much would this cost and what parts would I need? Maplins?

 

[CHJ]

.... Is there any after market parts / electrics to change speed to avoid switching the band. ...

In a word no, the motor on your lathe is an induction motor and has a fixed synchronous speed tied to the mains 50HZ frequency. (Most likely 2850rpm, possibly 1425.)
Any attempt to slow it down by causing the rotor to loose synchronisation lock and slip is likely to risk it consuming a high current with little or no useful work output.

The 1220 VS version has a different motor and electronic controller.

 

[NikNak]

Hi HeliGav....

Only help i can offer is to say i also have a 1220.... but the vs version.

It is variable speed, but strangely i suspect like yours, also has 6 belt positions.... so will go slow enough to allow me to do thread chasing, but also (on a different pulley) fast enough to burnish the most stubborn of materials.



Nick

 

[chipmunk]

I have both a variable speed lathe (Jet 1642) and a non-VS Jet mini (actually the 1014) and I don't find that changing the belt on my Jet mini is all that bad really, once you get the hang of it.

My VS lathe also has a belt to change the speed range and so there is no real panacea.
(Nova DVR-XP owners may be tempted to feel smug here having no belt to change but that push button control panel on their lathes is not a patch on a real analogue knob! :twisted: (hammer))

I'd recommend you just try getting into the habit of changing speeds with your belt.

As a guide I always try to slow the lathe down for sanding to stop heat checking and crank up the speed for the turning and polishing.

But you know electronic variable speed (EVS) is a pretty new thing and turners have been working with belts and limited speeds for many years.

HTH
Jon