Startrite t30 Spindle moulder 240v advice please :-)

[Sundaydriver]

Diagram of same

 

[Sundaydriver]

I’m now looking for cutter block & knives advice please.
I’m seeing WHITEHILL a lot, I’m aware CMT are a good make maybe. eBay can be scary.
Doors
I’m wanting to make doors in a traditional way , so mortice tenon, raised panel stuff maybe ?
I’m open to ideas.
Which to buy
I find online choices very very confusing, and I think I’d like to start simply with a basic cutter to get me started on this machine.
Simple projects to ease me into it.

 

[deema]

I’d start off with a rebate block and a 40mm profile block. As long as your buying modern safety blocks, ie pins and wedges (I would avoid serrated and wedge) then you can buy any named brand. It’s just a block, it’s not like a router bit, apart from dropping it on the floor, there isn’t anything to go wrong. I’d also try and buy aluminium blocks, steel create a better cut, but for a home machine on single phase aluminium has lower mass so requires less energy to start and stop it.

In have blocks from everywhere, KWO, CMT, Axminster, Wadkin, Whitehill, Wealdon etc etc.

 

[Sundaydriver]

I’d start off with a rebate block and a 40mm profile block. As long as your buying modern safety blocks, ie pins and wedges (I would avoid serrated and wedge) then you can buy any named brand. It’s just a block, it’s not like a router bit, apart from dropping it on the floor, there isn’t anything to go wrong. I’d also try and buy aluminium blocks, steel create a better cut, but for a home machine on single phase aluminium has lower mass so requires less energy to start and stop it.

In have blocks from everywhere, KWO, CMT, Axminster, Wadkin, Whitehill, Wealdon etc etc.

Thanks

 

[Sundaydriver]

Update , just popped down to Bristol to see the Startrite, and it all seems fine until he starts it up. Makes a hell of a noise. So we turn it off and rotate the spindle by hand, there’s a growling bearing. Damn.
He’s fine with the noise, fair enough, but it’s not something I can live with and it won’t work with my neighbours. It’s really loud before you’re cutting.
Anyone had experience of replacing the bearings on these ? What cost am I likely in for ? Happy to do it myself, if I know it’s not nigh impossible to get the parts, and the tooling to press out the bearing.

 

[HOJ]

To be honest sounds like a whole lot of trouble to me, whats the wear and tear like on everything else , might be one of the reasons he had to have it on 32A breaker.

 

[guineafowl21]

To be honest sounds like a whole lot of trouble to me, whats the wear and tear like on everything else , might be one of the reasons he had to have it on 32A breaker.

Yes, my thoughts as well. Growling bearings should have been mentioned in the sale text.

I looked at a T30 a few years ago - seems to be Robland using the Startrite name for an image of quality. I nearly bought it, as it seemed a useful machine with the sliding table.

With the bearings and presumably other wear, you’re looking at a project machine, so that should be reflected in the price.

 

[deema]

Unless you disconnected the belt it could be the front end bearing of the motor. Thats an easy change, and it will be a standard jelly bean part, so inexpensive (I’d change the rear motor bearing the same time).

If it is the spindle bearing do you have a schematic? It’s hard to comment without seeing how it’s out together. I haven’t ’played’
with this model of machine, but, what I can say is replacing bearings isn’t usually that difficult of it doesn’t require aluminium steel parts being pulled apart as they can fuse together making life ‘interesting’!.

 

[Sundaydriver]

Unless you disconnected the belt it could be the front end bearing of the motor. Thats an easy change, and it will be a standard jelly bean part, so inexpensive (I’d change the rear motor bearing the same time).

If it is the spindle bearing do you have a schematic? It’s hard to comment without seeing how it’s out together. I haven’t ’played’
with this model of machine, but, what I can say is replacing bearings isn’t usually that difficult of it doesn’t require aluminium steel parts being pulled apart as they can fuse together making life ‘interesting’!.

Ok, good info. There’s no alloy apart from the fence and sliding table components. It’s very chunky, and is a 3hp confirmed with motor plate photo.
I could say ye or nay on this just now. I don’t want a Sedgwick weight/size machine… I won’t do it justice. I know your world is cast iron is a must, minimum a ton lol.
I just need this to make kitchen doors , and then it’ll come in handy here n there. If I get into it seriously then of course I could look again.
I was disappointed that you can’t alter the speed. It is 100% fixed at 6000 rpm. No belt change to smaller pulleys atall.
But I’m not sure that is an issue, maybe if I was in business, and needed the speed.
I’m not likely to add a power feed either.


So if I suggested £75 off to fix , do you think that’s fair ?

 

[Sundaydriver]

Diagram of same

 

[Sundaydriver]

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ukworkshop/data/attach/163/163164-IMG-0610.jpeg

Looks like N506 x 2 , or motor as you say

 

[deema]

K606, the pulley may be aluminium and the spindle is probably steel. It looks like it has to come off to get at the bearings. It doesn’t look too difficult to do. The bearings look to be pressed in. I’d look how much they are as they will be big, so they won’t be £10 each!

Have you looked at a Sedgwick SM3? They are about the same size, there was one on eBay for not much money recently. Another alternative, but very rare is the baby SCM (think it’s T100) that usually sell for absolutely peanuts.

 

[deema]

There is a T100 on eBay for £300. However it’s missing the top cover that holds the shaw guard (must have to be safe so would need something fabrication) I’m almost certain the sliding table was standard and really, really nice, but us also missing. It bolted on the side.

 

[deema]

There is also another Startrite machine on eBay for £300.

 

[deema]

The Sedgwick SM3 sold on eBay, it’s the one I was think of.

This sold for less than £800 and included two blocks. One is a Whitehill cill block which are a fortune (£350 new) and the other is a planer / deep rebate block (looks like CMT so around £159 new) again not cheap with a follower bearing. So the spindle sold for less than £300! If you take off the new cost of the blocks, or less than £500 if the buyer sells the blocks!!

It also had the optional sliding table that is very expensive. Indeed if the buyer sells the blocks and sliding table the spindle is probably free!!

 

[Sundaydriver]

There is a T100 on eBay for £300. However it’s missing the top cover that holds the shaw guard (must have to be safe so would need something fabrication) I’m almost certain the sliding table was standard and really, really nice, but us also missing. It bolted on the side.

It’s three phase though. And sold as seen.

 

[Sundaydriver]

Ok, I had actually paid for the T30, all sorted now, got a full refund. So I’m on the hunt again

 

[deema]

Ok, I had actually paid for the T30, all sorted now, got a full refund. So I’m on the hunt again

Well done, good call.

 

[Sundaydriver]

Regardless of price, these any good ?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20477173...pgosakvrdq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[deema]

Not sure why, but the spindle I highlighted earlier is back on eBay. The Sedgwick you’ve highlighted is a model I’ve never seen before.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29649553...8mfAKrtRtW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY