Reversing direction of old GE motor - Vacuum Pump record cutting lathe.

I had to replace the motor on an old vacuum pump for my record cutting lathe. The replacement motor I found on Craigslist rotated in the wrong direction (CW not CCW). I discovered it was possible to reverse direction of the motor by swapping 2 wires inside. This may only work with really old electric motors like this one that have separate starting coils and run coils.
Also, the replacement motor ran too fast so I installed an intermediate shaft and did a pulley reduction to get the replacement motor closer to the RPM of the motor that died.
The replacement motor also has a variable pulley installed (that was stuck in it's current position) but it could also be adjusted if I needed to get the overall RPM with belt reduction closer to the desired speed. A variable pulley is interesting in that there are two plates with angled faces pointing toward each other that when adjusted together closer, cause the belt to see a larger diameter pulley, and when adjusted further apart the belt sees a smaller diameter pulley.
One thing to note is that I intentionally left the belts loose since the intermediate shaft only has brass bushings not bearings - but I used what I had on hand.
Be sure to check out our website for all your emergency supply needs:
theepicenter.com

[@iadl65]

It was simple. Thank you for the suggestion to swap wires.

[@adriannaprolife1413]

Hi Bryan: You have a Van Eps pump. Originally, the motor was mounted to the right side of the pump (as you look to the fly wheel) on a flat board that secured both the pump and the motor. If you are using this to secure the blank disc on your lathe, you should have a large canister in the path between the pump and the lathe to even out fluctuations in the vacuum as the pump has bellows which produces a pulsating vacuum. The pulsations unfiltered can transfer to your disc in the cutting process.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Just saw your comment from last year. Sorry. I do have a swarf jar in the loop but I see your point. I might try adding a spare air compressor tank to the system to act as a pneumatic accumulator. Great idea.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Great input. I haven't run into that, probably because of my big chip jar. But it's worth adding an accumulator tank anyway. Found one recently for $15 at a garage sale.

[@jamesnicholson3313]

In case you didn't know this plate and large pulley containing the four pneumatic with inside and outside flap valves was once used to supply vacuum to the mechanism of a Reproducing piano known as AMPICO or DUO ART that played special piano rolls and these instruments were highly prized by collectors of mechanical music, what a waste of a lovely well made pneumatic pump due to the fact that the dwarf from the metal machining will get sucked in between the wooden ports and the leather surface of the flap valves making them less effective. Good luck.

[@jamiemarier5647]

I know it's an old thread, but the directions for reversing are actually under the other plate at the top of motor, stamped into the casing.

[@davidhigginbotham6092]

Thanks for showing us what you did... I am just as confused as before. oy

[@osvaldo8393]

I’m trying to do something similar making a leathe , but I’ll possibly add something like a belt tensioner from a vehicle to add and remove sandpaper
Probably switch out some pulleys I’ll see what I can formulate

[@colinprohasky7957]

Hey Bryan, Good presentation. But I'm really interested in seeing your record cutting lathe. Colin P.

[@EpicenterBryan]

There are a few unlisted videos. At some point I'll do some public ones for the channel.Drop me a PM and I'll send you a link.

[@noeljamieson3851]

if that wire was there and the other one there where is the other one??? Confusion!!!