just to update, i killed the original treadmill motor. They do not like to be run in reverse because the brushes are on an angle to the commutator. The way mine is set up it runs the motor in reverse to go forward. I replaced it with a much larger 3hp motor designed to spin either direction found here for $43. www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/DC-Motors/Special-Purpose-DC-Motors/3-HP-Icon-Health-And-Fitness-Treadmill-Motor-F-309513-ZDY116-MNT-081-10-3048.axd
Is the lathe maintaining rpm under load or slowing down? If yes, is the slowdown considerable? FYI, I found out recently that treadmill controllers do not output full power the motor is rated for as it would spin too fast for anyone to keep up the pace.
A++ thanks this seems pire priced i was thinking of using a chevy hybrid motor used were the altinaterrr mounts on trucks and few cars hard to look up as i ferget name of them. or converting a altuinator..be blessed pardon my grimmer grammurr ;] Be blessed
Nice friggin job! That's excellent, man. Once I learned about the free gold mine that a discarded treadmill is I peeled my eyes. Next day I found my first. Have a pile of motors and pieces/parts now. And, a list of machines to build.... I love seeing all the videos of treadmill motor upgrades. It warms my heart. Gonna search your channel now and see what else you've done. 🤖
Very nicely done. 👏👏👏 I'd never heard about the problems with treadmill motors lasting long when running backwards. I guess if it had the diagonal brushes one could readily hear a difference in sound when running forward versus backward. Really liked the aluminum work to make the pulley - that's something I'd like to learn to do. Great video.
I did this to my lathe 2 years ago. I found the treadmill speed control limited the maximum amps (and power) to the motor and it didn't produce full power. This was also confirmed by the size of the power cord and the fuse amps of the original controller. I used a KB Electronics speed control I found on eBay. It allows me to adjust the maximum current, ramp up, ramp down, and mine even has an adjustable dynamic brake and forward / reverse built into the controller. Almost forgot, I also have a jog switch, too.
flip your threading tool over... upside down. and cut inside to out to cut threads, no more crashes. have to change your feed dir and your spindle dir.
Excellent video. Using a TM motor & controller for a ball mill project. Am impressed wit how easy they are to use and repurpose. I am just about to spring for a lathe. After seeing your video, it will be the first thing i modify. Many thanks Kevin
Thanks for the video...great work. I just drug home s free "commercial" Nodictrack with a big 4.25 CHP motor. I'll run this with my 40's 12" Craftsman Lathe.... Using your video!!!!!
I have a really old atlas mid thirties, early 40s and have got this plan after i finish restoration. I bet you havent seen a atlas with a 8foot bed. Ive only seen this one thats why i bought it. But anyway great job on conversion ❤
Nice job! I use these TM motors on almost every machine in my shop! Next Tim though instead of welding the pulley you could do what we called a Dutch screw at my old job. You drill & tap between the pulley and the shaft but parallel to it from the end. I know it sound jandy but it works and if you use a set screw n one will see it and you can take it on and off pretty easily!! 😊
Great information, thanks for putting it up. I have a treadmill motor and components I just stripped down and looking for it's next home. Possibly on the Atlas 618 I just got.
Hi again, have you done any heavy work on the lathe yet? I am asking because one thing missing from the equation using the treadmill motor is torque multiplication. For example my lathe motor is rated at 2hp, 1425rpm @50 hertz so when my lathe is running at 1425 rpm I have 2 hp at the chuck but if I change the gearing down to say 142 rpm (it makes for an easier example) then the torque is multiplied by a factor of 10 effectively giving me the torque of a 20 hp motor. As I said in my previous post I am converting my drill press as it only has a 1/2 hp motor so I think a 2 hp treadmill motor will be more than enough and the extra convenience of being able to dial in the speeds will be so useful. I would appreciate your thoughts on this as you have converted your lathe and you said it has plenty of torque at low speed but have you tried machining at low speed. Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺
Snowblower gear box if you can find one, not sure where in Straya you are at, I know up in the mountains they get snow. Maybe check scrapyards if ya can
Nice informative video... thank you. I am going to attempt to do the same conversion to my Aussie made Premo Mk.2 lathe from the 1950’s I’m now subscribed 👍
Cool idea to cast your own aluminum pulley. I was hoping you didn’t use aluminum from cans. But you did it right. Good job. I have a Southbend heavy 10L that I’m upgrading to a 4.25 hp continuous duty treadmill motor. I’m using Dazecars (TH-cam) SCR speed controller with electric break and forward/reverse switch. Then Clough42 electronic lead screw (also TH-cam). Check out these guys. Why did you leave the flywheel on? Just curious. Paul
I'll soon be buying a vintage LeBlond Regal that's advertised "for parts", so I assume some gears might be missing. Since i plan to use one of my treadmill motors to drive it, could I get away with removing all the gears and direct drive the spindle with the treadmill motor and just own the responsibility to not over speed it? I also plan to make it CNC, so I think I won't ever need any of the gears, but I too am no machinist.
Really like your DC conversion How much noise is from the headstock gears vs the motor and controller...? I was concerned about torgue but you put that one to sleep....going from 7 hp down to 1 1/2 will sure require some cooling fans...!....after watching this I'm pumped and ready...not sure how PMDC motors are rated...mine is very similar to a baldor DC....and has a vent fan....have you tried any other DC controllers? I will be using a commercial one...
Josh, I may have missed it. Is the drum switch wired directly to the motor? ie. the drum switch connects, disconnects and reverses the power from the controller output to the motor.
A really useful video so thanks for making it. I am looking to do the conversion to my drill press, it’s very similar to yours, and I change speed on the drill more often than my lathe. The motor from the treadmill I have (believe it or not it was sitting by the side of the road. Got it home and it works perfectly.) is 240v ac switched to 180v dc. In your opinion, having done a conversion do you think it’s worthwhile and will you be converting your drill? Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺
Good job. I’m currently doing the same with my Southbend 10L and a 4.25 hp Leili treadmill motor. I didn’t see how you coupled the motor to the lathe shaft. Didn’t your original motor drive an intermediate shaft which in turn drove the spindle? I need to use a two stage pulley system to step down the rpm. 1. 5175 rpm motor connects to a 3” grooved pulley by belt. This pulley is fixed to a 2” pulley. 2. The 2” pulley is connected to an 8” pulley by belt. This turns the shaft at 528 rpm. But I didn’t see how your motor drove anything. The shaft was above. Any advice will be appreciated. Paul
@@HsPerformanceWi the motor getting hot concerns me so I'm putting a temp gauge and thermo switch on my 1 1/2 hp DC motor...I'm told there is a normal operating range but I haven't found that spec yet...obviously the cooler the better....I'm still worried how a small DC motor can replace a 7 hp 3 phase...it takes someone to push these boundaries to get real answers....thanks for pressing on...
@@HsPerformanceWi I'll be tearing into my colchster very soon....I have a 25kw 3 ph gm diesel I'll see if it still makes smoke and sparks...unfortunately anything left idle becomes pack rat habitat...so the 25kw is a wild card...obviously we are off grid and powering anything off our panels gets a cool thumbs up...starting a noisey 2-61 wjth a blower is really stressful noise...!
for anyone still reading this old thread... Tailstock pressed up against the work can prevent a chuck dethreading crash. Also having a variable speed motor can allow a slow ramp up which is also helpful. Looked at many alternatives for physically restraining it. Problem is - that I am oft changing chucks - and it would have to work for them all. Currently I'm getting my motor changed out to a DC treadmill motor. It was underpowered anyway with only 1/2 HP -- although I recently found out that the DC motors from treadmills require significant derating. So to boost the power any I need at least 2.5 HP treadmill motor - and have one lined up to pick it up tomorrow. Looking forward to being able to turn threads in an opposite direction - so as to reduce risk of 'crashing'.
I didn't do cooling fan,,, the treadmill didn't have one on it,,, was an older treadmill with simple m60 board and touch and hold speed control so I used the whole panel works out very well,,
This is the third time watching your video and I thank you for it. I don't suppose you'd be willing to cast a cake pan blank and turn the pulley for me, would you? I scored a rusty 12 x 36 Craftsman lathe from Craigslist and someone cobbled up a - get this - a 1/6 horse motor for it. Do you think the pulley I need (or one close to it) is available through commercial channels?
what kind of motor controller are you using? is it SRC voltage control or something else? how do you reverse again? a drum switch did I hear that right? I have exactly the same lathe and I'm just picking up dead treadmill tomorrow...
Nicely done. Kudos I am doing a treadmill conversion with an identical motor and need a 34 inch belt. The original 8 rib belt is a 126134. It can be found everywhere but I have not seen info that would help me find a similar but longer. What should I be looking for poly-V? Metric, non metric etc. Thanks.
I think you did a great job on the new pulley from the casting to the finished product. I want to use a Treadmill motor for a project of mine but the cost on eBay is too much. I saw the link for the motor you added, thank you, do they also sell the controller needed to run the motor? Knowing what controller and how to wire it is the biggest issue for me and I'm sure for others. Thanks for sharing.
thank you, the wiring of the controller is pretty simple lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l2MC56_QmPw/VUbf7c0XJ1I/AAAAAAAANck/HXWMw91hJLU/w712-h457-no/MC-60%2Bwiring.jpg the controllers are the expensive part, hence sourcing them from treadmills is the best option
Loved the video and information given....very helpful! Can U elaborate as to What was done to Kill the treadmill motor?.....why/how it happened etc....so that others may either design accordingly or Not do whatever U did to kill it. Also, how is the New 3HP motor holding up?....were any mods done so that it isnt Killed like the last motor? thnx
Thanks for the compliments! The reason my treadmill motor failed is that most but not all are designed to spin counter clockwise. The brush holders are angled in that direction, and it wears the motor brushes rapidly. The new motor is a true bi-directional with the brushes perpendicular to the armature. If there were more room in the cabinet I would have mounted the motor facing the opposite direction to correct the rotation. With the motor turning its intended direction during normal use it would be fine with the small amount you actually use reverse.
@@HsPerformanceWi Thnx, thats Great information! Are U happy with the new 3HP motor?....any reason to have gone with the larger 3.5 or 4.25HP motors?....OR, reasons Not to?
@@martih7533 bigger is always better right? lol. I believe the 3hp is on the upper limit of what the controller can handle, the motor controller itself is the real benefit to using treadmill parts because of the cost to buy them outright is expensive. I am quite satisfied with the power of the 3hp on this small lathe, there is probably enough torque for the machine to self destruct if abused properly. I was in a position where i needed to purchase a new motor and with any of my contraptions I prefer to upgrade components instead of just replacing them.
Thanks for sharing that! I'm about to try using a treadmill motor. On your lathe: I yesterday saw one like that on CL for $450, but noticed the bed ways were not V, but flat (outside guides hold carriage true?) Do you think non- V bed ways give adequate tolerances, or should I hold out for V ways? I appreciate your time!
It really depends on the wear and condition of the machine in question and the tolerances you want to hold. if taken care of a flat way machine is just a good
@@totallyjonesin don't think so. have you been looking around? it had NO tooling and was pre quick-change gear box. I thought it fair, not a steal though.
Thanks, kinda guessed that is what it was. I'm about to convert my Atlas 10100 6"using basically the same motor but an original 3 step motor pulley as the 101 uses a 1/4" belt. I am also using a Mach Tach tachometer that displays RPMs, Surface Feet per Minute (SFM), and Surface Meters per Minute (SMM) using inch and mm diameter entry. A little more pricey but I have one on my Taig mill and love it.
I have the identical lathe, but branded as an Atlas. Do you have some specs on this fantastic mod that you can share? Thank you in advance and great video and idea!
still working great, and is used almost daily. It really depends how stingy you are, I'd do it this way again because I have maybe $60 invested. I enjoy making things work with what ya got
Very well done! Personally, i would have moved the controls to either in front/to the left side in a swing arm, or further to the right above/behind. Having it in the position you have it now would make me weary of having to reach over the chuck and workpiece when stopping or changing speeds. Given that you most likely stand in line with the carriage when turning. Maybe something like one of those wall mounted monitor arms? Just my $0.02 Keep on making!
@@HsPerformanceWi ok I ordered one and it’s almost 50 pounds with the backplate. I have the same lathe. That’s not too much for the spindle to handle? Lol I already blew up my ac 1/2 horse motor
@@electropancake1554 ITS TO BIG .when 900 rpm's come up BOMB is the reward. when he hit 430 you could hear bearing stress.. i have 3 lathes 28 inch swing is my little one.
The motor died because it is rated as continuous duty at full rpm. Anything less than that and it does not get enough cooling air and it will overheat. Running a treadmill motor slowly will kill it, it's just a matter of time.
I'm no expert on motors, but it seems strange to me that any treadmill would ever be expected to run at full rpm, all the time. Why would it be designed that way?
Great job. What do you think killed the original motor? Was it low speed work? What was the original HP? I want to do this conversion on my mill. Thanks for sharing!
I should have worded that differently, The original 1/3 hp AC motor didn't fail, it was in good working condition when i converted the lathe. The 1.5 hp treadmill motor died because the brush holders are at an angle in relationship to the armature, and i was running it in reverse to power the lathe forward.This makes the brushes wear very rapidly. The new larger motor has the bushes oriented perpendicular to run in either direction.
just to update, i killed the original treadmill motor. They do not like to be run in reverse because the brushes are on an angle to the commutator. The way mine is set up it runs the motor in reverse to go forward. I replaced it with a much larger 3hp motor designed to spin either direction found here for $43. www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/DC-Motors/Special-Purpose-DC-Motors/3-HP-Icon-Health-And-Fitness-Treadmill-Motor-F-309513-ZDY116-MNT-081-10-3048.axd
Awesome video and thanks for the update Joshua.
Great job, impressed with the use of Safety features.
Is the lathe maintaining rpm under load or slowing down? If yes, is the slowdown considerable?
FYI, I found out recently that treadmill controllers do not output full power the motor is rated for as it would spin too fast for anyone to keep up the pace.
A++ thanks this seems pire priced i was thinking of using a chevy hybrid motor used were the altinaterrr mounts on trucks and few cars hard to look up as i ferget name of them. or converting a altuinator..be blessed pardon my grimmer grammurr ;] Be blessed
3 HP????
Nice friggin job! That's excellent, man. Once I learned about the free gold mine that a discarded treadmill is I peeled my eyes. Next day I found my first. Have a pile of motors and pieces/parts now. And, a list of machines to build.... I love seeing all the videos of treadmill motor upgrades. It warms my heart. Gonna search your channel now and see what else you've done. 🤖
Very nicely done. 👏👏👏 I'd never heard about the problems with treadmill motors lasting long when running backwards.
I guess if it had the diagonal brushes one could readily hear a difference in sound when running forward versus backward.
Really liked the aluminum work to make the pulley - that's something I'd like to learn to do.
Great video.
I did this to my lathe 2 years ago. I found the treadmill speed control limited the maximum amps (and power) to the motor and it didn't produce full power. This was also confirmed by the size of the power cord and the fuse amps of the original controller. I used a KB Electronics speed control I found on eBay. It allows me to adjust the maximum current, ramp up, ramp down, and mine even has an adjustable dynamic brake and forward / reverse built into the controller. Almost forgot, I also have a jog switch, too.
do you have a link to the controller? sounds handy!
which KB controller did you use John?
This is a wonderful vid. It's what YT used to be. Sharing info. I'm looking for a Treadmill drive for my Craftsman 101.27580 12X24.
You earned my sub.
flip your threading tool over... upside down. and cut inside to out to cut threads, no more crashes. have to change your feed dir and your spindle dir.
Excellent video.
Using a TM motor & controller for a ball mill project. Am impressed wit how easy they are to use and repurpose.
I am just about to spring for a lathe. After seeing your video, it will be the first thing i modify.
Many thanks
Kevin
Absolute props to you for all of this . Novice maybe , very modest person by the sounds of things 👌🏼😊
Thanks for the video...great work. I just drug home s free "commercial" Nodictrack with a big 4.25 CHP motor. I'll run this with my 40's 12" Craftsman Lathe.... Using your video!!!!!
Sweet little conversion, thanks for sharing!
I have a really old atlas mid thirties, early 40s and have got this plan after i finish restoration. I bet you havent seen a atlas with a 8foot bed. Ive only seen this one thats why i bought it. But anyway great job on conversion ❤
Nice job! I use these TM motors on almost every machine in my shop! Next Tim though instead of welding the pulley you could do what we called a Dutch screw at my old job. You drill & tap between the pulley and the shaft but parallel to it from the end. I know it sound jandy but it works and if you use a set screw n one will see it and you can take it on and off pretty easily!! 😊
Great idea on the end driven set screw. Almost like a key way...
Great information, thanks for putting it up. I have a treadmill motor and components I just stripped down and looking for it's next home. Possibly on the Atlas 618 I just got.
Hi again, have you done any heavy work on the lathe yet? I am asking because one thing missing from the equation using the treadmill motor is torque multiplication. For example my lathe motor is rated at 2hp, 1425rpm @50 hertz so when my lathe is running at 1425 rpm I have 2 hp at the chuck but if I change the gearing down to say 142 rpm (it makes for an easier example) then the torque is multiplied by a factor of 10 effectively giving me the torque of a 20 hp motor. As I said in my previous post I am converting my drill press as it only has a 1/2 hp motor so I think a 2 hp treadmill motor will be more than enough and the extra convenience of being able to dial in the speeds will be so useful. I would appreciate your thoughts on this as you have converted your lathe and you said it has plenty of torque at low speed but have you tried machining at low speed. Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺
Snowblower gear box if you can find one, not sure where in Straya you are at, I know up in the mountains they get snow. Maybe check scrapyards if ya can
Nice informative video... thank you. I am going to attempt to do the same conversion to my Aussie made Premo Mk.2 lathe from the 1950’s
I’m now subscribed 👍
Very nice job, thank you for putting up this video sir.
Second comment from me: I've heard it's wise to mount the controller on a wood block, as it will ground out if not. Have I heard right?
I did a 1 hp treadmill motor on my wood lathe,,,thinking about doing one on my 12 x 36 atlas ,,,what hp did you use?
cast own pulley! love it! what you think about casting a bell from range pickup gun brass?
I really like what you done to your lathe, I am getting set up to do this to my lathe. What size is your furnace and crucible. Thanks
Cool idea to cast your own aluminum pulley. I was hoping you didn’t use aluminum from cans. But you did it right. Good job.
I have a Southbend heavy 10L that I’m upgrading to a 4.25 hp continuous duty treadmill motor. I’m using Dazecars (TH-cam) SCR speed controller with electric break and forward/reverse switch. Then Clough42 electronic lead screw (also TH-cam). Check out these guys.
Why did you leave the flywheel on? Just curious.
Paul
I'll soon be buying a vintage LeBlond Regal that's advertised "for parts", so I assume some gears might be missing. Since i plan to use one of my treadmill motors to drive it, could I get away with removing all the gears and direct drive the spindle with the treadmill motor and just own the responsibility to not over speed it? I also plan to make it CNC, so I think I won't ever need any of the gears, but I too am no machinist.
I like this motor swap. Very good work.
Any issues with torque or motor bogging down?
Brilliant dude! Nice job.
Thanks for posting video just picked up cabinet for mine junk out n Mont this weekend already have parts except pully
Really like your DC conversion
How much noise is from the headstock gears vs the motor and controller...?
I was concerned about torgue but you put that one to sleep....going from 7 hp down to 1 1/2 will sure require some cooling fans...!....after watching this I'm pumped and ready...not sure how PMDC motors are rated...mine is very similar to a baldor DC....and has a vent fan....have you tried any other DC controllers? I will be using a commercial one...
Hi nice video where did you get the electrical box with the speed control and if you build it how did you do this looks very impressive thanks
Eli
Josh, I may have missed it. Is the drum switch wired directly to the motor? ie. the drum switch connects, disconnects and reverses the power from the controller output to the motor.
correct, drum switch makes, breaks, and reverses the dc motor leads
A really useful video so thanks for making it. I am looking to do the conversion to my drill press, it’s very similar to yours, and I change speed on the drill more often than my lathe. The motor from the treadmill I have (believe it or not it was sitting by the side of the road. Got it home and it works perfectly.) is 240v ac switched to 180v dc. In your opinion, having done a conversion do you think it’s worthwhile and will you be converting your drill? Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺
Good job. I’m currently doing the same with my Southbend 10L and a 4.25 hp Leili treadmill motor.
I didn’t see how you coupled the motor to the lathe shaft. Didn’t your original motor drive an intermediate shaft which in turn drove the spindle?
I need to use a two stage pulley system to step down the rpm.
1. 5175 rpm motor connects to a 3” grooved pulley by belt. This pulley is fixed to a 2” pulley.
2. The 2” pulley is connected to an 8” pulley by belt. This turns the shaft at 528 rpm.
But I didn’t see how your motor drove anything. The shaft was above.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Paul
the pulley i made drives the original intermediate shaft, and stepped belt pulley system is still in place
But I don’t see the large pulley connected to anything but the motor. How is your pulley system designed? I don’t see the overall layout. 😬
@@paulmanhart4481 refer to photos 5 and 6 here vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=32679
What was the original size motor...?
Any issues with bogging down during heavy cuts..?
original was one third horsepower. It doesn't bog down, the machine is now limited only by rigidity of the saddle/cross slide.
@@HsPerformanceWi the motor getting hot concerns me so I'm putting a temp gauge and thermo switch on my 1 1/2 hp DC motor...I'm told there is a normal operating range but I haven't found that spec yet...obviously the cooler the better....I'm still worried how a small DC motor can replace a 7 hp 3 phase...it takes someone to push these boundaries to get real answers....thanks for pressing on...
@@offgridmangogrower look for a 2 year update video soon
@@HsPerformanceWi I'll be tearing into my colchster very soon....I have a 25kw 3 ph gm diesel I'll see if it still makes smoke and sparks...unfortunately anything left idle becomes pack rat habitat...so the 25kw is a wild card...obviously we are off grid and powering anything off our panels gets a cool thumbs up...starting a noisey 2-61 wjth a blower is really stressful noise...!
I have the same lathe. Nice improvement
What gearing did you end up with on your custom pulley?
nice job. how do you keep the chuck from unscrewing when running in reverse?
I stumbled onto another video by a guy who made an ER collet adapter. He used a drawbar with a heavy washer to the chuck to thread in reverse.
for anyone still reading this old thread...
Tailstock pressed up against the work can prevent a chuck dethreading crash.
Also having a variable speed motor can allow a slow ramp up which is also helpful.
Looked at many alternatives for physically restraining it.
Problem is - that I am oft changing chucks - and it would have to work for them all.
Currently I'm getting my motor changed out to a DC treadmill motor.
It was underpowered anyway with only 1/2 HP -- although I recently found out that the DC motors from treadmills require significant derating.
So to boost the power any I need at least 2.5 HP treadmill motor - and have one lined up to pick it up tomorrow.
Looking forward to being able to turn threads in an opposite direction - so as to reduce risk of 'crashing'.
I didn't do cooling fan,,, the treadmill didn't have one on it,,, was an older treadmill with simple m60 board and touch and hold speed control so I used the whole panel works out very well,,
What did that speed CV control set you back?
And lathe motor horsepower or max watts...?
This is the third time watching your video and I thank you for it. I don't suppose you'd be willing to cast a cake pan blank and turn the pulley for me, would you? I scored a rusty 12 x 36 Craftsman lathe from Craigslist and someone cobbled up a - get this - a 1/6 horse motor for it. Do you think the pulley I need (or one close to it) is available through commercial channels?
what kind of motor controller are you using? is it SRC voltage control or something else? how do you reverse again? a drum switch did I hear that right? I have exactly the same lathe and I'm just picking up dead treadmill tomorrow...
controller is the MC-60 from the treadmill, using the original drum switch to reverse the motor leads for reverse
nice job including your homemade driven pulley ;)
Nicely done. Kudos
I am doing a treadmill conversion with an identical motor and need a 34 inch belt. The original 8 rib belt is a 126134. It can be found everywhere but I have not seen info that would help me find a similar but longer. What should I be looking for poly-V? Metric, non metric etc. Thanks.
Looks like it is a Profile J or PJ belt. Thanks
they use a "J" profile belt. I used a 10 rib 33 inch belt witch is a 330J10 that i found on ebay, a 34 inch 8 rib would be a 340J8
how big is that chuck? nice build..im doing the same kinda build....great job on the casting/recycling....
8in.
I think you did a great job on the new pulley from the casting to the finished product. I want to use a Treadmill motor for a project of mine but the cost on eBay is too much. I saw the link for the motor you added, thank you, do they also sell the controller needed to run the motor? Knowing what controller and how to wire it is the biggest issue for me and I'm sure for others. Thanks for sharing.
thank you, the wiring of the controller is pretty simple lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l2MC56_QmPw/VUbf7c0XJ1I/AAAAAAAANck/HXWMw91hJLU/w712-h457-no/MC-60%2Bwiring.jpg
the controllers are the expensive part, hence sourcing them from treadmills is the best option
Does the dc motor maintain its speed (rpm) under load?
yes, it actually speeds up a small amount when you load it up and stays there. It does this even at very low speeds
I am starting a project with a treadmill motor but I am nervous about bending the axle. How do I get it off without damaging it? Thank you.
not quite sure what you're asking or what axle you are talking about. more details please, happy to help you in any way i can
its a screw on axle and i want to take it off to put wider drive wheel on it
Ken, do yyou mean the motor shaft?
no the big wheel off the axle
Loved the video and information given....very helpful!
Can U elaborate as to What was done to Kill the treadmill motor?.....why/how it happened etc....so that others may either design accordingly or Not do whatever U did to kill it.
Also, how is the New 3HP motor holding up?....were any mods done so that it isnt Killed like the last motor?
thnx
Thanks for the compliments! The reason my treadmill motor failed is that most but not all are designed to spin counter clockwise. The brush holders are angled in that direction, and it wears the motor brushes rapidly. The new motor is a true bi-directional with the brushes perpendicular to the armature. If there were more room in the cabinet I would have mounted the motor facing the opposite direction to correct the rotation. With the motor turning its intended direction during normal use it would be fine with the small amount you actually use reverse.
@@HsPerformanceWi Thnx, thats Great information!
Are U happy with the new 3HP motor?....any reason to have gone with the larger 3.5 or 4.25HP motors?....OR, reasons Not to?
@@martih7533 bigger is always better right? lol. I believe the 3hp is on the upper limit of what the controller can handle, the motor controller itself is the real benefit to using treadmill parts because of the cost to buy them outright is expensive. I am quite satisfied with the power of the 3hp on this small lathe, there is probably enough torque for the machine to self destruct if abused properly. I was in a position where i needed to purchase a new motor and with any of my contraptions I prefer to upgrade components instead of just replacing them.
Thanks guys, I had the same questions.
are you using the mc60 controller?
yes
Nice Job Bro! Please post videos of you making things on it please!
Thanks for sharing that! I'm about to try using a treadmill motor. On your lathe: I yesterday saw one like that on CL for $450, but noticed the bed ways were not V, but flat (outside guides hold carriage true?) Do you think non- V bed ways give adequate tolerances, or should I hold out for V ways? I appreciate your time!
It really depends on the wear and condition of the machine in question and the tolerances you want to hold. if taken care of a flat way machine is just a good
@@HsPerformanceWi thank you very much!
450 is a steal.
@@totallyjonesin don't think so. have you been looking around? it had NO tooling and was pre quick-change gear box. I thought it fair, not a steal though.
Oh, no tooling could be a deal breaker for me too. Here is part three from my fave lathe guy. th-cam.com/video/GzEQ9GqYfx4/w-d-xo.html
I used a vbelt pulley,,dam I love the treadmill motor,,, so much better then the ac motor in every way
What is the model of the controller board you used?
Roger Petrella MC-60
Thanks, kinda guessed that is what it was. I'm about to convert my Atlas 10100 6"using basically the same motor but an original 3 step motor pulley as the 101 uses a 1/4" belt. I am also using a Mach Tach tachometer that displays RPMs, Surface Feet per Minute (SFM), and Surface Meters per Minute (SMM) using inch and mm diameter entry. A little more pricey but I have one on my Taig mill and love it.
I have the identical lathe, but branded as an Atlas. Do you have some specs on this fantastic mod that you can share? Thank you in advance and great video and idea!
Nice project i have a mobility scooter large 30volt motor and soft start controller think i might be looking at my lathe to do this.
I'm converting my metal lathe with a treadmill motor and I was wondering how did you find the length of your treadmill belt.
I wrapped a tape measure around the pulleys and found the proper J series belt on Ebay
I used a v groove pulley, just had to bore out center to fit metric shaft on treadmill motor..
what kind of controller is that
mc-60
I have that same motor. Just got it. What is the third brush for on the shaft?
i believe that is to wire a brake. look up dc motor brake wiring diagram for more info on that
@@HsPerformanceWi yeah, I was thinking it may be for dynamic braking
Hi, Thanks for the video. How is the new motor holding up? Would you still go this way or would you go VFD? Thank you again.
still working great, and is used almost daily. It really depends how stingy you are, I'd do it this way again because I have maybe $60 invested. I enjoy making things work with what ya got
@@HsPerformanceWi Thank you so much for your response. I think this is the way I will go too.
Very well done!
Personally, i would have moved the controls to either in front/to the left side in a swing arm, or further to the right above/behind.
Having it in the position you have it now would make me weary of having to reach over the chuck and workpiece when stopping or changing speeds. Given that you most likely stand in line with the carriage when turning.
Maybe something like one of those wall mounted monitor arms?
Just my $0.02
Keep on making!
Great job and thank you for sharing. New fan over here at #how2wrench
sweet.nice job.
Sounds like time for new bearings.
the bearings are perfect, the sound is a dying treadmill motor
What’s the diameter of the pulley you had to make
8.5 inches, could have gone a little smaller because the new motor has a lower max rpm than the original. still does 1300 rpm maxed out
Is that an 8”chuck?
yes
@@HsPerformanceWi ok I ordered one and it’s almost 50 pounds with the backplate. I have the same lathe. That’s not too much for the spindle to handle? Lol I already blew up my ac 1/2 horse motor
@@electropancake1554 without risk there is no reward lol
@@electropancake1554 ITS TO BIG .when 900 rpm's come up BOMB is the reward. when he hit 430 you could hear bearing stress.. i have 3 lathes 28 inch swing is my little one.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
That’s awesome.
im thinking of putting a buck converter off of a bridge for my tach
will old trick we antique guys would do is put a hand crank on end of spindle for job you mentioned
Treadmills used to be found put out for the garbage man. Not so much anymore.
The motor died because it is rated as continuous duty at full rpm. Anything less than that and it does not get enough cooling air and it will overheat. Running a treadmill motor slowly will kill it, it's just a matter of time.
I'm no expert on motors, but it seems strange to me that any treadmill would ever be expected to run at full rpm, all the time. Why would it be designed that way?
imma thinking about a 4 cyl engine to power one.
looking for wiring info of motor
search "treadmill motor wiring" there are many videos with the specifics . 3 wires to potentiometer, AC hot and neutral in, DC + and - out
Great job. What do you think killed the original motor? Was it low speed work? What was the original HP? I want to do this conversion on my mill. Thanks for sharing!
I should have worded that differently, The original 1/3 hp AC motor didn't fail, it was in good working condition when i converted the lathe. The 1.5 hp treadmill motor died because the brush holders are at an angle in relationship to the armature, and i was running it in reverse to power the lathe forward.This makes the brushes wear very rapidly. The new larger motor has the bushes oriented perpendicular to run in either direction.
My god man the bearings (or motor) sound terrible! Otherwise, nice job!
that chuck will hit you in the face someday. 60# chuck on a 200# lathe. priceless.
Cool!
Never mind,,2.5
MINT