I would really like to see a detailed build video. Especially mounting the pulley to the motor and the belt to the headstock pulley and what you used. Really a complete video of all the components on the back side. Did you retain the reeves pulleys or change them. Was the motor shaft long enough, etc. even a few pictures would help,us all out. Thanks for the video, it’s The best I have seen.
Thanks! I have a treadmill available to me and have been considered this lathe as a stop-gap till I can buy my ideal lathe. Your fixes provide answers to all of my issues.
I have had this lathe for 7-8 yrs. The one I bought came with a 3/4 horse power. Still a little under power for some of the blanks I have. Fortunately Have had no issues. I am planning on upgrading the motor at some point if needed. Harbor Freight does sell 1, 2, and 3 hp electric motors.
Looks Great Bill. I like to say in my shop "It may not be pretty, but it's functional." I think that is perfectly appropriate for your project. I know that you are making some of the people out there jealous with your set up. Awesome!!
That's a nice upgrade and thanks for sharing, but I really would have like to see how the new motor integrates with the existing HF drive system... Issues aligning, spacing, attaching the old pully on the new motor, etc. Also, whenever we change electrical systems in a shop, adds tools, etc., we really need to consider circuit load. A larger motor is going to draw more current and that could cause issues. For instance, when you have a dust collector and a larger motor like this running at the same time on the same circuit, you MAY be pushing the limits of what a typical 20 amp circuit can handle, and it could constantly trip the breaker if the lathe gets under load. That's maybe not as much of a factor with a larger shop wired specifically for woodworking, but many folks may just be working in a garage with one 20 amp circuit covering all of the outlets.
This HF lathe comes with a 3/4 HP motor , enough to really do some damage if one is not very careful . I used one 5 yrs. turned dozens of bowls without any problems .
Wow the things you do are simply amazing. And you always finish with a very nice clean workpiece. Can't wait to swing by and see your handy work first hand.
Hi Bill, I'm thrilled to have found your video, since the Reeves pulley on my 14" Delta Lathe broke into pieces. The replacement parts are no longer available.... anywhere, I think it's time to convert to DC. Can you help me out by providing me with the parts you used and a few photos of the pulley system that you used with the pulley sizes as well? I was able to find almost everything on Amazon except for the pulleys and what size belt you used. I'd really be grateful! Thank you for taking the time and making this video. You explained everything very clearly and easy to understand.
One more thing..... I used a Cambridge 3 hp brushless dc 100 volt permanent magnet motor. I purchased this VIA Ebay for $125.00 free shipping. I chose the 3 hp for the torque which it doesn't seem to lack. I run it forward and backwards. Backwards to sand and also to rough out the insides of bowls and decorative lidded boxes ahh.... until I am satisfied and finished. In reverse the cuts are going away from me so I can clearly see the cut, also so I do not have to lean over the lathe for a clear view. I have had ho issues with stalling but that's about how aggressive a bite you take. When I work I am not in a competition or race, so for me, easy does it. I have early on wrecked some good wood being in a hurry, also there is no overheating problems. The controller was an empty case that was thrown away. I added the circuit board and all the components inside. Taking care of my wife who has since passed and working this lathe will win no beauty contest. I was trying to get it done in limited amount of time available, but the damn thing works great. The live end and spur both have been replaced with far better and my tools are carbide cutters I get from Eddie Castelin. ( eddiecastelin.com) The handles are hickory I made on this lathe and used mild 1/2" round bar steel for the shafts. I like my handles long to rest the handle against my hip while roughing for stability. This has been my experience hope it help some of you out there.
Great info, thanks for sharing. I just picked up my HF lathe yesterday (25% Labor Day sale), so I'll see how well it performs before I look at upgrading the motor. Your video makes it seem surprisingly easy for most DIYers.
HI. Nice work. I watched your video a few times then got a treadmill motor already removed -- less exercise. HA. I've pulled out the stock 1/3rd of a horse motor. I'm trying to follow your lead with the upgrade, however I'm wondering how the variable speed controller connects to the existing gear system? Do you just skip the gears and connect the variable speed controller to the motor spindle? Could you reply, or put a follow up video or send me a picture maybe? Dean.
Bill -- Nice save of a broken tool. I suggest you move the controls to the tailstock end of the lathe. That way, if something goes wrong while you're turning something largish, like a bowl, you won't have to reach through the "line of fire" to turn off the lathe. Of course, if you're only going to turn spindles, the safety issue goes away. Even then, I think you'll prefer the controls to be on the tailstock end of the lathe. When cutting at the headstock, you sometimes need to hold your gouge so that it's handle is far to the left. The position of your control box will prevent that.
Cool mod and all but Ive worked on this model of lathe for 4 years now. The motor is a 3/4 horse!... not a 1/3rd! After 2 years I started to hear the bearings making noise. Two years later they got bad enough to require changing. Swapping the bearings was easy! Heres to another 2 years.
At the beginning of this video you said your HF lathe had a wobble and your father in law added a couple of pieces of metal to some part of the lathe head stock. Can you show us where exactly he did that? My exact same lathe seems to be out of round at the drive spur. So maybe that fix would work for my lathe? I tried moving the head stock and tightening it but did not seem to help the out of round that's is going on. Thanks.
We took some flat pieces of steel and and drilled holes in them. Then we drilled and tapped matching holes in the head stock and the base. We put bolts through the holes and tightened them down. This means I cannot turn the head for outboard turning, but, that does not bother me. We basically bolted the head stock down to the base.
how is the outcome of your conversion , has it perform good no over heating. I am currently doing one and wonder about it. I am a little concern about the dust on the belt and such.
Bought that same Lathe 5 years ago , motor went in a week. Just before that I tried to turn a large bowl backwards with the bed extension made for that and it was disastrous. I looked away for a second and heard a loud bang which was the whole headstock, blank and motor were bouncing across the shop floor. Upon inspection found out the headstock cast metal is Chinese which has a very poor carbon content very weak. My solution was to create a new headstock of 3/8" steel plate welded, a 3 hp treadmill motor, I am a licensed Electrician so I made a controller to convert 120v AC to DC. The Tachometer is like yours which is named a Proximity switch. Every time the magnet passes the head it reads hence the RPM read out with a digital read out. I did the same to the tailstock like the headstock but that left the lousy bed. I was given some railroad tracks so I cut them for legs and a bed. The bottom of the track are perfectly flat so flipping them over welding in horizontal supports and then the legs this is sturdy and heavy but needed for turning large bowls. I forgot to mention while making the head and tail stock I raised them to turn a 30" bowl if I so desired. I knew nothing when I started. I watched Capt Eddie and many others to learn the basics but the rebuild was on me and I am so grateful I had the skills to accomplish it as there wasn't much help for this at the time, a sick wife and no money for a new one. Would I recommend this to anyone specifically a beginner? Hell No! Learning you need to spend your time learning the wood, tools techniques, and how to finish wood. not spending more money and your time rebuilding this nightmare. My recommendation if your serious to learn.... there are many used lathes at reasonable prices, there are new lathes not so expensive but learn from others, be wise. Compile your arsenal of new knowledge and decide what you want to turn then go up some in capacity as your desire to to more will grow with it quickly. steviegsg7@gmail.com Good Luck!
Thank you, but the cast on the headstock cracked apart that's why I had to do what I did. They shouldn't advertise it can do what they say it can do because it cannot. By the way Good video.
Cheers bud, I ask because I own a Draper WTL90, pretty identical to the HF with Reeves pulleys and 1/3HP motor. I have a 3 phase, 2.2Kw 3HP motor ready to bolt on, just waiting for an inverter drive to come through shipping. I'll be doing pretty much the same job as you.
Turntastic Wood Designs what is the amps on your dc motor? Mine is 18 amps and that seems to be an issue with KB Electronics as to what model switch I need. Just wondering if you ran into an issue too.
Major improvement to the lathe. HF is known for over rating their motors. If they claimed it was a 1/3hp, it was actually closer to 1/5hp or 1/4hp anyway. You can always get the "real" HP rating by doing the math when you have the voltage, amps etc. There is a formula. You'll enjoy the new lathe man.
I'm in the process of doing the same conversion (but with a Canadian Tire Mastercraft lathe - essentially the same). The treadmill motor comes with a flywheel which has an integral poly-v pulley. The treadmill roller is a steel tube with ball bearings either end which runs on a steel rod. The front roller has a plastic poly-v pulley glued to the outside o the tube; it has a magnet attached, so I think it is a good choice to use on the headstock spindle. I have removed the bearings from the front roller, and will chop it to a short length, and am having a bushing fabricated so that I can push the bushing into the tube, and attach it to the spindle shaft with two set screws which will pass through the tube and the bushing, and anchor into the keyway slot on the spindle. I will probably need a longer poly-v (ribbed) belt than the treadmill provided.
I would really like to see a detailed build video. Especially mounting the pulley to the motor and the belt to the headstock pulley and what you used. Really a complete video of all the components on the back side. Did you retain the reeves pulleys or change them. Was the motor shaft long enough, etc. even a few pictures would help,us all out. Thanks for the video, it’s The best I have seen.
I just asked Bill for the same information. Looks like he hasn't responded to you. Hmm. Hope he's ok and still around.
Thanks! I have a treadmill available to me and have been considered this lathe as a stop-gap till I can buy my ideal lathe. Your fixes provide answers to all of my issues.
I have had this lathe for 7-8 yrs. The one I bought came with a 3/4 horse power. Still a little under power for some of the blanks I have. Fortunately Have had no issues. I am planning on upgrading the motor at some point if needed. Harbor Freight does sell 1, 2, and 3 hp electric motors.
great video
Looks Great Bill. I like to say in my shop "It may not be pretty, but it's functional." I think that is perfectly appropriate for your project. I know that you are making some of the people out there jealous with your set up. Awesome!!
Tony Montgomery Thanks Tony
@@TurntasticWoodDesigns ,
Please address the dealer/distributor of this mini lathe, in * *Indonesia* .
Thank you for the video. I have the same HF lathe and would like to upgrade as you did.
That's a nice upgrade and thanks for sharing, but I really would have like to see how the new motor integrates with the existing HF drive system... Issues aligning, spacing, attaching the old pully on the new motor, etc. Also, whenever we change electrical systems in a shop, adds tools, etc., we really need to consider circuit load. A larger motor is going to draw more current and that could cause issues. For instance, when you have a dust collector and a larger motor like this running at the same time on the same circuit, you MAY be pushing the limits of what a typical 20 amp circuit can handle, and it could constantly trip the breaker if the lathe gets under load. That's maybe not as much of a factor with a larger shop wired specifically for woodworking, but many folks may just be working in a garage with one 20 amp circuit covering all of the outlets.
This HF lathe comes with a 3/4 HP motor , enough to really do some damage if one is not very careful . I used one 5 yrs. turned dozens of bowls without any problems .
They're notoriously reliable and the best bang for buck maybe ever for a lathe
Great job. Do you have a video of how to install and mount the tachometer?
Please address the dealer/distributor of this mini lathe, in *Indonesia* .
Nice,how does it work under load when you bog it down does it speed up to find the speed again. Out of all the video I haven't seen one in actual use.
Have you had any issues with the bearings after upping the power? Just bought this lathe and already thinking of doing this. Great video BTW tks!
Wow the things you do are simply amazing. And you always finish with a very nice clean workpiece. Can't wait to swing by and see your handy work first hand.
Richard Hamilton Thanks man
Hi Bill,
I'm thrilled to have found your video, since the Reeves pulley on my 14" Delta Lathe broke into pieces. The replacement parts are no longer available.... anywhere, I think it's time to convert to DC.
Can you help me out by providing me with the parts you used and a few photos of the pulley system that you used with the pulley sizes as well? I was able to find almost everything on Amazon except for the pulleys and what size belt you used.
I'd really be grateful!
Thank you for taking the time and making this video. You explained everything very clearly and easy to understand.
That motor control seems to allow slower RPMs than some of the DIY ones I've seen. How big of a bowl have you been able to turn with this thing?
One more thing..... I used a Cambridge 3 hp brushless dc 100 volt permanent magnet motor. I purchased this VIA Ebay for $125.00 free shipping. I chose the 3 hp for the torque which it doesn't seem to lack. I run it forward and backwards. Backwards to sand and also to rough out the insides of bowls and decorative lidded boxes ahh.... until I am satisfied and finished. In reverse the cuts are going away from me so I can clearly see the cut, also so I do not have to lean over the lathe for a clear view. I have had ho issues with stalling but that's about how aggressive a bite you take. When I work I am not in a competition or race, so for me, easy does it. I have early on wrecked some good wood being in a hurry, also there is no overheating problems. The controller was an empty case that was thrown away. I added the circuit board and all the components inside. Taking care of my wife who has since passed and working this lathe will win no beauty contest. I was trying to get it done in limited amount of time available, but the damn thing works great. The live end and spur both have been replaced with far better and my tools are carbide cutters I get from Eddie Castelin. ( eddiecastelin.com) The handles are hickory I made on this lathe and used mild 1/2" round bar steel for the shafts. I like my handles long to rest the handle against my hip while roughing for stability. This has been my experience hope it help some of you out there.
Bill, first of all, good job on the lathe. Second, do you have measurements for the wood mounting cover that you made?
Unfortunately no. I no longer have that lathe.
Amazing video! I absolutely love what you have done here. You make me want to grab some parts and rig up a tool 😂
Thank you Stelios
What was your total investment in the conversion?
Great video…neat installation.
Great info, thanks for sharing. I just picked up my HF lathe yesterday (25% Labor Day sale), so I'll see how well it performs before I look at upgrading the motor. Your video makes it seem surprisingly easy for most DIYers.
HI. Nice work. I watched your video a few times then got a treadmill motor already removed -- less exercise. HA. I've pulled out the stock 1/3rd of a horse motor. I'm trying to follow your lead with the upgrade, however I'm wondering how the variable speed controller connects to the existing gear system? Do you just skip the gears and connect the variable speed controller to the motor spindle? Could you reply, or put a follow up video or send me a picture maybe? Dean.
Cindy Loeppky yes. i just hook tje new motor to the spindle
So you are still using the belt and pulley....the treadmill motor shaft was not long enough to give you a sort of "direct drive"?
Bill -- Nice save of a broken tool. I suggest you move the controls to the tailstock end of the lathe. That way, if something goes wrong while you're turning something largish, like a bowl, you won't have to reach through the "line of fire" to turn off the lathe. Of course, if you're only going to turn spindles, the safety issue goes away. Even then, I think you'll prefer the controls to be on the tailstock end of the lathe. When cutting at the headstock, you sometimes need to hold your gouge so that it's handle is far to the left. The position of your control box will prevent that.
Thanks David. That makes a lot of sense, I think I'll try it.
What if you're standing to the left of your bowl?
Cool mod and all but Ive worked on this model of lathe for 4 years now. The motor is a 3/4 horse!... not a 1/3rd! After 2 years I started to hear the bearings making noise. Two years later they got bad enough to require changing. Swapping the bearings was easy! Heres to another 2 years.
"looks ugly and unprofessional but so do I" you had me laughing, thanks for the video!
I didn't see anywhere how you adapted the belt to the lathe. How did you?
I used an adjustable multi-piece belt from harbor freight www.harborfreight.com/vibration-free-link-belt-43771.html
Where can I get the heat sink from?
At the beginning of this video you said your HF lathe had a wobble and your father in law added a couple of pieces of metal to some part of the lathe head stock. Can you show us where exactly he did that? My exact same lathe seems to be out of round at the drive spur. So maybe that fix would work for my lathe? I tried moving the head stock and tightening it but did not seem to help the out of round that's is going on. Thanks.
We took some flat pieces of steel and and drilled holes in them. Then we drilled and tapped matching holes in the head stock and the base. We put bolts through the holes and tightened them down. This means I cannot turn the head for outboard turning, but, that does not bother me. We basically bolted the head stock down to the base.
how is the outcome of your conversion , has it perform good no over heating. I am currently doing one and wonder about it. I am a little concern about the dust on the belt and such.
I have been running the lathe for over a year now with no problems.
If the copper windings are not melted... then likely the only thing you'll need to fix that motor is new motor brushes.
Did you leave the flywheel off? What size pulley and how did you fit it on the shaft?
Odd Todd I had a 3 inch pulley that already fit the shaft
Do you happen to have the part numbers and/or sources for the resistor and heat sink?
Plug-In Horsepower Resistor (9843)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007YA2SWC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Kb Electronics 9861 7" Heatsink
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007YA3722/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bought that same Lathe 5 years ago , motor went in a week. Just before that I tried to turn a large bowl backwards with the bed extension made for that and it was disastrous. I looked away for a second and heard a loud bang which was the whole headstock, blank and motor were bouncing across the shop floor. Upon inspection found out the headstock cast metal is Chinese which has a very poor carbon content very weak. My solution was to create a new headstock of 3/8" steel plate welded, a 3 hp treadmill motor, I am a licensed Electrician so I made a controller to convert 120v AC to DC. The Tachometer is like yours which is named a Proximity switch. Every time the magnet passes the head it reads hence the RPM read out with a digital read out. I did the same to the tailstock like the headstock but that left the lousy bed. I was given some railroad tracks so I cut them for legs and a bed. The bottom of the track are perfectly flat so flipping them over welding in horizontal supports and then the legs this is sturdy and heavy but needed for turning large bowls. I forgot to mention while making the head and tail stock I raised them to turn a 30" bowl if I so desired. I knew nothing when I started. I watched Capt Eddie and many others to learn the basics but the rebuild was on me and I am so grateful I had the skills to accomplish it as there wasn't much help for this at the time, a sick wife and no money for a new one. Would I recommend this to anyone specifically a beginner? Hell No! Learning you need to spend your time learning the wood, tools techniques, and how to finish wood. not spending more money and your time rebuilding this nightmare. My recommendation if your serious to learn.... there are many used lathes at reasonable prices, there are new lathes not so expensive but learn from others, be wise. Compile your arsenal of new knowledge and decide what you want to turn then go up some in capacity as your desire to to more will grow with it quickly. steviegsg7@gmail.com Good Luck!
Steven Guillette WOW! Sounds like a awesome build.
Thank you, but the cast on the headstock cracked apart that's why I had to do what I did. They shouldn't advertise it can do what they say it can do because it cannot. By the way Good video.
Steven, I would love to see a video of the lathe you made. Sounds like you pretty much made it from scratch. :)
Send me your email I'll send you photos.
What did your father in law to hold his headstock down? I'm having trouble with mine moving when I put pressure on it from tailstock.
Ditto. I REALLY would have liked to actually see what he was talking about regarding the problem and the parts and process used for the fix.
@@veritasestveritas8646 You don't know what a doohickie is?? :-) [I wondered the same...]
Bill. What pulley did you use on the motor itself?
Eduardo Miranda Just a 2 inch pulley that I had laying around the shop.
How is the torque at slow speeds? Great work, good video!
CL Woodturning I think I’ll always wish I had little more power. But I’m able to handle anything I can mount
Cheers bud, I ask because I own a Draper WTL90, pretty identical to the HF with Reeves pulleys and 1/3HP motor. I have a 3 phase, 2.2Kw 3HP motor ready to bolt on, just waiting for an inverter drive to come through shipping. I'll be doing pretty much the same job as you.
Ok. Thanks
What size KB switch did you get? How did you figure out which size to get? Thanks
I just googled KBMD variable DC motor controller.
Turntastic Wood Designs what is the amps on your dc motor? Mine is 18 amps and that seems to be an issue with KB Electronics as to what model switch I need. Just wondering if you ran into an issue too.
zetus kid My motor is rated at 1.75 horsepower, but I don’t know the amps.
it is 3/4 horse
good job
Major improvement to the lathe. HF is known for over rating their motors. If they claimed it was a 1/3hp, it was actually closer to 1/5hp or 1/4hp anyway. You can always get the "real" HP rating by doing the math when you have the voltage, amps etc. There is a formula. You'll enjoy the new lathe man.
It has been working pretty well. Thanks for watching Charlie.
I'm curious if the better motor and added HP fixed the wobble.
Did you reuse the drive pullies that came with the lathe?
I would use my parents old treadmill but my sister took it and sold it for gambling money. I hate my sister...lol
That lathe has a 3/4
try to turn a 12 in bowl
you failed to show how you coupled the new motor to the headstock?? rather important wouldnt you say??
I'm in the process of doing the same conversion (but with a Canadian Tire Mastercraft lathe - essentially the same). The treadmill motor comes with a flywheel which has an integral poly-v pulley. The treadmill roller is a steel tube with ball bearings either end which runs on a steel rod. The front roller has a plastic poly-v pulley glued to the outside o the tube; it has a magnet attached, so I think it is a good choice to use on the headstock spindle. I have removed the bearings from the front roller, and will chop it to a short length, and am having a bushing fabricated so that I can push the bushing into the tube, and attach it to the spindle shaft with two set screws which will pass through the tube and the bushing, and anchor into the keyway slot on the spindle. I will probably need a longer poly-v (ribbed) belt than the treadmill provided.