Since this is slightly different to the previous topic I posted I thought it merited its own thread. Having pretty much comprehensively gathered the information for the design of the wood lathe all I feel I am missing is pulley information. Could anyone direct me (other than that of certain manufacturers) what size pulley is used in home use wood lathes?
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Pulley size?
- Thread starter mikeplumb
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The majority of wood lathes have step pulleys. With vairable speed lathes the steps pulleys change the maximum speed, torque, and amount of speed increase per turn of the speed dial. for example the Lowest max speed pulley setting has the most torque and the finest adjustment of speed.
Those without variable speed change the constant speeds through belt changes.
The pulleys multiply and divide the speed of the motor.
So the actual sizes need to be selected to match the motor speed.
Large lathes usually have a maximum speed of 2500-3000 RPM
A Small lathe for small spindles may top out at 4000 RPM
The actual size varies in diameter and width among manufactures. Larger top end lathes tend to have wide pulleys that run 2 to 6 inches in diameter. Smaller low end lathes have pulleys from abouth 3/4 to 3" diameter and a 1/4 inch width.
other pully configurations include jack pulleys ( a third pulley between the motor pulley and lathe shaft pulley.
Older lathes and few newer lower end lathes used Reeves or sheave pulleys. these pulleys expand and contract to change sizes with a crank while the lathe is operating. This gives a sort of variable speed result but it is more like shifting on the fly.
good luck
Al
Those without variable speed change the constant speeds through belt changes.
The pulleys multiply and divide the speed of the motor.
So the actual sizes need to be selected to match the motor speed.
Large lathes usually have a maximum speed of 2500-3000 RPM
A Small lathe for small spindles may top out at 4000 RPM
The actual size varies in diameter and width among manufactures. Larger top end lathes tend to have wide pulleys that run 2 to 6 inches in diameter. Smaller low end lathes have pulleys from abouth 3/4 to 3" diameter and a 1/4 inch width.
other pully configurations include jack pulleys ( a third pulley between the motor pulley and lathe shaft pulley.
Older lathes and few newer lower end lathes used Reeves or sheave pulleys. these pulleys expand and contract to change sizes with a crank while the lathe is operating. This gives a sort of variable speed result but it is more like shifting on the fly.
good luck
Al
Last edited:
Mike,
You'll find that higher end machines are shifting away from single belt pulleys to multi-v drives like are now used in most cars. As lathes have gone up in horsepower, the multi-v drives are the option to 2 or 3 belt drives to properly transmit all the power the motor developes. As Al said, the expanding use of variable speed drives and controllers has changed pulley configurations. Higher end lathes running variable electronic drives will typically have a low and high range with a constant size pulley on the motor and 2 steps on the spindal. Exception, of course, are the direct drive lathes, Nova, Silverdrive, and Poolwood..
Good Luck!
Mark
You'll find that higher end machines are shifting away from single belt pulleys to multi-v drives like are now used in most cars. As lathes have gone up in horsepower, the multi-v drives are the option to 2 or 3 belt drives to properly transmit all the power the motor developes. As Al said, the expanding use of variable speed drives and controllers has changed pulley configurations. Higher end lathes running variable electronic drives will typically have a low and high range with a constant size pulley on the motor and 2 steps on the spindal. Exception, of course, are the direct drive lathes, Nova, Silverdrive, and Poolwood..
Good Luck!
Mark