• January Turning Challenge: Thin-Stemmed Something! (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Scott Gordon for "Orb Ligneus" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 20, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Retrofit VS AC motor for General 160-Help

B

Bob Howell

Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
45
Likes
1
Location
Atlanta Ga
I have purchased an old Gen 160 with reeves dr. I am checking out feasibility of getting an AC vs motor for it. I put a 2 hp vs dc motor on an old Delta from the 60's, I guess. I got it from Chuck Woodfuff in Oregon I think. It works like a champ. I don't see his ad around anymore. I am wondering if anyone knows where I can get an ac vs drive for this 160.

Bob Howell
 
I bought one from these people about 8 years ago. I sold that lathe a few years back but it's still working great. I talked to the guy who bought it from me.
 
I just did this about 6 months ago. I got my VFD and Motor from AutomationDirect (yes all one word.) I can look up the info but to start VFD 2hp 3ph 220v $ 241.00 the motor 2hp 3ph 220v Iron horse $166.00. I left the reeves in mine cause I have owned my 160 sense it was new. works great.
The step pulley for the spindle from General was way way out of site on price so I just let mine with the reeves.
If you wont any info about my change over just e-mail or pm me.
woodspinner@neo.rr.com
 
Harry Robinette said:
I just did this about 6 months ago. I got my VFD and Motor from AutomationDirect (yes all one word.) I can look up the info but to start VFD 2hp 3ph 220v $ 241.00 the motor 2hp 3ph 220v Iron horse $166.00. I left the reeves in mine cause I have owned my 160 sense it was new. works great.
The step pulley for the spindle from General was way way out of site on price so I just let mine with the reeves.
If you wont any info about my change over just e-mail or pm me.
woodspinner@neo.rr.com
Click to expand...

Thanks. I looked around at controls and motors and could see the price fell in that range but had no idea which to pair or where to buy. It looks complex so I would like to follow someone who has gotten it to work.
 
You need to make sure that the new motor has the same frame size as your current motor. The one you are looking at has a 143T frame. If you get one with a different frame size then you need to make sure that the shaft diameter and length will be compatible and you will also need to make or buy an adapter to accommodate the different motor mount.
 
Yesterday I burned up something on my main Delta lathe which has a dc drive I set up in 1998. I got the drive and motor from Chuck Woodruff in Seattle. A number of people around the country were installing them with good results. It has served me well but now will take some effort to fix. In the meantime I am going to order a VFD as mentioned here but it will become my main lathe rather than a backup.

Two sources are discussed here and I don't know if there is much difference between them.

I was turning a 15" walnut blank when it burned up. I have gone as big as 18". I turn outboard using a nice tool rest I fabricated and bolted onto the lathe.

I can get a motor rated 1hp /115 volts, and not have to add a 220v circuit. But maybe that is too small for what I do. AutomationDirect has a 2hp motor/vfd for $360-400. IronHorse, not sure how to rate it. Similar to what Robinette above got.

He is happy so I am about to follow him.

Thanks for any thoughts as I am about to jump.

Bob Howell
 
Jack shaft?? to replace Reeves dr.

I have bought a VFD from Automation Direct and am installing it on my Delta lathe. Now I want to get back to the General 160. It has a reeves drive which vibrates at high speed. I know they wear out , but a new 4 speed pully for the lathe shaft is costly. How about using the reeves drive shaft to setup a jack shaft with 4 way setup. Anybody tried that?

Bob
 
I just finished setting up a VFD ac motor on my Delta lathe. I spent 2 weeks reading and shopping then bought a 1 hp motor and GS2 ac drive from AutomationDirect. Three calls to tech support and a week of reading combined with a day of work got it going. I am amazed at how quite it is. My lathe has a sheet metal frame, open all around so my main problem was dust protection. I built a cover all around of 1/4 "plywood to block out chips and dust. Then installed the setup pictured.

Hope this shows up.
Thanks for all the help

Bob Howell
 

Attachments

  • vfd ac motor for lathe.jpg
    vfd ac motor for lathe.jpg
    322.5 KB · Views: 20
Bob
Glad you got it figured out and which lathe to put it on. My 160 use to vibrate till I put a piece of 1/2 aluminum plate between the lathe and the stand,the plate has to come out over the edge of the base so the stand can't oil can ( move up and down )this stopped 95% of my vibration. You will have a little vibration from the sheaves but this isn't a $8000.00 American Beauty.
 
I have VFD's on a 1955 Powermatic 90 and a 1981 Powermatic 90. The reeves drive on the 1955 is attached directly to the motor and has a considerable amount of wear and will make some noise when you change speed using the speed dial. I've had the reeves drive apart and the problem is caused because the hole the positioning pins sit in are wallowed out. There is a groove in the moveable sheave that rides along the pins and the slop causes a knocking noise that eventually diminishes as the sheave seats itself. The fix is to make or order new positioning pins and drill new holes 120 degrees from the original ones. If you want, you can fill the old holes with JB Weld. I recently picked up a replacement reeves drive but haven't got around to putting it in because it doesn't affect the performance of the lathe. I'm also considering a jackshaft with step pulleys for more low end torque for bowls and higher speeds for small spindles.

The 1981 has a jackshaft and is very quiet because the lathe saw very little use before the school shop closed. Both lathes have 1 hp three phase motors. I picked up a 2 hp rated VFD on CL for $60 for one lathe and bought a new 1 hp rated VFD for the other for about $150.

Here's two links that show how I hooked up the VFD on the 1981.

http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=129545

http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=142967
 
william noble said:
I used to fix DC drives, it's usually not hard, the SCRs smoke and die. anyone with a soldering iron can change them out for you.
Click to expand...

I enjoy doing this. Where do I get a new board to replace the burned out one. It is a Minarik 23000 series. Seems to to simple.

The motor is a Baldor 1 hp, 90 v, 9 amp. 2400 rpm said to be from a treadmill.

SCCR must be the board??

Having installed an ac drive I see how easy this can be.

Bob
 
Harry Robinette said:
Bob
Glad you got it figured out and which lathe to put it on. My 160 use to vibrate till I put a piece of 1/2 aluminum plate between the lathe and the stand,the plate has to come out over the edge of the base so the stand can't oil can ( move up and down )this stopped 95% of my vibration. You will have a little vibration from the sheaves but this isn't a $8000.00 American Beauty.
Click to expand...

I am looking at the General 160 and see how nice the Reeves drives is. Just how much will a VS ac drive help. The reeves does everything now. Stop the noise from oil canning and you have a great setup.

I turned 4 bowels 15-17 " this week on the Delta shown. I put 2 sand bags on it and it and all is well. I have a pressed metal stand but with mods it works well. However it is not very elegant. Also top speed is about 2100 rpm with the 4 step pulleys installed.

I now plan to sell the General 160 to someone and get a light Delta for spindle turning.

Standing hurts my legs so I am looking for another lathe/ setup where I can sit and a smaller lathe. Arthritis has got me.

I am searching for an old Delta lathe with cast iron legs. Also I have this dc motor which is great for 1000-3000 rpm.

Love fixing tools/machines.

Bob Howell
 
Bob Howell said:
... SCCR must be the board??
Click to expand...

SCR is a silicon controlled rectifier or also called a thyristor -- it is a component on the board and is the output device to the motor. It functions basically as a switching device that has a trigger which is turned on by the controlled circuit. Once it is turned on, it stays on until the voltage to the SCR goes to zero. Since the power source is 60 Hz AC, the switching will be done 60 or 120 times er second depending on the design of the unit. SCR's are used in universal and DC motor speed controllers because they can be used to control the average voltage applied to the motor.
 
Harry Robinette said:
Bob
Glad you got it figured out and which lathe to put it on. My 160 use to vibrate till I put a piece of 1/2 aluminum plate between the lathe and the stand,the plate has to come out over the edge of the base so the stand can't oil can ( move up and down )this stopped 95% of my vibration. You will have a little vibration from the sheaves but this isn't a $8000.00 American Beauty.
Click to expand...

I ran the Gen 160 speed up and down. I now see the noise is coming from the stand and not the reeves drive. Just how did the 1/2" AL plate stop the noise? I need to do something like this.

Bob
 
Bob
The Alum plate comes out over the edge of the sheet metal box,this stops the movement from the lathe to the stand Stop Movement Stop Noises.The lathe if you watch very closely you well see the top of the box and the lathe joint area move forward and back as the machine runs.This causing the lathe to vibrate
and that movement can be heard. Also I HATE vibration in my lathes and work very hard to stop it.
Give me a call if you have questions about the General 160 and I'll try to help.

PS; the 1/2 Alum plate can be any thing that will hold the lathe solid ie. 3/8 or 1/2 steel plate.016 - Copy.JPG
PSS; I forgot you must ad the same thickness under the lathe foot on the end so it sets level.
 
Last edited:
Thanks I am considering this. Also, I have seen people use a spray can of something like auto body undercoating to deaden to sound in areas around speakers in car audio systems.

Any thoughts on this.

A second question is about putting a 3-4" beam between the lathe and stand. I currently have this with a tool rest holder attached under the out board spindle for outboard turning. It works great.

This would make it necessary to lengthen the belt on the Reeves drive to the head stock. That means removing the spindle, which I have always heard is HARD.
I have avoided this in the past by using a red link belt. But Here?? Is it possible??VFD II.jpg

This shows my outboard tool rest setup.

Bob Howell
 
Pulled the General 160 Drive shaft out yesterday and found it easy. 15-20 min job. Now I will move that beam I glued up years ago with the outboard tool rest to my General 160 which is heavy duty and in better condition. This will take a while to reconfigure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top