Got A Mystery Tool With A Lathe-like Feel... Help

[Bob Korves]

The odd thing was that my MGB had black ground wires going to every light and appliance on the car. Nice! It had two (or was it four?) tubular glass fuses for the entire car. Not so nice... The Lucas generator and starter looked well made and designed, but the brushes gave trouble on both, and then the commutators needed turning. The spares I kept had the same problem. The two six volt batteries in series, positive ground, was another silly idea. I replaced them with a single 12V battery. At least in those days you could push start it when it became necessary...

 

[silverforgestudio]

Silverforgestudio,
Century motors are usually quite rebuildable ( I can't say I've ever seen a dead one; the one in my photo sat on the dirt floor of a leaking barn for many years before I got it). Like all repulsion induction motors, they excel at applications where they must start under a load, as they have excellent starting torque. They will also tolerate voltage drops that would damage a capacitor start motor. If you ever plan to restore an older machine, they're a great choice ( the one I have is going to power the feed on a Fay and Egan planer); if you don't use them, some one else likely would .
-James Huston

Thanks James- I love the fact these old motors can be used- I may re-vamp one and just paint it up and keep it "pretty" for the shop!

Hey silverforgestudio, they have real value... I have 4 of them in the shop - and they still run well! They are a little less efficient at turning electrons into torque, but they do a great job in general purpose applications. If I was closer to you I'd offer to buy them from you! I love them!

Dabbler- Alberta would be a harsh freight bill- for sure! One of the motors is dead- I will be using the parts from it to make patterns for the foundry- keep me in mind if you need any replacement end-caps or base plates! Im gearing up to get to Cast Iron in the new year so having things of "practical" and "Replacement" value to cast are paramount!

If anyone is closer to VA and wants one of the two I have left- a six pack of root beer and a pizza are all I ask! (and that you give her a good home and lots of work to do!)