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Just Picked Up A Kent 4vk
- Thread starter alloy
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- Joined
- Jul 5, 2014
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The motor ran well, or at least it seemed to. If I can find a way to repair it for say $300 total or find a used motor around that price I will go that way.
For the $450 plus a new lower pulley and other parts that add up to over $600 I'm not willing to take a chance on a repair. It's just too close to a complete new motor.
But it doesn't cost me anything to keep looking to see if I can do it for less than a new one.
For the $450 plus a new lower pulley and other parts that add up to over $600 I'm not willing to take a chance on a repair. It's just too close to a complete new motor.
But it doesn't cost me anything to keep looking to see if I can do it for less than a new one.
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- Jul 5, 2014
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Well change of plans on the Kent. Went to an auction today and picked this up. Got it for $200. Has a Baldor Super E motor on it and R8 spindle. With getting this I'll save at least $2k buying a new motor and tooling up for the 30 taper. Just have to get the new head mounted and figure out a problem with the X axis scale and I'll have to buy a VFD and make up a control panel for it. Then it will be ready to run.
It's mounted on a large angle plate for what looks like a second op setup.
It's mounted on a large angle plate for what looks like a second op setup.
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- Jul 5, 2014
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Yes nice drill bit, and a 1/2" R8 collet 
The wire is small gauge control wire, wish it was power cord. But Jim will throw it on his shelf and it will get used on some future project.
I'm heading out to Jim's today and we will put some power to the head. I'm hoping everything will be ok with it. Chances are it's in good condition. With no moving parts for a speed changer there isn't much that can go wrong. And I have the Kent head to use for spare parts.
The wire is small gauge control wire, wish it was power cord. But Jim will throw it on his shelf and it will get used on some future project.
I'm heading out to Jim's today and we will put some power to the head. I'm hoping everything will be ok with it. Chances are it's in good condition. With no moving parts for a speed changer there isn't much that can go wrong. And I have the Kent head to use for spare parts.
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- May 4, 2015
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Shucks the cord cost that much , well hope it fits right on . I see one problem needs a cleaning and a paint job. But while it's off you'll go over the head and ck belts and bearings ck the down feed and lube her up. Better to do it now then when you want to use it , at least that's the way I look at it.
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- Jul 5, 2014
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Got out to Jim's today. We powered up the head on a pallet and it runs great. Nice and quite in both high and low range.
So we went ahead and put the head on the mill and every time we moved it water poured out of it. We did some work on the power down feed and got that together.
We tried putting some WD40 into the head to displace the water but it wouldn't take it. Every time we moved the quill down it had water on it. So we decided it needed to come apart and get cleaned up and checked out.
When we pulled the top part of the head off we found a broken part of the down feed drive setup. Thankfully I have the Kent head for spare parts. I tore the spare head apart and got the part I needed out of it. Looks like it should fit. We found a few manufacturing differences, but most parts will interchange.
Washed some of the parts up and I'll take the top part of the head into work and put it in the hot parts washer. And I think I'm going to paint the new head to match the rest of the mill.
I need to make a control panel setup for the front of the head for the controls and a tach. Jim put a contact tachometer on the motor and the spindle and found out it's an 1800 RPM motor. So they must have had it set up to run 120 hertz for full speed. With the Super E motor it should take that all day.
Got some work to do, but I'm pretty happy with how it's worked out so far.
So we went ahead and put the head on the mill and every time we moved it water poured out of it. We did some work on the power down feed and got that together.
We tried putting some WD40 into the head to displace the water but it wouldn't take it. Every time we moved the quill down it had water on it. So we decided it needed to come apart and get cleaned up and checked out.
When we pulled the top part of the head off we found a broken part of the down feed drive setup. Thankfully I have the Kent head for spare parts. I tore the spare head apart and got the part I needed out of it. Looks like it should fit. We found a few manufacturing differences, but most parts will interchange.
Washed some of the parts up and I'll take the top part of the head into work and put it in the hot parts washer. And I think I'm going to paint the new head to match the rest of the mill.
I need to make a control panel setup for the front of the head for the controls and a tach. Jim put a contact tachometer on the motor and the spindle and found out it's an 1800 RPM motor. So they must have had it set up to run 120 hertz for full speed. With the Super E motor it should take that all day.
Got some work to do, but I'm pretty happy with how it's worked out so far.
Last edited:
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- Apr 28, 2014
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- 3,590
So it's got a built in 'flood coolant' system - EH? 
Serious question: I'm not picturing what type of drive system it has. Is variable speed or just single belt on pulley?
Serious question: I'm not picturing what type of drive system it has. Is variable speed or just single belt on pulley?
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2014
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- 2,772
It apparently had some sort of water based system yes. I have removed that feature.
Just a single belt with a VFD rated motor. The motor turns at 1800 rpm and you use a VFD to slow it down or run it up to120 hertz. I need to buy a VFD and a pot along with switches and a tachometer.
Without a tach there really is no way of knowing how fast your turning. I briefly considered one of those little eBay tachs that use reflective tape, but I'd rather have a readout on the machine.
Just a single belt with a VFD rated motor. The motor turns at 1800 rpm and you use a VFD to slow it down or run it up to120 hertz. I need to buy a VFD and a pot along with switches and a tachometer.
Without a tach there really is no way of knowing how fast your turning. I briefly considered one of those little eBay tachs that use reflective tape, but I'd rather have a readout on the machine.
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- Sep 28, 2013
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- 4,306
I've used an eBay tach that has a Hall effect sensor, works pretty well as far as I can tell but I have no means to check its accuracy. Before I changed the motor, the speeds it gave pretty much matched the ones in my lathe manual, so it's at least in the right ball park. $12-13 plus a 9-15V wall wart to power it.
oh, there's also the Maxtach too - quite a bit more and a serious amount of self assembly required, but a lot more features (SFM/ tool diameter etc). Couple of people on here (Masteryoda?) have them and like them a great deal. I just couldn't spring for the extra
oh, there's also the Maxtach too - quite a bit more and a serious amount of self assembly required, but a lot more features (SFM/ tool diameter etc). Couple of people on here (Masteryoda?) have them and like them a great deal. I just couldn't spring for the extra