Mill spindle comes to speed, click, slows down, click, repeat

[hman]

@dumpsternaut - you can get a not-too-expensive ($40) tachometer at Harbor Freight. I have a previous model from them, and it's worked well for me.

Digital Photo Sensor Tachometer

Amazing deals on this Digital Photo Sensor Tachometer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[dumpsternaut]

Thanks to all who helped, I learned a lot!
Even coming back to check and seeing the model letter designation and about the $40 tachometer. I thought if I drew a line on the spindle something should be able to tell me.

I can't wait to post some cool-looking wooden flutes made 100% on the home machines!

You can't safely overvoltage an AC motor in hopes of gaining additional speed (If I understood your intentions correctly). The frequency is what determines the rotation speed, along with the way the motor is wound.

If variable speed is needed, the motor can be replaced by an inverter duty 3 phase motor and a VFD. VFD's are able to be found with single phase 240V input up to 3-5HP. The VFD changes the frequency of the output thus giving you speed control.

Thanks Macardoso -- this is informative! In this particular case this was a message in a rather wordt thread (my bad) about diagnosing a sluggish machine supposedly wired for 110v. It started working fine on 220v and I was just hoping I had not hooked 220v to a motor (or circuit wired for for) 110v, watching it run faster than intended and about to burn up my spindle or something. Luckily it appears it was always meant for 220v and is now happy!