Treadmill motor conversion for planer feed - running too fast

[ErichKeane]

I will definitely try adjusting those Pots!

If that doesn't get what you want, shrinking the pulley on the motor/getting a bigger pulley for the roller side is, IMO, your best/cheapest bet.

I actually ended up doing a planer project not long ago! https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/woodmaster-718-planer-infeed-roller.81926/

My problem was more that the rubber rollers were getting dirty/slipping, so I replaced the infeed side with a knurled one.

 

[KevinH]

Rather than photograph my broken ones, here's a couple of links to a website that sells a few (very expensive) spare parts
This is the link to the actual gear:

INCA 5.190.5400A Gear for feed drive , early machines model 510

Gear for early planatary gear machines , complete with 2 bearings

incamachines.com

And this is a link that shows the planetary gear configuration:

INCA feed roller belt 58.46.1186 for 343.190 pack of 2

Feed roller belt for thicknesser jointer 343.190 (US 510 ) Photo is for reference which machine this belt is for.

incamachines.com

 

[ErichKeane]

Rather than photograph my broken ones, here's a couple of links to a website that sells a few (very expensive) spare parts
This is the link to the actual gear:

INCA 5.190.5400A Gear for feed drive , early machines model 510

Gear for early planatary gear machines , complete with 2 bearings

incamachines.com

And this is a link that shows the planetary gear configuration:

INCA feed roller belt 58.46.1186 for 343.190 pack of 2

Feed roller belt for thicknesser jointer 343.190 (US 510 ) Photo is for reference which machine this belt is for.

incamachines.com

Thats a pretty cool system! Looks like those gears are odd only because they have 2 gears molded into 1. You could buy two separate ones, put them on the same bushing, then pin them together (or 3d print as above).

That said, messing with your pulley diameter is likely the easiest method with the treadmill motor and lets you adjust speed electronically.

Can you snap a picture of your current setup? I don't have a good idea of your size/space limitations.

 

[KevinH]

This Is what I have at the moment. You can see the back of the main motor sticking through above the plate that the DC motor is mounted to.

I adjusted both those Pots and sure enough it has slowed the motor quite a bit. The only issue now is it seems to lack torque. I can just touch the side of the flywheel and it slows it down further...

Starting to loose faith in this. Might be the wrong application for this motor set up. I might see if I can use it for my wood lathe and look at getting a small 3 phase induction motor and VFD for the planer...

 

[KevinH]

If that doesn't get what you want, shrinking the pulley on the motor/getting a bigger pulley for the roller side is, IMO, your best/cheapest bet.

I actually ended up doing a planer project not long ago! https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/woodmaster-718-planer-infeed-roller.81926/

My problem was more that the rubber rollers were getting dirty/slipping, so I replaced the infeed side with a knurled one.

Nice work! I appreciate a good knurl job given how messy my knurls usually end up

Nice lathe too! I have a 9" SouthBend that is on my to do list to get up and running

 

[ErichKeane]

This Is what I have at the moment. You can see the back of the main motor sticking through above the plate that the DC motor is mounted to.

I adjusted both those Pots and sure enough it has slowed the motor quite a bit. The only issue now is it seems to lack torque. I can just touch the side of the flywheel and it slows it down further...

Starting to loose faith in this. Might be the wrong application for this motor set up. I might see if I can use it for my wood lathe and look at getting a small 3 phase induction motor and VFD for the planer...

Yep, that'll happen. Less power to the motor means less torque. Swapping pulleys will increase the torque significantly which would fix this problem. It looks like you have PLENTY of room to replace the upper pulley with a significantly bigger one. If you double the size of the pulley, you will half the size and double the torque.

 

[KevinH]

Grand. I'll give it one more go so

I'll get as big a pulley as can fit and see if that does the trick

Thanks again Erich

 

[ErichKeane]

Yep, that'll happen. Less power to the motor means less torque. Swapping pulleys will increase the torque significantly which would fix this problem. It looks like you have PLENTY of room to replace the upper pulley with a significantly bigger one. If you double the size of the pulley, you will half the size and double the torque.

I mean "if you double the size of the pulley, you half the SPEED and double the torque".

 

[mattthemuppet2]

You really need a countershaft in there to step the speed down even further. Treadmill motors work well between 1000-4000rpm typically, so a 1" motor pulley (can't remember typical diameter - I think it's between 1 and 1 1/2") and 4" driven pulley will give you 250-1000rpm. Put in a jackshaft with another 1:4 ratio and you'll get down into the speed range you need (60-250rpm).

If that's not feasible you're better off with one of those gear motors, just make sure they're rated for continual use.

 

[KevinH]

A jack shaft would be good but I've no idea where to get one and space is quite tight in there