Treadmill Motor Conversion On A Walker Turner Drill Press

mattthemuppet2

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alright, next project on the list - adding a variable speed treadmill motor and tach to my WT drill press which also doubles as a sort of mill. It currently has a 1/3hp motor with 5 step motor>intermediate>spindle pulleys to give 250-900rpm and 3000-5000rpm. Changing belts in the lower range isn't a major deal, but it's enough of a hassle that I'm almost always using the wrong speed for something, and that gap in the middle is a huge pain.

I got a 1.5hp treadmill motor and MC40 controller from a treadmill our neighbours threw out and it's been on my list of things to do since the summer. I did this mod to my Atlas 618 lathe with a motor from jpfabricator which is awesome, so hopefully this one should be relatively smooth sailing.

One thing I want to do differently this time is to use the flywheel/fan that came with the motor. I'll need some way of securing it to the motor shaft (1/2-13 LH thread) and I'll have to add a V pulley to it, but that should still be easier than adding a bespoke fan like I did with the lathe motor.

First step, 1/2in mandrel to bore out a spare V pulley. 1/2" piece of mystery steel, countersunk, drilled and tapped for 10-32 and slit with a hacksaw. I tried my slitting saw but the material just laughed at it.IMG_4566.JPG
pulley mounted up on the mandrel in my collet chuck. I used the smallest pulley with the biggest boss that I had, some garage sale find
IMG_4567.JPG
lots of nasty CI later, it's bored out to 1.001in and the outside is tarted up.
IMG_4568.JPG

next, make a 1/2-13 LH threaded mandrel to mount the flywheel to so I can turn the OD of the multi-V-rib pulley down to 1". Hopefully later today or tomorrow.
 
well badgers, I should have stopped while I was ahead. Turned down a piece of random steel stock until it was true, then turned down the end for the OD of the threads. Dumb ass that I am, I forgot to divide the difference between the stock at the last measurement and the target size by two, so ended up with the piece at the thread minor diameter. GRR! Before I threw a fit, I realised that the small end now fits in my collet chuck, so I chucked up the small end and left it at that. 2nd try tomorrow most likely.
 
alright, next project on the list - adding a variable speed treadmill motor and tach to my WT drill press which also doubles as a sort of mill. It currently has a 1/3hp motor with 5 step motor>intermediate>spindle pulleys to give 250-900rpm and 3000-5000rpm. Changing belts in the lower range isn't a major deal, but it's enough of a hassle that I'm almost always using the wrong speed for something, and that gap in the middle is a huge pain.

I got a 1.5hp treadmill motor and MC40 controller from a treadmill our neighbours threw out and it's been on my list of things to do since the summer. I did this mod to my Atlas 618 lathe with a motor from jpfabricator which is awesome, so hopefully this one should be relatively smooth sailing.

One thing I want to do differently this time is to use the flywheel/fan that came with the motor. I'll need some way of securing it to the motor shaft (1/2-13 LH thread) and I'll have to add a V pulley to it, but that should still be easier than adding a bespoke fan like I did with the lathe motor.

First step, 1/2in mandrel to bore out a spare V pulley. 1/2" piece of mystery steel, countersunk, drilled and tapped for 10-32 and slit with a hacksaw. I tried my slitting saw but the material just laughed at it.View attachment 119482
pulley mounted up on the mandrel in my collet chuck. I used the smallest pulley with the biggest boss that I had, some garage sale find
View attachment 119483
lots of nasty CI later, it's bored out to 1.001in and the outside is tarted up.
View attachment 119484

next, make a 1/2-13 LH threaded mandrel to mount the flywheel to so I can turn the OD of the multi-V-rib pulley down to 1". Hopefully later today or tomorrow.
I love those treadmill upgrades!
 
me too, I've been wanting to do this for over a year and wish I'd done it already everytime I use it!

Minor update - threaded the end of the arbor 1/2-13LH after a few adventures and the flywheel threads on nicely. Have to cut the register on the arbor for the bore of the flywheel and figure out somewhat of stopping it from spinning off, then I can start cutting the boss for the pulley.

can't wait to take a pic, it's a 7in flywheel on a 6in lathe, only just clears the ways!
 
finished up the arbor to hold the flywheel on the lathe. Threads were kind of crappy but the register is a tight fit and the flywheel has stayed on through a few cuts, so I'm pretty confident it won't unscrew.

not much clearance though :)

IMG_4576.JPG IMG_4577.JPG

have to pause this for a bit as the spindle pulley bushings were replaced by a previous owner and machined off center which is causing a lot of vibration and finish problems, so I'll have to replace those before continuing. Really don't want to screw this up!
 
made a lot of progress :)

turning down the flywheel stub
IMG_4821.JPG

overshot and ended up with a tight slip fit instead of a press fit, so had to use a set screw instead
IMG_4822.JPG IMG_4823.JPG

drilled through for a set screw to bear on the motor shaft (ground a divot for the set screw in the threads)
IMG_4824.JPG IMG_4825.JPG IMG_4826.JPG

center drilling the motor shaft so I could turn the pulley and flywheel true
IMG_4827.JPG IMG_4828.JPG IMG_4834.JPG

balancing the flywheel on my DIY balancing jig. It was a long way out of balance!
IMG_4835.JPG IMG_4836.JPG IMG_4837.JPG

back together again :)
IMG_4838.JPG

currently making an adapter plate so I can bolt it to my drill press motor plate
 
made an adapter plate out of a piece of alu scrap from my pile
IMG_4840.JPG

I was pretty pleased by the milling - came out ok considering it's a drill press. Still desperately want a mill though.
IMG_4841.JPG

mounting bolts drilled and attached to the motor
IMG_4842.JPG

next up, electronics!
 
making progress on the control box aaaaand blew up a couple of components on the drive :(

IMG_4846.JPG IMG_4847.JPG IMG_4848.JPG

adapter for the SCRs to use the case as a heatsink
IMG_4850.JPG

in the box, in happier times..
IMG_4851.JPG

blown diodes, not that it was working beforehand. Lots of troubleshooting ahead, although at some point it might be worth just buying a newer board.
IMG_4852.JPG IMG_4853.JPG IMG_4849.JPG
 
That's a pretty rough looking PCB. Will you be able to salvage it?

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