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About variable speed motors
I have read somewhere that it may be possible to use a motor out of a treadmill to power a lathe but don't remember where I read it is this really possible? I see treadmills from time to time on freecycle. There is one there now.
I read a post a year ago or more from Capt. Eddied at the bayou woodturners. He had rebuilt an older blue Jet mini with a tread mill motor and dubbed it "jetzilla". He seemed quite happy with it as he had full speed control, good torque and a reverse function. I poked around but could not find it again though. But it is possible..Bill..
I've never thought about using a treadmill motor for a lathe application, and it sounds interesting. From a load/electrical standpoint, it would seem to be a good choice as it is subjected to periodic loading as when a runner is running. A person that weighs say 200 lbs. can exert the equivalent of 800 or more lbs. of force when jumping so the motor has to be subjected to similar loading as when cutting with a gouge, for example. Good idea.
If you do a search on the internet you will find many guys who have used the treadmill motors for retrofitting thier lathes. You can actually buy the motors new from "Surplus Center" and get a DC motor controler relativly inexpensive and then you don't have to get rid of the rest of the treadmill! My dad got a treadmill for free that was only a year old with 3hp motor and all that was wrong with it was a faulty connetion in a contact switch for the machine when it was in the folded position. We took it apart wiggled some wires and it works like a champ. He plans on using it for a lathe application of somesort some day.
Good Luck
Jeff
This is actually a pretty popular conversion ...
http://www.bedair.org/Tmotor/Tmotor1.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Use_...M_Speed_Contr/
Tread mill mtrs are DC power in generial and will work very well , remembering to use the controlls as they are set up on the tm. you'd only need to make a mount and unbilical cord for the controler. finding the pulley or pullies to match up the speed an shaft size will be the only thing you may need to search for ( see the link to my site where i converted a jet 1236 reeves drive to DC / VS pulley ( reeves type ) and am very happy with the resulting speeds 50 rpm to 3000. http://mysite.verizon.net/respwkup/stuff
It is not commerical but for the intrest of wood turning hobbiest and modifications I have made. Good luck.:D
im looking at doing the same thing. the only problem i am having is that i was able to get the circut board and motor. but not the part that controls the speed with the knob. i dont know where to go with it now.