3HP motor projects

[Greg Portland]

I've got a spare 3HP (1725RPM) motor laying around and I'm considering making a tool. I've seen plans for large edge sanders and am thinking about ways to make it oscillate.

Does anyone have any plans they'd recommend?

Does anyone have other project ideas they'd recommend?

[joe milana]

Check out www.woodgears.ca
Some pretty creative stuff.

[Van Huskey]

Ihaven't built one but Shopnotes had plans for one in #37. It looks like a good place to start, though I would make it bigger. It doesn't oscillate but I suppose it could be adapted.

In the end I am curious what you come up with.

[Jerome Hanby]

I've spent a little time researching for information towards building an OSS. I'm not sure you can build a sturdy oscillating mechanism without some fairly serious machine shop equipment/know how. I wonder if buying replacement parts for a Grizzly G1071 would be cost effective (and adaptable).

I'd be tempted to build a pretty wide drum sander and use the motor on it...

[Van Huskey]

Ocsillation could be done with a gear motor and a offset attachment to a "pulley" to provide the up and down motion. The motor could be sourced for pretty much any speed and the disc's (pulley) diameter would determine the stroke. I don't know off hand how to attach it to oscillate buy you might want to try to get a good look at a Vega or it's manual. I think Mike Heidrick and Stephen Cherry both have Vega OES.

I think the low end Jet OES does it with some sort of rocking action on the idler pulley, I don't think it has seperate mechanism, but I am not sure. You might try its manual, it may give you a peek, it is online at Jet.

[Greg Portland]

I think the low end Jet OES does it with some sort of rocking action on the idler pulley, I don't think it has seperate mechanism, but I am not sure.

Right, that's what I've seen; a basic gear motor that slowly rocks the idler pulley.

I'd be tempted to build a pretty wide drum sander and use the motor on it...

I've got a pretty good drum sander right now so it isn't a priority.

[Steve Peterson]

That motor would work great for a bandsaw or possibly a lathe. These are two applications that work better with the lower speed motors and there are not as many large size 1725RPM motors. I think I paid around $200 for a 2HP 1725RPM motor for my bandsaw.

You could probably sell it and have enough money to buy the Ridgid OSS or have a good down payment on a big oscillating sander.

Steve

[Greg Portland]

That's my other path... look for an old OSS or OES with a 3ph or broken motor and repair it.

[Van Huskey]

That motor would work great for a bandsaw or possibly a lathe.

I wouldn't use a single phase motor on a lathe though, if you are going to remotor a lathe that situation is begging for a 3ph motor powered with a VFD.