Anybody Used this?

Jim DeLaney

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I just got a Sale Notice email from Penn State, and one of the items is a variable speed conversion for the Jet mini (and other small lathes).

It looks interesting: http://www.pennstateind.com/store/e-10300.html

but I wonder how well it'd work. I also wonder the ite 680 rpm they show as the lowest speed is the lathe speed, or the motor speed. If it's motor speed, then with the OEM pulleys, it ought to let the lathe get down to about 175 ~ 200 rpm - much slower than 'stock.'

So, has anybody tried it? How well does it work. Shoulf I spend my pennies?
 
Jim a friend of mine used that kit to do his Jet. 650 RPM is as slow as the lathe goes. It isn't the motor speed. Anyway that's what he told me. He said if he would have known that he would have just bought a Jet VS. I know this probably doesn't help but that was his 2 cents.
 
Jim a friend of mine used that kit to do his Jet. 650 RPM is as slow as the lathe goes. It isn't the motor speed. Anyway that's what he told me. He said if he would have known that he would have just bought a Jet VS. I know this probably doesn't help but that was his 2 cents.

[size=+1]Actually, Bernie, it helps a lot. If that 650 is lathe speed, then the variable speed kit isn't worthwhile. The 'stock' pulley system will go down to 500 rpm. I was hoping for something that would go slower.

Thanks for the info.[/size]
 
Jim, Bernie,

I don't think that 650 rpm's would be the slowest the lathe could be run at. If we remember, the original motor turned at 1720 rpm's and the pulleys slowed it down to 500 rpm's. That would be roughly a 3:1 reduction. If the V/S motor is turning at it's slowest speed, the lathe should run at a lot less than the original speed, when using the lowest belt ratio. I doubt the V/S motor wouldn't go slower than a single speed motor, but I may be wrong. In the picture of the kit, the controller housing shows a speed chart with 3 speeds. Unless there is a drastic difference in shaft sizes, I would think the original 6 step pulleys could be retained.

I have a Carba-tec V/S lathe from PSI and I will take a look at it tomorrow, and I will see what the motor speeds are. I may have to use my mechanical tachometer to see what the actual speeds are. I believe there is a 2 step pulley in that lathe and there are 2 sets of speeds indicated on the controller.

I liked the idea of the V/S but on my Carba-tec lathe the motor would speed up when under a load rather than holding a steady speed, or slowing down some. I haven't checked with PSI on that issue yet.

Thread highjack: That problem, (and the size of the swing and of the morse taper) lead me to purchase a 5 year old used JET mini 6 speed lathe. But now, last night, that lathe fried its motor capacitor ( don't let the motor get burried in shavings or it will overheat quickly) and I have to get a replacement capacitor. I opened up the motor just to check for any possible burned windings (the motor is built pretty heavy duty, except for the capacitor). Real nice smooth bearings too.

Hope all this helps someone out there. I will post a follow up when I get to look at my lathes.

Aloha, Tony
 
Tony my buddy said when he put the motor on his he said at the lowest speed it was running noticeably faster than 500. So I am just telling what he was telling me. He said he didn't have tach or anything to get anything accurate but by eye he could tell the difference. I called PSI and they told me this motor is the same one that is on the TurncrafterPro VS and 650 is minimum. I don't think this motor is the same one that is on the Carba-tec VS lathe.

On the chips laying on the motor and getting hot that is why I like my Rikon. It has a plate above the motor and the chips do not get on the motor at all. They will just roll off the plate as it is angled down to dump behind the motor.

Have a good one Tony.
 
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