Bought an interesting motor today

B

Brian.Evans

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Aug 20, 2011
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So, I've been slowly sourcing eerf grinder parts. Today, I bought a motor off Craigslist.

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It's a 5 hp, 1750 rpm, 213 frame single phase Baldor. The pulley on the shaft came with it. The step pulleys came off an old lathe I decided not to restore. They are 3/4" shaft.

My plan is to run a 3/4" shaft with the drive wheel on one end and step pulley on the other on pillow blocks Make a sliding mount for the motor so I can move it into alignment with the appropriate shaft pulley.

I know it isn't ideal, but we can't afford $500+ on ideal right now. A buddy cut the steel with a cad laser and another buddy is making wheels for me. I'm going to have less than $200 in the whole thing all said and done.

So what do you think?

By the way, I paid $30 for the motor, delivered. :)
 
five horsepower, whatever you saved on the motor, I'm afraid you're going to spend on wire to feed it.

I"d keep looking.
 
Voltage is 240. Draws 25 amps.

Sam, I've only got about six feet worth of wire to buy, so not too bad, and I bet I can scrounge it if I look hard enough.

I have 200 amp service in my shed with a 60 amp breaker I use for my Lincoln arc welder.
 
That is good about the 60 amp outlet already in the shop. Take that plug and its wires from the contactor box and make up a 10 gauge pig-tail with a plug on one end and has a plug that fits into the welder outlet. The cord and plugs will cost less than $50. Make it long enough for good wire placement and the ability to move things later....8-10 feet would be good.

You are really lucky that the motor came with that contactor. That box alone would set you back several hundred dollars.

The scrap metal value on the motor is more than you paid for it, BTW.

5HP is really huge, but it sure won't stall. Some day you might build a hydraulic press, and you already have the motor.
 
Thanks Stacy. A new motor from Baldor in that size is between $780 and $1550. You saying the contactor is worth some too makes me happy.

I knew if it didn't work I could at least flip it for scrap, so I wasn't overly worried. I tried to get the guy to take $25 for it, but it didn't happen. Lol

I figured if it worked but I couldn't make it work with the grinder, I could probably just sit it on a shelf somewhere protected and use it later.

I should have bought the 3 ph 1 hp GE motor he had too, but it was odp frame, and I didnt think it would be usable for anything in the shop.
 
You will be paying to run a 5Hp inductive load, even if you don't load it up to 5Hp. Go easy on it the first couple of spins, and then check your electric bill would be my advice.
 
It lives!!!!! It cost $63 for a 20 ft cord and a plug end. It was going to be $45 for the female side of the cord to plug into that little pigtail, so I just weird the cord in directly. Comes on and turns off perfectly. No noise, no grinding.

You are right, it's a huge motor. Likely I won't be making even 5 knives a month for a while yet. So, even if it does end up drawing a huge load, hopefully it won't be so much for a while.

Anything to get away from that craftsman grinder.
 
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