Motor help

Joined
Mar 19, 1999
Messages
620
I just ordered a kmg-1, and I need a motor, I really don't care how much it costs, I know nothing about motors. I want a motor with the variable speed built into it, probably 2hp max, Where is a good place to get one, and if you have a specific model number that would be great. I would really like to order it over the web if possible.
thanks
Kyle Fuglesten
 
Have you looked at the DC motors and controllers on the KMG web site. They are there. A bit high for me but you say you don't care about price and you'll get them from KMG.

Roger
 
Kyle, a 11/2HP would work fine. Get a TEFC(totally enclosed fan cooled). I don't know what your shop voltage is, but for 120V, get a 90VDC motor, for 220VDC, get a 180V motor. With HP above 1 HP, 220V is really the way to go. On the controls, make sure you get one with the heat sink, it's an option. Whether you want to be able to reverse, and or have dynamic braking, is something for you to decide. The braking I use all the time, but the reversing feature, I rarely use. I will give you the part numbers of my setup. The motors are Leeson, the controls Minarik.
Motor Cat.,#= 108092.00 Leeson
Control # = MM23201, or MM23101 Minarik
Heat Sink # = 223-0174 "
You might also want to get a # 64-2220A Archer, 5PC TV alignment tool kit, from Radio Shack. Costs about $3.00
You will need that to make the necessary adjustments to the control, after set up. It is very simple, and covered in the instructions.
http://www.minarikcorp.com/index.html
They have branches all over the country, and 800 #s also. Get a catalog from them when you contact them, it is a wealth of information.
Good luck to you.
:D
 
here is what I bought from Minarik for my KMG-1. It is non-reversible, no brake switch, wired for 220 volts. They are separate units, but that allowed the advantage of having the controls close to hand.

Control: #MM23401C, 2HP control, dual voltage, NEMA 4 enclosure, with heat sink.

Motor: # 108266 Leeson 2HP DC (this motor has the foot/base for mounting)

Like Mike said above, one has to tune the controller once wired in to obtain best performance. A nice little booklet accompanies the controller, and it isn't hard to do. BTW, if wiring 220, one connects the two hot wires to the controller and you run the neutral straight through. Be sure to run a ground from the controller to the motor housing then to earth.

This motor and controller ran something like $720 delivered.

Enjoy, I love my KMG-1 over my old Bader 2.
 
Kyle, be real careful what you buy, make sure the controller is the right one for the motor you're getting. Here's why I'm saying that.



Has anyone else that bought K&G's variable speed kits had problems with them?
I bought one of their outfits at the Blade Show in 2000.
It's a Leeson 1 1/2 hp, 90volt dc, 14 amp motor with a Minarik MM23101 controller.
My controller went kaput a week or so ago and I've been doing some research and contacted Minarik online and their tech support has been great.
They emailed me a copy of the manual for the 2300 series controllers and I read thru it and when I got the specification section something didn't look right so I emailed Minarik back and they confirmed it.
The controller K&G sold me with the motor is not the right model. It's not powerful enough. The model they sold with the Leeson 1 1/2 hp motor is only rated for up to a 1 hp motor.
The right controller costs over $400. The controller K&G sells with their variable speed kit is just $168.
I emailed K&G and Ken emailed me back asking me to call him.
I called him and he said he spoke with Minarik and I was right, the MM23101 was the wrong controller for a 1 1/2 hp motor. He also said the reason the 1 1/2 hp motors were only 90 volt dc so folks could run them at 110 volt since a lot of knife makers didn't have 220 available in their shops. Problem with a 90 volt motor is you "can't" wire it for 220.
Ken sold me another one of the MM23101's at his cost of $121 and I found a used 1 hp 180 volt dc motor that I can wire for 220 so hopefully I'll be back to grinding soon.
Just wanted to let those of you who also bought one of K&G's variable speed kits know about this.
 
L6...that is good info! That is the main reason that I do not offer 110V DC motors and controllers for use on the KMG1. Fine for VS disks...but not for a 2X72 belt grinder. If DC VS is needed...then it has to run on 220V...great performance....no problems.

I'm probably conservative and I'm sure there are success stories otherwise.

Sincerely,
Rob
 
I agree with you Rob, I'd rather have 1 hp hooked up to 220 than 1 1/2 at 110!!
This 90 volt motor and MM23101 controller will probably end up a disc sander, only kicker is the controller isn't reversable, ugh!
 
I'm going with a 90 volt 1 1/2 Hp Leeson with a 1 1/2 Hp (15 amp.) KB drive for my yet to arrive 2 X 72. I'll see. The 1 Hp drive would probably be light because of at least, if for no other reason, the high in-rush current of a higher rated motor.

Roger
 
Michael, have you looked into putting a DPDT switch in between the controller and the motor to reverse direction? Just curious .Dave:)
 
That'll do it but be sure to remove power and allow motor to come to a stop before reversing direction. You can otherwise damage the drive.

Roger
 
DC Knives,

Yup exactly what rlinger said. I hooked mine up that way (the controller didn't have reverse built in). However, once when turning off I found I reached for that switch. Didn't hit it, but I reached.

So now it has tape over it and I'm going to mount it in a hard to reach spot.

Steve
 
Thats a good idea Dave, thanks!!!
As impatient as I am I'll have to do like Steve though and mount it someplace weird or in a locked box so I can't flick it real easy.
 
I can relate to the challenges of motors and drives. I wanted to
buy one of Rob's KMGs but I knew that I would have to deal with the
motor problem, so I have to wait to get the KMG. I read everything I could get on variable speed drives.
I finally decided to go for the motor and drive unit first and slow down my present grinder. I decided to go with AC variable frequency drive because they use 3 phase motors and they are available and cheap and I can use one drive to have more than one motor. My 2hp motor cost $40.00 on eBay and the 1hp cost $30.00 ( both were in either new or like new condition. I was cheated by the eBay seller on the 3hp drive unit and had to pay $180.00 for the HIM program unit. The whole thing cost, $232.00 for the drive and $180.00 for the HIM. It works like a charm. I'm happy.
 
Don,Just a little tip which you may not have read.Motors are set up to be inverter rated for use with VSD's.Now standard 3phase motors can be used, but it is harder on them.With the average maker motors will last a long time,but under serious use unrated motors can fail pretty quickly.Good thing that they are cheaper to replace.Dave:)
 
I also went through this last year. First, let me say that, despite the slight trouble of acquiring your own motor, you will be very pleased with the KMG-1!

If you want a 1.5 HP VS, go straight to Minarik and have 220V. Like Rob said, 110V and 1.5HP don't mix. Rob is a top-flight machinist and builds a great grinder; I get the feeling the motors are more driven by customer demand than Rob's desire to be a motor distributor. Minarik specializes in controllers and motors and will give you a very good price on a package if you tell them you are a knifemaker and push for wholesale prices.

A final option, and the one I took, is to get a Baldor from Tru-Grit. Again, do this only if you have 220V. These are nice because they are an integral unit--1.5 HP VS motor, VS controller, and heat sink all in one self contained package. I heard some complaints from others who had this motor, but it turns out they were all running it on 110V. I am on 220V with the 180V motor, and have had no problems whatsoever (knock on wood). This is the same motor that comes with the HardCore grinder, so it is a rather "high-end" package, and is pre-tuned for a knife making grinder. IOW, I have not had to open it up and adjust trimpots, etc.

Good luck,

John
 
Dave, I am aware of the inverter rated motors. These industrial
3 phase motors are cont. duty motors made to run 24 hrs 7 days a
week. For my limited use, I have it on good authority, that I will
not hurt these motors. I do appreciate the info. However.
 
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