Where from to snatch parts?

[Kalindras]

Following up my last questions, I'm looking to nick a motor to build a grinder with.

I'm given to understand several points about any motor that I'd want to use for this purpose:

1) Bigger is usually better for grinders (2+ HP, no?)

2) It needs to be enclosed (TEFB?)

3) VS is great, if you can find it.

4) 230 requires special wiring.

Okay, with that in mind, I'm prepared to make a weekend jaunt to the flea market/junkyard zones in the area. But what do I look for? What types of devices have the kinds of motors I'm looking for? Old Dishwashers? Washing machines? Old machinery? Cars? Strange, alien craft from beyond our galaxy? What?!?

Also, what other types of stuff might yield useful parts for a knifemaker? I have a decent imagination, but if I let that run wild, I'll see one-tenth of the market, and waste all day! So, how do I narrow my search? What are the favorites?

Thanks, as always, folks!

 

[Plain ol Bill]

Motors can be found in some unlikely places. In your search be sure to check out Surplus Center in Lincoln NE. Their # is (800) 488-3407 and Bruce Evans swears by thier motors. Touch bases w/ him on the type he uses, and they are inexpensive.

 

[rfrink]

I love the attitude!

I can hardly get out of our neighborhood on trash day because I have to slow down at each driveway to see what they are tossing out. When I see a hulking piece of junk, then the gears start turning upstairs....an old water heater...hmmm, that has a burner, valves and gas controls..Bingo! a new furnace is born. Actually the junk just piles up in the shop for a few years untill I trash it to make room for the next junky invention (hee hee).

Anyway, about that grinder motor. I like the 1725 rpm motors over the 3650, because the speed is more appropriate for grinders and they are a bit heavier than the comparable hp in the high speed models.

Good sources might be, small air compressors, blowers and industrial fans. Also material handling equipment such as conveyors, augers, fluid pumps...etc.

Noisy motors are typically just rough bearings....a quick visit to the local bearing supplier and $30 later and it is as good as new so don't let that bother you too much in your search. Smelly motors are bad....burned windings ..Uck! stay away!. If the motor frame number ends with the letter "Z" then it is a special shaft (ex: 56cz) and you might struggle finding standard stuff to fit on the end. Also keep your eyes peeled for pulleys. For home built grinders, anything from about 5" down to 2" in diameter might be a good candidate.

If you find a good looking motor, read the name plate and make sure is reads: "1 phase" or single phase and not "3 phase". If you are struggling with 220V in your shop, then stay away from 3 phase at all costs. In heavy industrial communities, used 3 phase motors may only sell for thier weight as scrap...great deals but you need 3 phase electrics...and that is a huge commitment.

Thats my 2 cents about that. Go get 'em and have a good time!

Rob Frink

 

[R Dannemann]

Not really sure what 3 phase provides a motor user. It seems a lot of industrial equipment runs with 3 phase 240v motors.

Is is more torque or ?? Looking at a machinist web forum they are pretty keen on 3 phase motors for moderate size lathes and milling machines, I notice a lot of new machinery comes with 3 phase as standard pretty rapidly as machine size grows.

There is a way to use a 3 phase motor as a phase converter to provide 3 phase when only single is available at the power pole, some machinists doing this but the motor/converter needs to be manually started via rope start on a pulley unless rewired with start capacitors. If anybody is interested I could probably find the web link telling how to do this, I have a hardcopy of the info in the file.

 

[Arthur Washburn]

Three pase power tends to be more economical to use then single phase. Case in point on average we run the shop on 40 dollars worth of electricity a month compared to 80 bucks or more for my 1200 square foot home. The shop contains a huge compressor, two large hammers a HES Lathe, two surface grinders, a mill and various other welders and stuff. All of the shop stuff is used daily. My house has a swamp cooler, oven, lights, refigerator and various radios, tvs and puters. It cost me even more in the winter with the electric heat running.

With the use of a phase converter you will lose some of the power that the motor would develope if it was connected to three phase power.