# Clutch motor



## kd0afk (May 18, 2014)

I just bought an industrial sewing machine and I'm swapping out the motor. It came with a clutch motor and it's a beast. I'm ordering a servo motor which has variable speed. 
Would it be a good thing or a bad thing to use it on my south bend 9" lathe? My old lathe motor took a dump on me.


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## Wizard69 (May 19, 2014)

kd0afk said:


> I just bought an industrial sewing machine and I'm swapping out the motor. It came with a clutch motor and it's a beast. I'm ordering a servo motor which has variable speed.
> Would it be a good thing or a bad thing to use it on my south bend 9" lathe? My old lathe motor took a dump on me.




More info would help.   I would think that you will want at least 3/4 horsepower and really 1 HP would be nice.  The clutch may or may not be useful.   


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## kd0afk (May 19, 2014)

Here is the data plate. 
The motor is on all the time and the clutch engages the pulley. Tom Lipton thinks the instant torque might be harmful. 
As far as power, I was using a 1/2hp motor


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## kd0afk (May 19, 2014)

Sorry about that. Forgot pic


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## kd0afk (May 19, 2014)

Also, the rpms can be lowered with a smaller pulley.


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## MachineTom (May 19, 2014)

Is your SB-9 a flat belt machine, that belt is your power limit, small diameter sheaves and a 1" belt. 1/2-3/4 hp. That sewing motor is 3/4 HP but too fast at 3400 rpm. Cheaper to buy a 1/2 single phase motor and slap it on, then make chips. A servo motor and driver, and controls, go buy a bigger lathe instead. While back in the 'old days' machines had clutches because they were line shaft driven, or like a myford had a 1/4 hp motor without enough starting torque to get the machine going. Do you really want to stick your hands into a machine with the motor running, and hope no one ever bumps the clutch lever, not me.   

I love all stuff mechanical, but I use my machines to make stuff, not to play dressup. But thats me.

I was in the motorcycle business, and an oft repeated statement was, do we sell Steak or the Sizzle. The Sizzle brings them in the door, and steak is what they leave with.


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## kd0afk (May 19, 2014)

The clutch would be set so that it couldn't be bumped on. The lathe does have a flat belt but it's driven by a motor with a v belt. The pulley on the clutch motor would be swapped out for a smaller one to cut the speed. The only thing I'm worried about is how will the instant start effect the bearings and such. 
I can make it safe and this will be a spare motor. I can't afford to buy a lathe motor right now but I have to afford a sewing motor.


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## kd0afk (May 19, 2014)

And it really wouldn't be an instant start, I can feather in the clutch so I get a smoother start.


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## MachineTom (May 20, 2014)

Well as bearings the SB9 has none, it is cast iron ons steel spindle. Run it at top speed awhile and it will lock up, with a squeal. As you will be putting a 3400 motor on, that needs an additional. 2:1 not easy when base speed pulley is about 2.5" you need another counter shaft. 
More money, space. Ebay?


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## kd0afk (May 20, 2014)

Could everyone do me a favor and read what I have written before you post? 
I WILL CHANGE THE PULLEY OF THE MOTOR TO BRING THE RPMS DOWN TO 1750!!!!!!!!
Not trying to be rude, but this is the third time I've said it.


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## quickcut (May 20, 2014)

I used a clutch motor like that on an optimum lathe. It worked well but was a bit of a fiddle to fit. I liked the mechanism which worked the brake as it stopped the spindle quickly and can be disconnected if required. Sewing machines also now have a servo motor which are very small and variable speed at a very good price. They also come with a belt tension bracket. Great for a drill press.


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## kd0afk (May 21, 2014)

The servo motor will go on the sewing machine.


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## kd0afk (May 24, 2014)

I didnt get the servo motor. I replaced the 3" drive pulley with a 1-3/4" pulley. Runs a lot slower now. I can work with that. 
I just ordered a new 1hp motor for the lathe. Woohoo


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## kd0afk (May 29, 2014)

The motor came today. I need to wire it and was going to buy 12/3 but someone said they will give me 15 feet of 10/3 for free. 
A lot of people wire their motors with 14ga and it runs fine. Will I loose any power with the heavier wire? I'm an idiot when it comes to electrical.


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## kd0afk (May 29, 2014)

It's a dark red and I'm thinking of painting the lathe to match it. I've already done a rebuild on it, I'd like to give it a good coat of paint. Or it might look nice in Ford grey with a red motor.


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## danstir (May 29, 2014)

A larger wire won't cause a loss of power.  In theory only, you could see a slight increase in motor power.  Course in this case the increase would be so slight as to be considered zero.


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## kd0afk (May 29, 2014)

The new motor has a reset switch. Do I need this?


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## Swifty (May 29, 2014)

I'm not much on electrical issues, but I thought that a larger gauge wire is better, as a smaller gauge may be prone to heating up due to the amount of current flow.

Paul.


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## quickcut (May 30, 2014)

Is The reset switch for over temperature control. If it is leave it.


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## kd0afk (May 30, 2014)

I don't know. No literature came with it.


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## kd0afk (May 30, 2014)

I'll leave it


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## justintime (Jun 11, 2014)

The point being made is that you can only reduce the motor pulley very  slightly before have belt problems No way to reduce the pulley down to the size you would require for halving the RPMs.   Good luck in your efforts, it seems you are fixed upon the Sewing Mach. motor even though it is the most problematic option for you.


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## TinyTool (Jun 11, 2014)

kd0afk said:


> Could everyone do me a favor and read what I have written before you post?
> I WILL CHANGE THE PULLEY OF THE MOTOR TO BRING THE RPMS DOWN TO 1750!!!!!!!!
> Not trying to be rude, but this is the third time I've said it.




Why read? Just skim a few lines and jump in with an opinion......

Yeah just a thought.... the clutch gear is to bring a very small amount of mass up to speed fairly quickly - the sewing machine aparatum.

I think the sewink boosheen motor would be just fine.... good motors.

As long as there was a little bit of slip and soft starting in the drive train.

But I'd be getting a firm understanding on the clutch and it's operation and service it to spec.....

Just in case.

Many years ago there was a HUGE double decker type dumpster that had a whole factory of industrial sewing machines inside it - all getting tossed out......

I could have acquired several - but I was on foot, I had a long way to go and they had HUGE motors and weighed a ton.....

Another Emelda Marcos moment..... Pass.


Yeah the ONLY reason why great big motors that run sewing machines like machine guns, have clutches, is to basically keep the whole motor running and to only use a light weight drive to the sewing mechanism.

It's to stop endless stopping and starting of the motor, which draws huge amounts of power, overheats the motor, uses loads of power and it's a general prick.

Much better to have a motor and a flywheel / clutch spinning all the time - and then engage the sewing mechanism - because the act of sewing by machine is huge amounts of short bursts of sewing all day every day.....

But to be fair you could just strip the clutch off and direct drive from the motor.... as lathe work tends to be on and using it, and the odd switching off....

Quite a different cycling load to sewing.


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## johanneskees (Jun 11, 2014)

Leave the thermal overload. just connect the motor as indicated somewhere on it's terminal cover's inside or somewhere on the motor itself. There vare to many options on how to connect the overload. for instance if it is a single phase motor it can be already factory connected, or you have to connect it in your "live" line or to a relay or to a contactor, depending on the design of the overload. For a three phase motor it usually switches of the self holding circuit of the starter/run contactor.

Measure and know.


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## kd0afk (Jun 11, 2014)

The motor is wired thanls


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## quickcut (Jun 12, 2014)

Sewing machine motors (the one shown in the picture) are low starting torque motors. They usually have a flywheel and this helps with the stop start operation of sewing. Another thought  ,I just noticed that you have a 2 pole motor. Perhaps you could exchange it for a 4 pole one and that would halve the speed.


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## Royal Viking (Jun 15, 2014)

Why not keep the clutch motor on the sewing machine.  This is standard for that type of machine.  Invest the money in a proper motor for the lathe.


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## kd0afk (Jun 15, 2014)

Royal king. READ before posting. Also, have you ever used a clutch motor on a sewimg machine? Also, the servo motor is the new industry standard


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## barnesrickw (Jun 16, 2014)

I've used a sewing machine motor for my lathe for a bit.  The variable speed was great.  Had I geared it properly, it would have been perfect.  I'm thinking of changing back to it. 


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## kd0afk (Jun 16, 2014)

Rick, I'm almost finished with the machinists chest. Just the drawer guides left to do and I can assemble it. I can't wait.
Then I get to buy hardware which is going to cost more than the box. I'm making the knobs so I'm saving a hundred right there. I'm not going to bother with a lock right now. Nobody comes into my shop but it will get one later.


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## barnesrickw (Jun 17, 2014)

That is looking really nice.  I'm anxious to see it done as well.  You could always turn the hardware out of brass.  The shop in the background is looks impressive too.  Sold a bunch of the scrap from what I sent you to a guy who makes plaques for his car club.  


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## barnesrickw (Jun 17, 2014)

Just looked at the picture again.  That is going to be a prize when it's finished.  


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## kd0afk (Jun 17, 2014)

Thanks, the shop I'm in belongs to Isaac Fischer. 
A little back story; for about 20 years I have seen, admired and wanted a hock plane kit from Woodcraft tools. I never got the funds together but I've always wanted one or several. 
Half way through the build I walk in to the shop and see a hundred blocks of bubinga that have been machined in a very specific and familiar manner. I made a comment about how they look like the hock plane kits. Isaac is the creator of that kit. Im basically working with and getting help from an idol of mine. He is a graduate of the fine woodworker course here in Fort Bragg and studied under Mr Krenov personally. 
He made a deal me, when I buy hock plane irons he will give me the wood part of the kits. He also created the "scratch stock" and gave me his prototype. I used it to put the quirk bead on all the drawers.


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## barnesrickw (Jun 18, 2014)

They grow some of that wood in New Jersey, but it's called bada-bubinga.  I made a few of my planes.  One Japanese with an iron from Japan Woodworker, and one Smoother, Krenov ish.  


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## kd0afk (Jun 18, 2014)

Bada-bubinga lol


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