Does anyone have one of these lying around. I know many people buy old machinery and convert it over to single phase. I burned up my unisaw motor today and ned a replacement. naturally I’m looking for a deal so if anyone has one lying around from a swap, let me know and we’ll see wht we can work out. I’m in GA so closer would obviously be better since they are so heavy.
I posted this over on knots but I know there are a few “collectors” of stuff over here so figured i would give it a shot here as well.
Thanks
Tom
Replies
You're probably in a hurry and I haven't restored my replacement 12-14 saw yet. But it's likely that I'll have one soon, if the buyer of my unisaw wants single phase.
Speaking of which, anybody here need a unisaw with 50" Biesemeyer, currently 3 phase?
That'd hurry me up.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I'm not in a huge hurry since I actually have two mounted side by side, but it does make a huge difference in how i work, and how efficiently I can get things done. Let me know when yours becomes available, even if I have found one I may be interested in a spare. I really can't justify another whole saw at this point though:)
I'll let you know if I end up with the motor. Clearly isn't worth a whole lot. I assume I'll be discounting the saw for the new owner to put a single phase motor on it.
BTW, I didn't know they ever burned up. Fry a winding? Bearings I'd understand, but there's not much there.
Picked up a monster wide-belt drill press today. Gonna be sandblasting soon. Plus I've been tripping over that 12-14 too long already. Very large, compared to a unisaw.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Yup, fried a winding, probably the startwinding, looks like the capacitor was on the ay out, the endcap had come off of it. The contacts on the centifugal switch were pretty ugly too.
Iguess I can't complain too much about it. I use it more than most, probably as much as a commercial shop, and it's over 40 years old, 15 of which I've owned it. It has definately earned it's keep.
Bad time for it to die though. I've got a June 4 deadline and a tone of stuff yet to build.
Try the Old WW Machinery guys (I'm one 'o them). http://www.owwm.com
I don't have a 3 hp 3 phase Unisaw motor, but I guarantee someone there does.
Tom?"Yup, fried a winding, probably the startwinding, looks like the capacitor was on the ay out, the endcap had come off of it. The contacts on the centifugal switch were pretty ugly too."3 phase motors don't have cap's or start windings, or centrifual switches..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I know that bill, but I have a phase converter so I can easily swap this over to 3 phase.
The motors are much simpler and less troublesome.
Edited 5/22/2007 9:36 pm ET by TomW
Check Wood.net forums - they have a ton of Unisaw users, many of which have converted used saws.JT
Well, it looks like I have two of them on the way now, one three horse from ebay and a 5 horse that a local guild member knew of. I don't know if my converter wil run the five but i'll give it a try. If not I'l run the three and keep the five for the possibility of upgrading the converter in the future.
Congratulations. I'm still tractor-mechanicing, had to split one- nasty job. Tablesaw, someday.
If you have a 3 hp converter motor, shouldn't be a problem. Upgrading, I'd suggest DIY. Major cost difference between a new and used 3 phase converter motor. And you already know how reliable they are.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I'm running a 5 hp motor for the phase converter so I'm thinking the 5hp may work ok. I know it won't run a 5 hp 3 ph compressor though but I thik that probably due to the loads being a bit higher once it gets up to pressure.
Not sure, but I think the converter motor is supposed to be 2 x the machine motor. I've got a 10hp running a 5hp 3ph jointer...I think I got the 10 hp for $75, came off of an old, commercial air handler. I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law.
Everybody says
She's the brains behind pa.
She's sixty-eight, but she says she's twenty-four.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
Depends who you talk to. I run 3hp off the 5 all the time and it works great. The mfg of my converter says you can run a 5 with it but I don't know how much load it will handle.
I know it will run a 5 hp with little load just fine.
Are you talking about a home made converter? I made this frankenstein thing up from an old FHB or FWW article...the 2x thing may be overkill... and a 5 pushing a 3 is close to 2x<G> I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law.
Everybody says
She's the brains behind pa.
She's sixty-eight, but she says she's twenty-four.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
I once had a 15 hp converter. 5 hp (just a dummy motor, no capacitors) now for lower elec consumption. You're correct about the compressor starting, otherwise you're fine.
Once borrowed a commercial 3 hp converter from a friend. Put an induction ammeter on it for monitoring and proceeded to turn on every tool in the shop. No problem. My tools are larger now, but I got up to 49.8 amps then. Wouldn't have been able to start them all at the exact same time, but that's not a normal need. Remember, that converter's wired in parallel, not series, with your tools.
Old hulking 24" planer here with 10 hp direct drive on the cutterhead, 1½ hp for feed. Soon to be accompanied by a 42" 3 drum sander, 4 motors there. I generate 3 phase in that building. Major startup draws. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
On a rotory converter system, each additional 3 phase motor that is started becomes another converter. Specially if they are running (relatively) unloaded..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Exactly. Same thing as the converter dummy motor.
But even adding tools, there's a distinct limit to starting a high load motor like a compressor or my planer and sander. Compressor went single phase here. I'm still looking into offgrid with a 3 phase generator. Generator's here (PTO), it's the power source than I'm not yet satisfied with. Diesel it ain't gonna be, other than temporary.
TVA has an interesting pond-on-a-mountain.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I'm thinking single phase it's what in store for my compressor as well.
You've been doing without a compressor, or generating three phase? Last compressor I bought (used, as always) is the only one I've seen whose head was too large to sit on the tank, requiring a separate platform. Tank is rated to 500 psi. Not in my shop. 10 hp. It's my spare compressor. Couldn't hardly do without.
Seems I'm not the only one around who likes larger machinery, but not industrial parks. When I first started buying three phase machines a guy I knew, and trusted, advised me that all I needed to do was rearrange the connections to one field winding. Fortunately I spoke with somebody else before I tried that. First converter was a static one. Dumped that in a hurry.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
No, I just have a smaller snigle stage, single phase compressor. I have a 5 hp 3 phase with a t-30 two stage pump on it but i will have to wait for a single phase motor.
How much, what hp, and what condition?
In Virginia, right?
Yes, Virginia. Watch your mailbox.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Two internet sites spring to mind. Check out the "machinery exchange" section at Woodweb. Also, the Old Woodworking Machinery site might help. You can also post a query at either of these sites. Good luck.
Chip Tam
There's one on Ebay right now, bids are at $65 .