polishing spindle, looking for advice

[Bilko]

Hi guys.
im after ideas to get this spindle rigged up correctly. can anyone here please suggest what type of motor and belt would be best suited? i'd like to use 3hp single phase if possible

[mpierich]

[quote=Bilko;46326]Hi guys.
im after ideas to get this spindle rigged up correctly. can anyone here please suggest what type of motor and belt would be best suited? i'd like to use 3hp single phase if possible
QUOTE]

I'd use a dual pulley and two belts to get the most power from the 3 hp (a pretty big motor for polishing unless you're industrial). Not sure what you mean by type of motor - most can be mounted any way you want. Just position it so the buffing wheels turn downward on the work side (toward you). Some motors you can reverse direction.

To figure your pulley sizes, (spindle pulley diameter/motor pulley diam) x motor rpm = spindle rpm. I.E.: (3"/6") x 3750 rpm = 1875 rpm. That would be to step down the rpm. To step it up you'd put the larger pulley on the motor; to keep it the same rpm as the motor, obviously the pullies would be the same size. 3750 seems to be a good all-'round rpm for 8" wheels, you'd want it a little slower for 10" wheels.

Hope this helps, you don't really say what you needed.

[Rasper]

It looks like your polisher is built to be driven by a flat belt. There doesn't appear to be clearance there for V-belt pulleys; if that's the case, and you were to use V-belts you would have to mount the pulleys on one of the shaft ends, or use mighty small pulleys.

I used flat belts to drive the big bandsaws and planers at my shipyard years ago. I like them.

If time is important to you, then you would be better off buying one of Caswell's mandrels. But if you're like me . . . there's not much I'd rather do than mess with some old machinery . . . then it's worth it.

[mpierich]

Originally Posted by Rasper

I used flat belts to drive the big bandsaws and planers at my shipyard years ago. I like them.

Ah, memories. I once had a 60" sawmill powered by a 350 chevy engine and big flat belts.

It was OK unless you happened to shift the automatic tranny into drive...or worse yet, reverse!

[Areomyst]

I don't know if you have a Tractor Supply store in your area, but you can find belts and pulleys from them pretty easy. I used thier belts and pullys for my push mower lift, and it works just fine.

~Josh