wood pulleys

Hi Ed, I also made wooden pulleys before I had variable speed.It certainly is an inexpensive way to reduce speed. I no longer use that lathe only because it was too small. The wooden pulleys worked flawlessly.

Bob, Naugatuck Ct.

VFD for "close to a grand"? There are places to get a variable speed motor AND control box for less than $300. While your wooden pulley idea has merit, 2 minutes to change speeds is about 1 minute and 57 seconds TOO long to wait (IMHO). Also, if you factor in the cost of a good chuck with large jaws for this system, the price difference is quite a bit less.

One more thing....most lathes with outboard spindles have LEFT hand threads. You'd have to have some sort of locking mechanism on the chuck for your system to work.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

control box

Those places may not exist in Peru, where our woodturning friend Ed struggles for a living. Maybe such a deal can be found online, but where? Can you enlighten us, Peter?

Ken Grunke

AND control box

Milford, MA

AND control box

Hi Ed, A good & useful post to remind us of the advantages of 'keeping it simple'. I realize that with turning experience of over 15 years, you have worked out what is best for you, and generously share your findings with rcw, Thanks.

These are just my thoughts about transfer of power from motor to lathe spindle. The ability to start up very _slowly and then _smoothly reach a desired rpm, up or down, with no loss of torque as the turning progresses makes ELECTRONIC variable speed systems different from all others and like mangos & persimmons, can't be compared. Unless one has used electronic variable speed it is difficult to realize that this difference is more than degree. I have trod the path to EVS (integral motors & DVR, not yet) by way of coned pulleys with flat belts, jack shafts, back gears, idler pulleys, clutches, and movable shives like Reeves and Hi-Lo. They were all helpful and perhaps you have tried or might want to consider adding one of these to your multi stepped pulley system. For most others here, I don't advise this as I really believe EVS is worthwhile. On the other hand, why mess with what works for you? All best wishes, Arch

Fortiter,

AND control box

I don't know where they get their motors and controllers from, but they're criminally overpriced.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

I applaude your ingenuity.