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Overhead drive and motor

Bob Franklin

Bob Franklin

Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
48
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371
Location
Thornton, Colorado
Can some of you share pics of your DIY overhead drive setups , I'm getting close to being ready to build one and would like ideas. Also I am considering using a 500w variable speed Rattmotor and wonder if any of you have experience with that and just how well it works with the overhead drive and / Or I would love feed back if there are reasons why thats a bad idea. My current drive the motor is mounted on the carbide cutter assembly and i am having a UCF built and would like to keep that 1/5hp motor on the current set up that way and have that as an option to still use .
 
Hi Bob -- I don't know if you found my article from the journal, but I wrote about how to Build an Overhead Drive, back in Spring of 2008, shortly after the MDF rose engine articles came out. The simplicity of the notches in the crane arm of that design allow you to use the weight of the motor to adjust belt tension, without any fiddly hardware. KISS. ;)

I have a 500w Rattmotor brushless motor that I'm using for something else, but it should work fine for an overhead drive. I have used Jet lathe retrofit motors, and Sherline motors in the past.

Others have used servo motors for sewing machines successfully too. Search Amazon for "sewing machine servo motor" and you'll find lots of options.

If you're just getting started, you might find a gem or two in the rest of my articles, on my website under the Ornamental Obsessions tab.

Cheers,
 
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Hi Jon, thanks for the reply, I did run across the article and originally started building that version. After seeing another version that spencer shared, I liked that it was lighter and maybe takes up less space as my shop is super small, anyhow i am in the process of building that version and then will determine which verson is going to work better for my setup. I'm happy to hear that you think the ratt motor will workout as i purchased it and am building it in to the arm. Anyhow, Thanks for sharing the link and having that article out there, as it really gave me confidence to attack this.
 
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