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Varispeed starting issue

Tray

Aluminum
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Location
Southampton UK
I have created an issue that I don’t know how to recover from. I last use by BP varispeed clone in back gear with the speed wound up to the top end. It’s cold in my workshop and I can’t now get the mill running as the belt is slipping at the the motor end. I think the situation is like trying to pull away in a car in top gear. The directions clearly states
not to wind the varispeed down when when it’s not in motion. I tried it in neutral but it made no difference the spindle is free anyway, of course the top end of the drive still needs to be rotated. I can’t rotate the spindle in gear due to the gearing. I can see the belt through a side cover and it’s not moving much on start up and I can hear an unusual noise. I don’t leave it running for more than a few seconds for fear of damaging the belt. The motor is on a VFD and has always worked flawlessly, the VFD is showing no errors.

So Assuming my diagnosis is correct I’m looking for a way I can fix this simply without a major strip down. If that’s needed I’ll replace the cone bushes.

Thanks

Tony
 
Last edited:
Keep the power off and wind the spindle forward s in high gear with a dirill or by hand . while putting pressure on the front sheave by winding the speed down

If that doesn't work, you may be able to get to the motor end spring , and compress it (opening the sheaves) with a couple of lengths of threaded rod and nuts, screwed into the pulley holes provided for this purpose.

It sounds to me like your belt is worn and/or stretched.

Bill
 
+1 to the worn belt. It sounds like it is too skinny for the springs to keep it in tension.
 
I got the mill from a college and have no idea how old the belt is. The motor is dated 1994 so who knows. Good thing is I can see the part no clearly. Looks like I’m in for a top end rebuild as I do occasionally get the clonking that is reported as a sign of worn cone bushes. Replacement may be more of a challenge as it’s a Lion 2VS made in Taiwan and nicely made but there is nothing about them online. Anyway if I can get over the current issue that will have to wait until lockdown is over as I will need assistance. Great thing is there are excellent videos from H&W to follow.
 
All the clones that I've seen are pretty similar. Thers nothing particularly complicated about the vari speed , I made the bearings sleaves for mine rather than wait .

The triciest thing is to find the correct threaded rod to compress the spring, they can be inch or metric depending on model.and the threaded hole is very difficult to access so it's matter of trial and error and hope you don't strip the thread!
 
Thanks Bill I owe you one, an 18V cordless got the job done, a little hairy with torque reaction on the wrist but I’m now back to 800 rpm and running ok. In case it helps anyone the belt fo my Lion 2VS is marked HTD Varispeed 875VC3830 $60 in the US plus $112 shipping to the UK so will have to find something comparable here.
 
Belt is probably worn, but there are also be out of adjustment or damage to the mechanism.
The way these things work is the handle you are turning is winding a short piece of chain around a spool, pulling down on an arm the compresses the front pulley. If someone were to try and turn the speed down when it is not running, it is possible to break that arm [as had happened to my dear departed wells before I bought it 25 years ago]
This makes the speed stuck on high.

I would try the spin with a drill idea and see if you can get the speed down, if not she gotta come apart

[I type too slow, good job]
 
After I pulled the top and looked at how the vari-speed works, I decided to never run it at full fast or full slow. Just looked like it could cause issues. With a VFD, there isn't much call for running it all the way to either end anyway.
 
I got the mill from a college and have no idea how old the belt is. The motor is dated 1994 so who knows. Good thing is I can see the part no clearly. Looks like I’m in for a top end rebuild as I do occasionally get the clonking that is reported as a sign of worn cone bushes. Replacement may be more of a challenge as it’s a Lion 2VS made in Taiwan and nicely made but there is nothing about them online. Anyway if I can get over the current issue that will have to wait until lockdown is over as I will need assistance. Great thing is there are excellent videos from H&W to follow.

It would be a good bet that the Lion 2VS was built in the same factory on Taiwan as my Webb 4VH. You could give them a call. They are in Southern California and have a website.
 
Thanks gents for the tips. I’m running again but will plan a too end rebuild in the summer when I can get help to remove the motor. I spoke with a U.K. rebuilder who told me that the bushes will be most likely bronze and as the shaft is a smaller dia than the BP I’ll need to make them but I won’t know for sure until I get in there.
 








 
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