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Seeking Specific Electric Motor for DIY Project

Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Hello, I'm in the process of building a small benchtop flatlap machine to use in my business.

There is one maker out there who must make them for everyone, as dozens of resellers even use the same photo. I think it's ridiculous to pay $500-600 for something like this.
75W3b3o.jpg


Here's the direct link to this unit: https://www.riogrande.com/product/dura-bull-flat-lap-systems/204122gp

I have found DIY articles and YT vids from people who have built their own; however, I have a tiny shop and am grinding plastic, not rocks, so most of those units are far too big and beefy for my application.

The motor I'm seeking would ideally have all, or most, of the features listed below. If you know of a source for such things, or a particular brand and/or model number, esp something older that I could find used, I'd be most appreciative.

Here are the key features:

1) $100 tops, new or used
2) A/C power preferred, 110 volt
3) Half inch drive shaft, metal
4) Multiple speeds (the one pictured goes from 800-3400)
5) If too expensive for multiple speeds, a one-speed motor turning at no more than 1500 RPM would work. 3500 RPM is way too fast.

I've even thought of snagging at old food processor, or a blender. I think the blender speeds would be tood fast, but food processors might work. So yeah, if you can think of a used appliance I could buy with this kind of motor in it, I'm fine with that.

You folks have never let me down. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Best,
EG
 

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A vibration dampened balanced machine with coolant and selection of abrasives- with a warranty and seller backing it or upside down palm sander in a vice?
jewelers tools are bargains for what you get, especially on the mid tier level.
 
I could build basic machine for less, could not provide the abrasive selection and warranty for less. Its a pmdc motor in a tube, with a speed controller, with some abrasive discs. If you can't copy it from the pics, just buy it.
 
Hello, I'm in the process of building a small benchtop flatlap machine to use in my business.

......
EG

For a business, usually buy makes more sense by the time you figure your time spent, particularly if any other employees are involved. But is your time better spent developing more business, or messing around to save $200 of the $600 it costs you?

If you can charge it off as a setu cost to a customer, that is one thing, but even so.... Those things turn out to be money pits, time pits, etc. The ONLY saving grace is if the thing is NOT available, or available ones are not suitable, then you may have no choice. or if it can be a "product" when you are done.

Buy it and use the time saved get more customers, is the best advice I can give.... money "comes in every day", but time is limited.
 
The OP's requirements and lack of understanding of the forces at work here, lead me to suggest he try over at the home shop machinist site, they thrive on this kind of stuff.

and you will get serious pages of responses.
 
Doug, I think that's a fair assessment of where I'm at. I was unaware of that site, so I just went over and registered and am now awaiting approval of my membership. I'm also already a member at Homemade Tools, so that would be a good play too. Thanks for your insights and suggestions.

Best,
Scott
 
Thanks to all the posters in this thread

To All the Posters:

Thanks so much for your suggestions and opinions. All useful advice.

There is indeed a lot of wisdom in just buying one off the shelf; however, I'm an inveterate tinkerer and I like exploring and learning things. Also, this is a side business that has shown a profit the last few years, and I'm building this venture on sweat equity versus capital outlay. It's a side business, as my regular gig is as a full-time English professor. I've got the summer off, so am working on building some tools to cut down the inordinate amount of time I spend with handwork.

BTW, my business is high-end guitar picks, a category that has exploded with the flush economy over the last decade. Believe it or not, our cheapest model is $30, and we literally can't make them fast enough. The material we use looks like blown glass when polished.

Here's a pic of one of our most popular models.
TmByE6E.jpg


Not a sales pitch, but here's a look-see of what we're all about: store | charmedlife

Below is a vid of a guy who made one of these DIY lappers for $10.00. Mine doesn't need to be as beefy, since I'm only buffing and polish plastics, not rocks.
 
Looks like a garbage disposal with a flat platen would work fine, even has a seal on the output shaft.

For speed control, use a 3phase model and a VFD. Check used restaurant equipment dealers or disposal repair shops.

SAF
 
To All the Posters:

Thanks so much for your suggestions and opinions. All useful advice.....

BTW, my business is high-end guitar picks,...Believe it or not, our cheapest model is $30, and we literally can't make them fast enough. ...

Very cool. Congratulations!

A lot of us would like to have a business like that.
 
I second the treadmill motor.

You can get them for $50 surplus for fairly high power capacity. A cheap speed controller and rectifier will cost $20.

What may work very well for you is that treadmill motors have very large flywheels on them with a flat face. Adhere whatever abrasive you use (assuming it's not a stone) to it, and all you have to do is build a stand to hold the motor vertically.

I have a bunch of these motors:
3 HP Icon Treadmill Motor Without External Fan F-309513 ZDY116-MNT-081 | Special Purpose DC Motors | DC Motors | Electrical | www.surpluscenter.com
And I can say that the flywheel is a very flat surface. Be aware that this model does not have a cooling fan. The motor with the fan is an extra $7.
 
It is a quarter horse power motor, rheostat. vfd, or treadmill is way more umph than required. thrift store sewing machine?
The platen, flat and balanced is critical to good finish. coolant (water) helps too.

design a motor fan to prevent coolant issues and a lowes depot Ryobi disc belt sander? usually a small on is 100 or so?
 
Forgive me, folks. I am not getting any notifications through email about new posts, either in my regular email or SPAM folder. Could someone please post something to see if it is now working. I clicked on Subscribe in my profile and am hoping that fixed it. Thanks.

Then I'll be back with more responses.

Best,
Ferd
 
Stros, thanks, appreciate the info very much. Thanks for the link. I took a look at the motors and they look like a possibility.

Here is my main concern. It looks like the ones you have are around 5000 RPM. Would a speed controller allow me to get that RPM down significantly? Most of the work I'll be doing, especially with a motor that beefy, will be in the 600-1200 RPM range.

If this is possible, please PM me here to discuss further.

REALLY appreciate your input.

Scott
 
Yes, a pmdc treadmill motor can vary the speed, if you take apart an old treadmill you get the motor and the speed controller, or you can buy the motor and controller separately. If you are not good at figuring out electronics, buying a speed controller with a plain rheostat(knob) will be plug and play, using a controller from a treadmill you have 2 options, A. use the console from the treadmill, or B. Just use the circuit board and add your own controls.

If you want dead nuts simple, use a treadmill motor and a 12vdc power supply, all you need is an on/off switch, you will get 1 speed. Never put a tach on one to see what that speed is, but seat of my pants experience says it would be just about right for polishing guitar picks.
 
Yes, a pmdc treadmill motor can vary the speed, if you take apart an old treadmill you get the motor and the speed controller, or you can buy the motor and controller separately. If you are not good at figuring out electronics, buying a speed controller with a plain rheostat(knob) will be plug and play, using a controller from a treadmill you have 2 options, A. use the console from the treadmill, or B. Just use the circuit board and add your own controls.

If you want dead nuts simple, use a treadmill motor and a 12vdc power supply, all you need is an on/off switch, you will get 1 speed. Never put a tach on one to see what that speed is, but seat of my pants experience says it would be just about right for polishing guitar picks.

The motor is rated to spin about 5000 rpm at 130V, so that's about 38.5 RPM per volt. At 12 volts that gives 460 RPM. 24 Volts gives double that. If I were doing this I would use a rectifier and multitap transformer for a couple of speed ranges.
 
I'm a tinkerer as well, but the thing that would make me hesitate to build one of these is how to seal the electrical stuff away from the coolant.
 
Yes, a pmdc treadmill motor can vary the speed, if you take apart an old treadmill you get the motor and the speed controller, or you can buy the motor and controller separately. If you are not good at figuring out electronics, buying a speed controller with a plain rheostat(knob) will be plug and play, using a controller from a treadmill you have 2 options, A. use the console from the treadmill, or B. Just use the circuit board and add your own controls.

If you want dead nuts simple, use a treadmill motor and a 12vdc power supply, all you need is an on/off switch, you will get 1 speed. Never put a tach on one to see what that speed is, but seat of my pants experience says it would be just about right for polishing guitar picks.

DG, thanks again. Great info. I will probably start with a single speed motor and see how it goes. Would you imagine the single speed you mention above would be in the 1200 rpm range, something like that?

Over time I want to develop a way to slow rpms down and do my own grinding. Right now I'm paying a Blanchard grinding how to do my stuff. No terribly expensive to have done, but want to slowly bring more and more processes under my own roof.

I bought three small food processors at garage sales over the weekend. They will allow me to experiment on a smaller scale to see if this is feasible.

Thanks again. Appreciate all your insights. I'm stubborn, so I'll figure it out.

EG
 








 
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