Need help with DC motor

[Rob Nabakowski]

Hello all. Please excuse my ignorance, but my ignorance was what brought me here in the first place. I have a 1.5 hp DC motor that came off of a treadmill. I do not have the circuit board that was part of the functioning treadmill, however. I would like to re-purpose this motor to use it on a band saw as I need to be able to slow down the RPMs so I can cut through metal. The motor on the band saw now is much too fast (1725 rpm) to cut through steel as it was engineered to cut through woods/plastics. I would like to know what I need to be able to use this motor on the band saw. A friend of mine mentioned a potentiometer, but wasn't sure what else I would need. If this is not enough information, and I assume it may not be, please let me know what other information regarding the motor that you would need in order to give me the information to get this saw working and cutting some steel. Thank you so much.

Rob Nabakowski

 

[duke37]

Some information required.
1. Voltage and current
2. Number of connections.
3. Permanent magnet or electrical field.
4. Series or parallel connections.
5. Speed signal output.

Much of this information may perhaps be obtained from the treadmill circuit diagram together with a suitable speed control circuit.

Have you thought of a variable frequency supply to the original motor?

 

[chopnhack]

Hi Rob - also a fellow woodbutcherer

A few things to consider before converting your bandsaw for cutting metal:

• Do you access to a good quality blade for the steel you will be cutting?
• Do you have a reliable way of gauging the tension?
• What is the condition of your tensioning spring?

I bring up these questions not to dissuade you in your pursuit, but to inform of some often overlooked items.
Metal cutting bandsaw blades are not the same as wood cutting blades and are often a good deal more expensive. Checkout some of the Lenox blades.
These blades often need a higher tension to operate because they tend to be wider blades.
If you bandsaw is old, the tensioning spring may not be able to give you sufficient beam strength for the cut.

Not to mention that you will not be able to cut very much unless you cool the blade - lubricant on a wood band saw ?

 

[Minder]

I converted my Craftsman band saw with a T.M. motor but it was one of the very few Universal motors that came off of a T.M.
One of the KB DC motor controller's on ebay will run your DC brushed motor, the better versions are the PWM type, there is also a SCR type as a second choice.
The type/part No can be confirmed by checking the KB site.
M.