Air filters/cleaners - FAO GWW Andy King

[RodT]

Hi,

I'm new to this so hope that you will be gentle with me. I have the Time Life collection of books which I think are great. In one there are many plans for making dust extractors, and air filters and for the main power they refer to Squirrel Motors.
Obviously this is an American term and I despaired of finding any in the UK until "Good Woodworking" published a similar plan with a telephone number where I could buy them. Unfortunately the number was wrong and although the people on the other end were relatively polite they has received a lot of calls and they were restrained in their response. They thought that a company is Scotland was making or selling them.

Does anyone know what a squirrel motor is, what is the UK equivalent and where can I buy them. Has anyone built any of these?

Thanks

Rod

Modedit on title

 

[George_N]

Hi Rod,
can't help with squirrel motors I'm afraid, but welcome to the forum.

cheers

George

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Rod

Welcome to UKW.

I've edited the title of your thread to attract the attention of one Mr King, GWW's finest.

Ooops. Sorry Steve, Phil, Adam, Ian, Chris and anyone else I might have offended. :wink:

Cheers
Neil

 

[Chris Knight]

Rod,
Reference is probably to a squirrel cage motor and a simple web definition is :-

"Squirrel cage motors get their name from the appearance of early rotors. They are the most common type of industrial AC electric motor, being rugged and requiring neither a separate DC power source nor slip-rings. They are essentially constant speed devices when energised by a constant frequency AC supply, however electronic speed control is available."

Basically an induction motor in common parlance.

 

[Philly]

Hi Rod
Welcome to the forum!
Machine Mart sell various motors-there may be one suitable from them. Here's the link
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search.asp?q=motor
Cheers
Philly

 

[johnelliott]

I think the reference might be to the fan part, which looks somewhat like a circular cage. They are used in blowers for oil-fired boilers. They are also used in the Axminster (and other) air filters, the type you hang from the ceiling. They are much more efficient that blade type fans
John

 

[RodT]

Thanks for all your help, didn't get much further forward however. Back in the olden days when I had an interesting job, I was Parts Manager responsible for a Middle easten operation selling Earth Moving machinery, Generators, massive diesel engines and all that good stuff. If you wanted a Thingy for your 3000hp diesel I could identify what it was, give you the part number, procure one for you, usually at an exhorbitant price,etc but all very abstract, I didn't necessarily ever know what a Thingy was.

Same with this motor, I've looked in the Machine Mart cat and they all look very impressive but I don't know how to spec one to my requirements. As far as I remember the Good Woodworking that published the article didn't give any specs either, just said ring this (wrong) number. My back copies are carefully filed in a massive pile at the back of one of my cupboards and do not intend trying to find it.

I am trying to build the perfect router table (for me anyway). I have noise issues with my neighbours so trying to silence it as much as possible, have worn my knuckles away changing router bits, and I want the best dust extraction that I can get together, so am thinking of installing the extraction as an integral part of the table, so also need it to be quiet. This is what I wanted the motor for.

Anyway thanks for the welcome and if anyone thinks of anything please let me know

Rod

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Rod,

Sorry I haven't replied earlier, i've only just seen the posting.
It sounds like you're referring to the air filtration box that Ian Dalziel made in issue 150.
The phone number we printed does work, but it's for the spares part of Electicaire based in Scotland (as is Ian) so it may be that they aren't aware of the actual motor as a spare for some reason. (It was in the mag about 2 years ago)
They have a head office for their products so you could try there: 01538 372355 email: [email protected]

hope this helps.

cheers,
Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Hi again Rod,

Just checked your posting at the top and you said that the company had taken a few calls regarding the motor.
I've checked the company on Applegate business listings and it comes up as Electricaire spares in Strathclyde, and the number we printed is correct.
Hopefully if Ian is lurking, he can clear up where he actually got the motor from or whether it was a discontinued line or something...

cheers,
Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, just to help, to save digging out back issues, the number we published for the Scotland address is: 01698 844180, which is the same as their Applegate listing.

cheers,
Andy

 

[RodT]

Andy

Thanks very much indeed. Some time ago but I assure you that I got a very hostile reception when I called the number and they certainly suggested that they had received a lot of calls and had no idea how to re-direct them.

Never mind, will have another go with the info supplied thanks, knowing it was issue 150 can probably even find that too. If I have any further problems will come back. Otherwise when I have finished the new, super deluxe, silent, dust free router table I'll let you all know.

Rod

 

[Noel]

Hi Rod, welcome to the site.
As has been mentioned a squirrel motor is essentially an induction motor,(usually TEFC with foot mount). With regard to the home made filtration devices what you require is a squirrel cage fan. Something similar to what you'd see in a ventilation system and are used a lot in US style furnaces (central heating).
Like this:
http://www.alpharubicon.com/basicnbc/safefanwar.htm
And here is a homemade filtration unit used in WW and spraying etc:
http://wood.bigelowsite.com/air_filter/
I think somebody on the forum has made something similar (Tony or DaveL?).

Happy Paddys day,

Noel

 

[DaveL]

Hi Rod,

Welcome to the forum.

I am guilty of making an air filter, take a look here, works a treat, well worth the effort. 8)

 

[RodT]

Dave

That looks like a quality machine, and Noel, thanks for the links, I'm getting a bit more of a feel for what I need now and really appreaciate the advice and recommendations from you all. I can find GW going back to 1999 but sadly of course issue 150 is missing but thanks Andy all the same

I shall come here again